THE south moat of Fort Cornwallis, currently undergoing renovation, is set to be completed soon and will be open to the public on July 7 this year, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said.
He said once the restoration works come to an end, the public will be able to enjoy the component, which is part of the broader Fort Cornwallis restoration project.
The restoration of the west moat, however, is slated for later completion and will be open to the public from July 7, 2025.
“There is still a lot of work to be done but we are happy to note that the south moat will be open this year, allowing the public to enjoy part of this historic structure,” Chow said after visiting the Fort Cornwallis earlier this morning.
The RM20 million project is being implemented by the George Town Conservation and Development Corporation (GTCDC), a partnership between Penang Chief Minister Incorporated and Think City with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture as the technical advisor.
It was learned that about RM10 million was spent on excavation and works around the fort for the moats, and another RM10 million will be spent to complete it.
Meanwhile, Think City managing director Hamdan Abdul Majeed said the storerooms of the fort, which were conserved and restored, will be open as a fort museum by the end of this year.
“At this point, works on displaying the contents are taking place, and we are looking at about November or December to open it to the public,” he said.
In a related development, Chow said the current Astaka Kota Selera, which is one of the components under the Fort Cornwallis project, will be relocated temporarily to make way for a reconstruction project soon.
“The Astaka will be relocated only within the vicinity,” he said.
Among others present during the visit earlier were Deputy Finance Minister and Tanjong MP Lim Hui Ying, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk A. Rajendran, Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI) general manager Datin Bharathi Suppiah, Think City International senior director Dr Matt Benson, Think City technical director (conservation) Francesco Siravo and Aga Khan Trust for Culture general manager Luis Monreal Agusti.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Siew Chia En
Video by Siti Nuratikah Rahmat