Padang Brown, Dato Kramat

Padang Brown (14 May 2008)


Padang Brown (GPS: 5.41375, 100.31757), also known as Padang Dato Keramat, is a 12-acre playing field in George Town. It is bordered by Dato Kramat Road, Perak Road, Anson Road and Johore Road.

The land on which Padang Brown is located was donated David Brown, one of the wealthiest landowner in Penang. A Scot from Edinburgh, Brown came to Penang in the early 19th century to join his fellow countryman, James Scott, who was the trading partner to Francis Light. After Light's death, his business passed into Scott's hands, and in turn the businesses passed to Scott's junior partner, David Brown. Brown eventually became one of the wealthiest person in Penang as well as the largest landowner, with plantations and estates throughout the island.

Brown Memorial, erected in Brown's memory, once stood in the middle of Padang Brown. It was subsequently shifted to the corner, near the junction of Jalan Perak and Jalan Anson, and stands today in the midst of the Padang Brown Hawker Centre.

Padang Brown is busy in the evenings for football. Once a week a pasar malam is also held in Padang Brown. There are two hawker centres on the rim of the open field: Padang Brown Hawker Centre surrounds the Brown Memorial while the Padang Brown Johore Road Hawker Centre is along Johore Road.

Renovation work in progress at Padang Brown (16 December 2012)

Nearby Sights

Updates

24 March, 2013: The Lim Guan Eng Facebook Page states that the upgrading works on Padang Brown costs RM900,000 and that the field will be reopened to the public in September 2013.

6 November 2012, New Straits Times: Padang Brown is undergoing renovation as the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) is laying underground pipes in the field. This involves the removal of the top soil. The project, costing RM1 million, is expected to deal with the problem of puddles and water stagnation in the field which often hampers sports activities. The laying of underground pipes in Padang Brown is similar to improvements carried out at Padang Kota Lama a few years ago.

Getting there

Take Rapid Penang Bus Nos. 11, 201, 202, 203, 204, 206, 301, 302, 306 and 308 which pass through Jalan Dato Keramat.

Padang Brown is on the Map of Jalan Dato Keramat, Penang

List of Playing Fields in Penang and Playing Fields in Malaysia