Channel NewsAsia 21 Mar 08;
SINGAPORE : One of Singapore's largest parks - Pasir Ris Park - has been upgraded, to make it easier for visitors to enjoy the six-hectare mangrove forest.
Pasir Ris Park is the only park in Singapore with an urban mangrove forest.
But to get there, many visitors had to walk quite a distance. So the park was upgraded to make it easier for visitors to enjoy the forest.
A boardwalk stretching 232 metres was added, and a corridor that spans 4,000 square metres links the boardwalk directly to the Pasir Ris Bus and MRT Interchange.
One visitor said, "I walked here from the MRT station. It took me about 10 minutes. It's not too far away."
Another added, "It's closer to the MRT station. Only about 10 minutes away. It's very convenient."
The S$2 million upgrading was completed in nine months.
Meanwhile, the former herb and spice gardens have been revamped into kitchen gardens.
The are now over 100 species of plants and herbs, and almost half of the area is taken up by medicinal plants. The total cost of upgrading this area was S$15,000.
The new look has been a hit with visitors.
Nurhaslinda Ramli, Section Head, Parks, National Parks Board, said, "Nowadays, when we do our side walks in the morning, we see nature photographers. On weekends it's filled with families."
That is because the makeover includes a new playground, handicap-friendly areas and even an open-concept interpretive centre. - CNA/ms
Pasir Ris Park gets makeover
Straits Times 22 Mar 08;
New attractions in the Pasir Ris Park include a wheelchair-friendly playground and a herb garden. There is also a new pond and a longer 1.2km mangrove boardwalk, part of the $2 million park extension project.
The 73ha green lung is now linked to nearby Pasir Ris MRT station via a walkway.
