SINGAPORE: Residents living in the southern part of Singapore can enjoy a new leisure playground with the official opening of the Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk.
The 2.1km Walk comprises three distinct segments - Alexandra Garden Trail, Berlayer Creek, and Bukit Chermin Boardwalk.
The Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk was conceptualised and developed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and will be managed by the National Parks Board.
Visitors can now enter charming mangrove and coastal areas, which were previously not accessible to pedestrians.
The Walk seamlessly connects the Southern Ridges to the Southern Waterfront.
It runs along Alexandra Road from Depot Road to Telok Blangah Road, through the Berlayer Creek mangrove area and skirts the foothills of Bukit Chermin.
Information panels placed at various intervals along the Walk allow visitors to learn about nearby attractions and rich biodiversity in the area.
The Walk was officially opened by Minister for Trade and Industry Mr Lim Hng Kiang Monday morning.
- CNA/cc
Mangrove and coastal walk now open to visitors
AsiaOne 2 Jan 12;
Residents living in the southern part of Singapore can now enter charming mangrove and coastal areas with the Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk.
Launched today by Minister for Trade and Industry Mr Lim Hng Kiang, the Walk leads visitors into areas that were previously inaccessible to pedestrians.
These tranquil nature spots will be an oasis of calm for visitors amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, connecting the Southern Ridges to the Southern Waterfront.
It runs along Alexandra Road from Depot Road to Telok Blangah Road, through the Berlayer Creek mangrove area and skirts the foothills of Bukit Chermin.
Along the way, visitors can learn about nearby attractions and the rich biodiversity in the area from information panels placed at various intervals along the Walk.
The 2.1km walk comprises three distinct segments -- Alexandra Garden Trail, Berlayer
Creek, and Bukit Chermin Boardwalk.
Alexandra Garden Trail
Pedestrians and cyclists can revel in the scenic views and greenery along the 830m Alexandra Garden Trail, which is connected to key recreational destinations in the area such as Alexandra Arch, Forest Walk and the future arts cluster at Gillman Village.
Cycling and foot paths meander around mature roadside trees, with more than 10 species of flowering plants and foliage added to the foot of the trees to enhance the trail
Berlayer Creek
The Berlayer Creek mangrove trail is 969m long and is one of the few remaining mangrove areas in the city area.
Previously inaccessible to pedestrians, the opening of the Labrador Park MRT Station right next to it along with the new trail makes it convenient and simple for members of the public to explore this nature area.
A visitor pavilion provides a sheltered rest point and and allows visitors to enjoy elevated views of the mangrove through its roof deck. Look-out points perched over the Creek also allow users to get closer to the biodiversity.
Bukit Chermin Boardwalk
Visitors and photography enthusiasts can soak in the breathtaking panoramic waterfront views at Keppel Harbour by the 330m Bukit Chermin Boardwalk.
Sights such as schools of fish or ecosystems of crustaceans can be spotted during the different tides.
Pedestrians will eventually be able to continue walking seamlessly all the way to Sentosa via the public promenades at Reflections at Keppel Bay, the Caribbean at Keppel Bay, Harbourfront and Vivocity.
The Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk was conceptualised and developed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and will be managed by the National Parks Board.
Visitors can download an e-guide at www.nparks.gov.sg/eguides.
Get closer to nature with Labrador walk
Evelyn Choo Today Online 3 Jan 12;
SINGAPORE - Residents of and visitors to the southern part of Singapore have a new leisure destination - mangrove and coastal areas that were previously inaccessible - with the official opening of the Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk.
The 2.1km walk, which seamlessly connects the Southern Ridges to the Southern Waterfront, runs along Alexandra Road from Depot Road to Telok Blangah Road, through the Berlayar Creek mangrove area and skirts the foothills of Bukit Chermin.
It comprises three distinct segments - Alexandra Garden Trail, Berlayar Creek and Bukit Chermin Boardwalk - with Berlayar Creek home to a myriad of wildlife: 60 bird species, 19 fish species and 14 mangrove plant species recorded in an area of only 5.6ha.
Extra care was taken to retain the natural environment along the walk, which was conceptualised and developed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and will be managed by the National Parks Board.
For example, some boardwalks are elevated to ensure that animals can move from one end to the other. And as they usually move around at night, there are no lamp posts along certain stretches.
"All the lights (subtle LED lights) are hidden below the handrails," said URA executive architect (Conservation & Urban Design) Lee Howe Ming.
"We can maintain the nocturnal environment of this area and, at the same time, the public can come in for a moonlit stroll in this mangrove setting."
Footpaths and bicycle paths also meander around mature rain trees, seamlessly weaving flora and fauna into the urban landscape, while information panels along the walk allow visitors to learn about nearby attractions and the rich biodiversity in the area.
Construction of the S$10-million walk began in 2010 and was completed at the end of last year.
Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang, who opened the walk yesterday, said it would provide new and healthy ways for visitors and residents of Telok Blangah to spend their weekends and holidays.
Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk now open
Alvina Soh / Evelyn Choo Channel NewsAsia 2 Jan 12;
SINGAPORE: Residents living in the southern part of Singapore can enjoy a new leisure playground with the official opening of the Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk.
The 2.1km Walk comprises three distinct segments - Alexandra Garden Trail, Berlayer Creek and Bukit Chermin Boardwalk.
The Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk was conceptualised and developed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and will be managed by the National Parks Board.
Visitors can now enter charming mangrove and coastal areas, which were previously not accessible to pedestrians.
The Walk seamlessly connects the Southern Ridges to the Southern Waterfront.
It runs along Alexandra Road from Depot Road to Telok Blangah Road, through the Berlayer Creek mangrove area and skirts the foothills of Bukit Chermin.
A relatively small area of 5.6 hectares, Berlayer Creek is home to a myriad of wildlife species. Some 60 bird species, 19 species of fish and 14 true mangrove plant species have been recorded.
Extra care was taken to retain the natural environment of the Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk. For example, some boardwalks are elevated to ensure animals can still move from one end to the other.
As the movements usually happen at night, there are no lamp posts along certain stretches of the Walk.
Lee Howe Ming, URA's executive architect of the Conservation & Urban Design Group, said: "We do not have lamp posts along here because that would be too much in this environment. So all the lights are hidden below the handrails in terms of subtle LED lights.
"At night, we can still maintain the nocturnal environment of this area and at the same time, the public can still come in for a kind of moonlit stroll in this mangrove setting."
Footpaths and cycle paths also meander around mature rain trees, seamlessly weaving flora and fauna into the urban landscape.
Information panels placed at various intervals along the Walk allow visitors to learn about nearby attractions and rich biodiversity in the area.
Construction of the S$10 million Walk began in 2010 and was completed at the end of last year.
The Walk was officially opened by Minister for Trade and Industry Mr Lim Hng Kiang on Monday morning.
Mr Lim said the extension will provide many new and healthy ways for visitors and residents of Telok Blangah to spend their weekends and holidays.
- CNA/ac
Trail linking Southern Ridges to coast opens
Lim Yan Liang Straits Times 3 Jan 12;
NATURE lovers can now explore a new trail that links the Southern Ridges to the waterfront at Keppel Harbour. The 2.1km, $10 million Labrador Nature & Coastal Walk was officially opened yesterday, closing the loop between Keppel Bay, Labrador Nature Reserve and Alexandra Arch by way of Labrador MRT station.
The Walk, which took about a year and a half to build, consists of three distinct parts: Alexandra Garden Trail, Berlayer Creek and Bukit Chermin Boardwalk.
The first path is a 830m park connector along Alexandra Road, featuring mature trees and scented plants.
Berlayer Creek cuts through one of the few remaining mangroves left on mainland Singapore. Previously inaccessible, the raised 960m-long boardwalk gives visitors a glimpse into 5.61ha of mangrove trees plus 60 recorded bird species and other fauna.
Linking Berlayer Creek to the promenade is Bukit Chermin Boardwalk, a 330m seaside walkway with scenic views of nearby Keppel Harbour and across the waters, Sentosa. The Walk was developed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and will be managed by the National Parks Board (NParks).
Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, who officiated at the opening of the Walk yesterday, said: 'Two to three years ago, the connection (was built) with all the hills in the Southern Ridges: From Telok Blangah hill, you can walk eastwards and link up to Mount Faber using Henderson Waves, or you can walk westwards, linking up to Hort Park and Kent Ridge using Alexandra Arch.
'Today, URA and NParks have given us another addition: You can walk southwards, down to the coast. So you have the benefit of either a hill walk or a coastal walk.'
Yesterday, over 800 residents from nearby Dover and Telok Blangah joined in the morning walk. Said Madam Lim Poh Chan, 72, a resident from Telok Blangah Heights: 'This place (Berlayer Creek) used to be just mud. I used to come to the park occasionally but with the new path, I might take my grandchildren more often.'
An NParks spokesman said that guided walks conducted by the agency will begin later in the year. For now, those interested to visit the area can download an e-guide at http://www.nparks.gov.sg/eguides.
More about the boardwalk on the wild shores of singapore blog.