'Island hop' at Jurong Lake Park

NParks to carve out islets and streams for visitors to enjoy at this Destination Park
Miranda Yeo Straits Times 29 Apr 12;

'Island-hopping' inland in Jurong will be possible when the Jurong Lake Park gets a makeover.

The National Parks Board (NParks) will draw inspiration from the local terrain and the park's water features to carve out islets and streams so visitors can enjoy island-hopping.

This vision of an adventure playground was mapped out by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the media launch of the Jurong Lake Run 2012, which will take place on July 8.

In his speech at the JCube mall yesterday, Mr Tharman, who is an adviser to Jurong GRC's grassroots organisations, revealed that the new developments will also include more nature spaces and trails to support the rich biodiversity in Jurong Lake Park.

It is home to 78, or a third, of the country's resident bird species.

The park is one of three Destination Parks announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last month, with the other two being East Coast Park and Admiralty Park.

The Destination Parks, part of NParks' City In A Garden initiative, will be designed to attract visitors from all over Singapore, not just residents in the vicinity.

Jurong Lake Park will also be one of the key points in a 150km Round Island Route, linking a host of attractions like the Gardens By The Bay, Rail Corridor and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

NParks' initiatives prove that 'despite being a very small island, we can actually provide a remarkable amount of recreational opportunities and family activities', said Mr Tharman, who is also Minister for Finance and Minister for Manpower.

He cited the Round Island Route as a prime example, and urged cyclists and joggers to make full use of the upcoming recreational facilities to get closer to nature.

NParks has been gathering feedback on what features users would like to have in the Destination Parks and the Round Island Route.

Three rounds of interviews have been conducted with parkgoers at Jurong Lake Park so far. Some 70 per cent of respondents appreciated the place for its tranquillity, and 22 per cent wanted more wildlife habitats in the park.

Mr Tharman assured nature enthusiasts that NParks is 'absolutely clear' about preserving such habitats.

He added that within the next five years, there will be 'significant development' of the park, and that it will be 'transformed' within 10 years.

The public can visit an NParks roadshow in Jurong Point that aims to collect feedback over the weekend, or visit the City In The Garden website at www.nparks.gov.sg/ciag to share ideas on the Destination Parks and Round Island Route.

Jurong Lake Park will be part of island-wide green corridor
Claire Huang Channel NewsAsia 28 Apr 12;

SINGAPORE: Jurong Lake Park will be one of the key nodes of the Round Island Route.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced the vision of "an island-hopping playground" Saturday morning at a community event.

It is one of three destination parks announced by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last month.

Together with recreational attractions like Gardens by the Bay and Southern Ridges, Jurong Lake Park will be part of the Round Island Route - a seamless green corridor that goes all round Singapore.

The 150-kilometre route was announced in February this year.

It was mooted by the Urban Redevelopment Authority in 2008 and will connect natural, historical and cultural attractions to the parks and park connectors.

When completed, Jurong Lake Park will be a destination park with unique features.

When designing, NParks will draw inspiration from the area's terrain and characteristics.

Rich in biodiversity, the park will have plenty of natural spaces and trails to allow the public to get closer to nature.

Mr Tharman, who is also MP for Jurong GRC, said: "The fact that we have the lake is a wonderful advantage. So NParks is going to create little running streams in a playground, and allow families and children and everyone to hop from one island to another in the playground itself."

Mr Tharman was speaking at the launch of Jurong Lake Run 2012.

MediaCorp is one of the main sponsors of the run.

The theme for the run in July is "Running as One", reflecting the commitment to attain inclusiveness within the community.

- CNA/cc

A run through nature at Jurong Lake, for a cause
Today Online 29 Apr 12;

SINGAPORE - With about 120 bird species having been spotted at the Jurong Lakeside area - including the rare Ruddy Kingfisher and Grey-headed Fish Eagle - Jurong Lake Park, when developed, will feature plenty of nature spaces and trails to support its rich biodiversity, said Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

And to take advantage of the park's proximity to the lake, little islets and running streams will be carved out to build an island-hopping adventure playground.

Highlighting the features park-goers can expect once Jurong Lake Park is developed as a destination park to attract visitors from all over Singapore, Mr Tharman yesterday also said the park will be one of the key nodes of the 150km Round Island Route (RIR).

The RIR links many major natural, cultural and historical attractions to parks, park connectors and intra-town cycling networks.

Mr Tharman was speaking at the launch of Jurong Lake Run 2012, which takes place on July 8. The first mega-running event in western Singapore when it debuted last year, it is now set to become an annual nationwide event, he said.

This year's run will see a portion of proceeds donated to seven charities. It is also significant because it "was conceptualised and continues to be spearheaded by youth volunteers keen to play their part for society," he said.

He unveiled the run's revamped identity of "Running as One", and this year's theme as "Run for a Cause" featuring inspirational heroes from the community.

Last year, more than 6,500 runners from 47 countries took part. Event organiser Taman Jurong Community Sports Club said more than 5,250 have signed up for this year's run so far. About 12,000 participants are expected.

The run is held in conjunction with the Community Sports Festival organised by the People's Association.

10km-race title sponsor MediaCorp invites all to 'RUN WITH ME'
MediaCorp is the main sponsor for this year's Jurong Lake Run, held on Sunday, July 8.

The broadcaster is the title sponsor of the 10km Competitive Run, which has been named "RUN WITH ME", MediaCorp 10km run.

It is one of three main categories in the Jurong Lake Run. The other two are the 6km Competitive Run and the 3km Community Walk-a-Jog.

Mr Patrick Yong, MediaCorp's head of strategic marketing, said: "MediaCorp is proud to support Jurong Lake Run 2012. As a national broadcaster, MediaCorp is always looking at opportunities to support relevant local sports and community projects as part of our engagement with our audience."

The 10km and 6km competitive runs are further divided into six sub-categories each, catering to runners 13 and above, while the 3km Community-Walk-a-Jog will be open to all ages. A total of S$17,500 in prize money will be up for grabs.

The event will also feature activities at the Chinese Garden, as the grounds transform into a playground filled with games and giveaways.

Registration for the run is open until June 8. Participants can register at www.juronglakerun.com or at the Taman Jurong Community Club. Fees start from S$22.