A new initiative will provide seed funding of up to S$5,000 and support for proposals to turn streets into public spaces.
Channel NewsAsia 2 Jul 15;
SINGAPORE: More streets are set to go car-free and be turned into temporary public spaces in a new initiative launched by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
Launched on Thursday (Jul 2), the Streets for People initiative will provide support for new proposals to turn streets into public spaces. Successful applicants may receive up to S$5,000 in seed funding, and support such as safety barriers and signage for the car-free zone. URA will also facilitate consultation with relevant government agencies.
Proposals can be submitted for short-term or regular, temporary car-free zones for the community and public to enjoy the public space. They will be assessed on three key criteria - location, timing, and activities. Applicants must also operate or reside within the proposed area and have their plans supported by the local community, URA said.
The weekend car-free zones at Circular Road, Haji Lane and Ann Siang Hill have been a great success, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan noted.
“As the streets get closed off, they come alive with activities: tables and chairs spilling onto the roads, diners enjoying a leisurely cuppa, youngsters hanging out at quirky boutiques, and tourists soaking up another aspect of Singapore,” he wrote in a blogpost.
More communities have been coming forward to initiate similar projects, he said.
Mr Khaw cited a recent community-led initiative at Everton Park, where a quiet back lane was converted into a vibrant street festival. “Many residents were pleasantly surprised to discover the community space and enjoyed many of the activities such as free haircuts, face-painting and kampung games,” he said.
The car-free zones have generally benefited businesses, but they are not without road blocks.
"For it to be closed on weekends - it does help, because it allows higher traffic flow," shared Ms Jamie Lin, owner of The Last Piece, an establishment at Kampong Glam.
The Public House owner Alvin Phua agreed: "It certainly improves the atmosphere, our business and the mood of everybody."
But according to Mr Bryan Foo, head chef at Ramen Bar Suzuki, the lack of parking space can lead to lost business: "Drivers come here for the atmosphere, and when they can't find parking space, they choose to go elsewhere."
Orchard Road is another area that has gone car-free, with its monthly Pedestrian Night now extended till the end of the year. Organisers said that there are lessons to be learnt, as the first six editions created lots of buzz but did not necessarily translate to more sales.
"What we have not done well is to synergise with our in-mall activities, and bring business back to the stakeholders," said Mr Steven Goh, executive director of the Orchard Road Business Association. "There's been feedback that not all our stakeholders benefited from street closure activities like these. So our first six months, we over-planned our activities and didn't synergise with our stakeholders' activities."
The next series of Pedestrian Nights on Orchard Road, which start on Saturday, will focus on highlighting retail deals. Some malls plan to get crowds through the doors by extending business hours, and having pop-up stores. Some business owners have also said they are considering taking their wares to the streets on Pedestrian Night to capitalise on the buzz.
- CNA/cy
Streets become public spaces under new URA initiative
Chan Yi Wen The Business Times AsiaOne 4 Jul 15;
"As the streets get closed off, they come alive with activities: tables and chairs spilling onto the roads, diners enjoying a leisurely cuppa, youngsters hanging out at quirky boutiques, and tourists soaking up another aspect of Singapore. People stroll freely and safely. Closed to cars, the streets come alive."
On Thursday, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan endorsed the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) newly-launched "Streets for People" programme on his blog.
"Car-free Circular Road, Haji Lane and Ann Siang Hill during weekends have been a great success," Mr Khaw wrote. "We want to see more streets being turned into public spaces for community to enjoy."
The "Streets for People" programme, launched on Thursday, will support new community-initiated car-free zones aimed at transforming streets and back lanes into temporary public spaces.
During the operational hours of a car-free zone, access to the street is restricted to pedestrians and emergency service vehicles, while all kerbside parking is suspended, the URA said on its website.
The programme offers varying levels of support, including providing road closure essentials such as safety barriers and signage, and up to S$5,000 of seed funding. The URA will also facilitate consultation with relevant government agencies.
Applicants of the URA's "Streets for People" programme must operate or reside within the area where the project is proposed and demonstrate that their project is supported by the community.
In the last two years, the URA has been working with a range of stakeholders to implement car-free zones at various locations and have supported a number of external initiatives through its PubliCity programme. Launched in 2013, PubliCity aims to involve the community to celebrate good public spaces and to enliven public spaces through good design and programmes.
"The success of these projects is a reflection that the public appreciates an environment with fewer cars. We hope that through offering support to community-initiated projects, we will encourage more people to think about the trade-offs in land-scarce Singapore," the URA said.
Streets that have already been transformed to public spaces include a back lane in Everton Park where a street festival was organised, car-free zones at Bussorah Street at Kampong Glam as well as Club Street.
Justin Frizelle, spokesman for the Club Street Association, told The Business Times that the pedestrianisation initiative has rejuvenated the area with increased vibrancy, along with a range of challenges.
"The increase in consumer traffic in the evenings naturally comes with the challenge of managing both litter and noise. Such large gatherings of pedestrians also comes with stricter enforcement of safety regulations to ensure that there are always passageways for safety vehicles."
Rachel Liddington, a resident at Club Street, said that pedestrianisation has improved her personal safety, but added that the URA could further improve the programme by having clear signs explaining road systems and closures further away from the affected roads, giving drivers more time to respond accordingly.
For more information on the programme, visit http://ura.sg/streetsforpeople.
