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  Today Online 8 Feb 07
Design should flow at parks
Letter from Maryanne Maes

Channel NewsAsia 6 Feb 07
More developments planned to beautify Singapore
By Hasnita A Majid

Straits Times 7 Feb 07
S'pore set to be city of gardens and water
Plan to transform rivers, reservoirs, canals to recreation centres unveiled
By Tan Hui Yee

Business Times 7 Feb 07
Waterway face-lift: 20 projects identified
By Chuang Peck Ming

Today Online 7 Feb 07
Paving the (water)way for Singapore to become more than a garden city
Leong Wee Keat

SINGAPOREANS will soon have greater access to the Republic's rivers, reservoirs and nature reserves as the Public Utilities Board (PUB) embarks on a major beautification programme.

In the pipeline are more than 20 projects, including the building of water parks and gardens over the next five years. Over the next 10 to 15 years, PUB has identified 150 locations for further implementation of its Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) programme--a long-term initiative to bring people closer to water resources here.

At Lower Seletar Reservoir, for example, the PUB plans to create a water stage where families can watch outdoor performances from a new viewing gallery. A planned 280m-long pedestrian deck will also facilitate nature strolls in the day and at night.

At Pandan Reservoir, two mini islands will be created, where kayakers and rowing enthusiasts can disembark for a panoramic view of the reservoir.

Opening a public exhibition showcasing the projects at the Asian Civilisations Museum yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the shift towards viewing waterways beyond their functional uses represents "a bold change of mindset".

"In the past, we protected our water resources by keeping people away from them. Now, we bring people closer to water so that they will enjoy and cherish it more," he said.

Noting that many of the rivers and canals here are in or near the residential heartlands, Mr Lee said the water bodies would form "a natural focal point for water-based activities, community events and other recreational options".

"If we link up our water bodies and waterways, we will create new community spaces that are clean, pleasant, and bustling with life and activities," he said.

"We will integrate our water bodies with our parks and green spaces and turn Singapore into a city of gardens and waters."

The PUB said these projects would be implemented through a combination of public and private sector expertise and financing.

To facilitate private-property developers to participate in the ABC Waters programme, the board has set up a "green lane" approval channel to expedite proposals that incorporate the ABC elements in their development. This would also allow for more ideas to be generated, said Mr Yap Kheng Guan, director of the PUB's 3P (Public, Private, People sectors) Network.

The public can get in on the act, too. After the exhibition ends on Sunday, its various segments will be displayed at community centres and public libraries. Members of the public can also provide feedback or ideas on the various proposals, said Mr Yap.

Channel NewsAsia 6 Feb 07
More developments planned to beautify Singapore
By Hasnita A Majid

SINGAPORE : The PUB is planning to beautify Singapore's waterways and their surroundings over the next 10-15 years to make them more vibrant. It has already identified 150 locations under its Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters programme. Work will be carried out in phases. Some 20 projects will get underway in the next five years.

The government recently announced plans to have wetland areas at Sungei Punggol and Sungei Serangoon.

Now, the PUB is looking to build two floating islands at Pandan Reservoir. The place will be transformed into a key water sports venue, with activities such as competitive kayaking and canoeing. And those who wish to get a close-up view of the exciting activities on the reservoirs can do so from floating decks and viewing platforms.

As for Lower Seletar Reservoir, it will see a makeover into a new family destination, complete with a water stage for outdoor performances and a viewing gallery. There will also be a 280-metre long pedestrian deck for romantic strolls under the moonlight.

Some of the projects were showcased at a public exhibition on the ABC Waters programme on Tuesday.

Launching the exhibition, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on Singaporeans to play their part and ensure that the waterways remain clean.

He said, "The government will lead the way, but the success of the ABC Waters programme will depend on the participation of all Singaporeans.

Today PUB collects and removes an enormous amount of litter every day from our waterways. They install float booms along the various river mouths and everyday they collect 15 tonnes (of litter) - that's a lot of sweet wrappers! Litter dropped in Ang Mo Kio will flow down the river and eventually will decorate Marina Bay.

"So if one area becomes polluted with rubbish and waste, it's going to contaminate water in many other parts of Singapore. And if we are going to make Marina Bay into a freshwater lake and draw water from Marina Bay and pump it into our reservoirs, and use it for drinking, then we can't afford to have it dirty."

Mr Lee also urged private property developers to participate in the ABC Waters programme by integrating the waterways into their developments and designs.

To facilitate this, PUB has set up a "green lane" approval channel to expedite proposals with such features.

So far, three private developers have had their proposals expedited for incorporating the ABC features in their design. PUB said that those who go through this channel may get their approval time cut by half.

Yap Kheng Guan, Director, 3P Network Department, PUB, said, "The green lane is for us to be able to facilitate good ideas that developers might have for the canals, the drains, and if they want to add in features, by all means do so.

"The green lane allows us to look at all these ideas and process them as quickly as possible, and some of these also require the other agencies to come into play, and the green lane also facilitates the cooperation and the coordination with the other agencies."

And with the waterways upgraded and the surrounding areas developed, there will be more water sports activities such as kayaking, canoeing and boat rides.

Other developments include a mangrove kayak trail and boardwalks along Sungei Api Api and Sungei Tampines that will provide an intimate experience for mangrove appreciation.

The PUB is inviting the public to submit ideas for the proposed developments. The ABC Waters masterplan can be viewed at a free six-day exhibition held at the Asian Civilisations Museum. - CNA/ms

Business Times 7 Feb 07
Waterway face-lift: 20 projects identified
By Chuang Peck Ming

THE PUB has identified more than 20 projects in its move to give a major face-lift to Singapore's rivers, canals and reservoirs in the next five years.

The projects, aimed to add more life and beauty to Singapore's waterways, will be carried out with expertise and money from both the public and private sectors, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday at a public exhibition showcasing the projects.

Over a longer run, the PUB has already identified 150 locations all over Singapore, where projects can be rolled out in phases over the next 10 to 15 years, Mr Lee said in an opening speech.

The projects, which fit into the ambitious plan to turn Singapore into a garden city, are part of the Active, Beautiful and Clean waters programme to bring people closer to the water.

'In the past, we protected our water resources by keeping away from them; now, we bring people closer to the water so that they will enjoy and cherish it more,' Mr Lee said.

He noted that Singapore's drains and canals were built to prevent flood and the reservoirs to store water. And, he said, this remains the main purpose of Singapore's water infrastructure, which delivers its supply of drinking water and controls drainage and wastewater management.

'But having developed a comprehensive base of water infrastructure, we should now take the next step forward,' Mr Lee said.

'Our waterways should do more than meet our water needs. They should also enhance our living environment and lifestyle.'

Singapore currently has 14 reservoirs, 32 major rivers and more than 7,000km of other waterways, including canals and drains. Among the projects identified are families' and rowers' bays at Lower Seletar Reservoir and floating wetland in Punggol Reservoir.

Straits Times 7 Feb 07
S'pore set to be city of gardens and water
Plan to transform rivers, reservoirs, canals to recreation centres unveiled
By Tan Hui Yee

SINGAPORE is on the way to becoming the Water City, with the unveiling of an ambitious plan to transform its reservoirs, rivers and canals into recreation centres over the next 10 to 15 years.

Already, around 20 projects are in the pipeline, encompassing some of the 150 locations earmarked for possible makeovers.

These first 20 projects promise to turn bare concrete canals into landscaped channels and some reservoirs into watersports havens over the next five years. There is even a plan to create an underground park connector.

The massive undertaking by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) - called the Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters programme - aims to encourage water conservation by allowing more access to the water's edge as well as water-based activities.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who opened an exhibition featuring some of the future projects at the Asian Civilisations Museum yesterday, said the project would help realise the concept of Singapore as a 'city of gardens and water'. Integrating water features into new developments is already a priority, seen in projects like the upcoming 94ha gardens ringing Marina Bay and the Housing Board's first waterfront flats on Bendemeer Road.

Mr Lee said: 'In the past, we used to protect our water resources by keeping people away from them. Now, we bring people closer to the water so that they will enjoy it and cherish it more.'

Singapore has a large network of 14 reservoirs, 32 of the larger rivers and more than 7,000km of canals and drainage channels.

Under the first phase of the programme announced last year, the PUB said it was spending $23 million to upgrade the Bedok and MacRitchie reservoirs and a stretch of Kallang River at Kolam Ayer.

Yesterday, the Board announced that at least 20 more projects will be carried out over the next five years. The cost of the work has yet to be finalised, as detailed designs will depend on feedback from the public.

Two new reservoirs will be created by damming Sungei Serangoon and Sungei Punggol. Together with the upcoming reservoir in Marina Bay, it will increase Singapore's water catchment area from the current half of its land area to two-thirds.

Other highlights include a water stage for outdoor performances and a bridge spanning Lower Seletar Reservoir, a boardwalk on Rochor Canal suitable for street bazaars, and a park connector along Sungei Bedok that travels under Laguna National Golf & Country Club.

The PUB is also keen to get the public as involved as possible.

It collects about 15 tonnes of litter daily from float-booms installed at various river mouths, a figure it hopes will be cut if people realise the rubbish they leave behind will directly pollute their drinking water.

The president of the Nature Society, Dr Geh Min, said: 'Civil society - not just organisations, but individuals - has to take more responsibility for keeping our drinking water clean, to protect it and appreciate it as a source of life.'

Grassroots leader Roy Cheng from Bishan, where a concrete canal will be turned into a river with landscaped banks, advocated the idea of residents 'adopting' the waterways near their estates to keep them clean and make activities there safe.

He said: 'It's important for residents to feel that they own the place.'

Today Online 8 Feb 07
Design should flow at parks
Letter from Maryanne Maes

With the Public Utilities Board's vision of providing water for the whole of Singapore to conserve, value and enjoy ("Paving the (water) way for Singapore to become more than a garden city", Feb 7), we have come a long way and have proven ourselves to be an exemplary model to the rest of the world of how an urban city like ours could now have the luxury of enjoying our water supply after decades of conservation.

With the idea of integrating the water bodies with our parks and green spaces, PUB is taking the correct path in preserving the waterways in its pristine condition.

The only possible way PUB can err in this project is by not integrating parks and its waterways with the city.

In another words, we are in dire need of a city aptly designed with green urbanism in mind.

Having water stages, pedestrian decks and mini islands are all fine and dandy, but I hope they will not be made of metal structures that stick out like sore thumbs in the whole park setting.

There should be a flow of nature in the design of the built forms, and we could be a much greener garden city by using recycled materials in the construction of the amenities.

For instance, there can be a wooden platform deck made from recycled wood chips, and this can impart a more rustic and natural ambience to the surroundings, instead of having steel structures hardening the whole landscape.

PUB's design need not be spectacular, just sensibly functional.
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