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  Today Online 19 Mar 07
A stroll along Singapore's north coast
 URA's plan to develop Woodlands waterfront
will give residents another recreational getaway
Leong Wee Keat weekeat@mediacorp.com.sg

SUN, surf and turf. That is the enticement awaiting Singaporeans living in the north. And the wait may not be too long for residents of Sembawang, Woodlands and the surrounding area if a proposal to develop a 1.5-km long coastal promenade and a park the size of 12 football fields takes root.

Leisurely strolls along widened footpaths and picnics in open spaces fronting the Republic's northern coast could become a reality in three years following the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) call for professional consultancy services to develop the waterfront along Admiralty Road West.

Existing structures along the coast will be redeveloped, discarded state buildings put to commercial use and an existing jetty enhanced to include a lookout point.

The URA said in its project brief that construction of the Woodlands waterfront is scheduled to start in July next year and completed by June 2010.

The proposed developments at the Woodlands waterfront were first raised four years ago as part of a review of the URA Master Plan, which aims to make the area more attractive and provide an additional recreational getaway for residents living in the north.

A URA spokesman said the project is "preliminary and by no means definitive". Woodlands residents and Sembawang GRC Members of Parliament welcomed the plan to develop the waterfront. Bank administrative officer Cynthia Lim, who lives in nearby Marsiling, said the coastal park would open up new recreational possibilities for her family.

"With the new development, my family won't have to travel to Pasir Ris Park or the East Coast for our picnics," she said. "Water sports could also increase the fun for us."

About 217,000 residents living in the Woodlands area are currently served by a number of inland parks. But MP Hawazi Daipi, chairman of the Sembawang Town Council, said a coastal park would bring variety and quality recreational facilities to the north.

"The coastal promenade and park will be a great facility for not only residents in Marsiling Estate but also for those living in other parts of Woodlands New Town," he said. "Residents will have a new and good coastal park to jog or relax in, and an alternative recreational facility."

Dr Lim Wee Kiak, another MP, added that urban planners could look more towards the seaside promenades as added recreational facilities for residents.

"Although Sembawang GRC faces the northern straits, we are not using it fully," he said. "It's such a waste as the environment is quite nice in the evening."

The URA, however, recognises that the coastal stretch is currently inaccessible to the public as there are few bus services plying the area. Besides adding parking facilities along Admiralty Road West, the URA hopes that accessibility will be improved when the park connector along Woodlands Centre Road is built by NParks.

The 24.5-ha Admiralty Park, currently under construction, will also provide a link-way from the Woodlands regional centre, about 1km away from the waterfront.
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