New parks, exercise trails part of Queenstown’s upcoming makeover
Published on
01 Oct 2023
Published by
The Straits Times
SINGAPORE – From new parks and exercise trails to therapeutic gardens, Queenstown will be given a makeover within the next five to 10 years, the Housing Board said on Saturday.
Announcing the town’s rejuvenation plans, HDB said the authorities would also explore repurposing some blocks in the Tanglin Halt estate originally developed by the now-defunct Singapore Improvement Trust. This is to retain key elements of the town’s heritage.
No other details were available.
Thirty-one blocks of flats, seven commercial blocks and two markets and food centres at Tanglin Halt are slated to be torn down by 2024 under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers). Demolition began at the end of 2021.
HDB told The Straits Times that the redevelopment of Tanglin Halt has started partially, with the demolition of Blocks 1A, 2A and 3A Commonwealth Drive and Blocks 46-1, 46-2 and 46-3 Commonwealth Drive. These blocks will make way for the redevelopment of the Tanglin Halt Neighbourhood Centre.
Meanwhile, a new Build-To-Order (BTO) project, Tanglin Halt Cascadia, will be launched in Commonwealth Drive, according to an exhibition of the rejuvenation plans, which opened on Saturday.
This housing project will be launched in October, and based on the HDB website, it will have 970 three- and four-room units.
Queenstown’s makeover comes under HDB’s Remaking Our Heartland programme.
It is one of four towns in the programme’s fourth batch to be rejuvenated. The other three towns are Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah and Choa Chu Kang.
HDB said homes, heritage and nature stood out as key themes important to Queenstown residents, who were proud of the town’s rich history, lush greenery and its central location.
“Many also wanted more modern facilities that can cater to all ages, as well as greenery and spaces where they can gather and relax with friends and neighbours,” it added.
New wellness spaces and more
Queenstown residents will be closer to greenery with new parks and wellness landscapes.
For example, the new King’s Road Park in Farrer Road estate will feature naturalistic planting to improve biodiversity and provide residents with a tranquil space.
The park will also have facilities such as a dog run, playground and elder-friendly fitness equipment.
Wellness landscapes, including therapeutic gardens that encourage visitors to interact with nature and thus improve their mental well-being, will be rolled out gradually in upcoming housing projects and parks in Queenstown.
Commonwealth Heights, for example, will have a therapeutic garden by 2027. Such landscapes will feature plants with various scents, textures and colours, and spaces for contemplative activity, said HDB.
Existing parks and green spaces, such as the Holland Close Park and Commonwealth Crescent Open Space, will be upgraded to include more recreational facilities, play elements and exercise equipment.
To improve connectivity, new cycling paths will link Queenstown to neighbouring towns such as Bukit Merah and Clementi.
HDB said residents would also have a “more pleasant walking and cycling experience with the roll-out of social nodes or outdoor rest points along well-used routes in Queenstown”.
These social nodes, which will be rolled out gradually from 2026, will have play areas, exercise stations, bicycle parking facilities, seats and outdoor gardens.
Queenstown residents will also benefit from enhancements to the Rail Corridor, segments of which will have new nodal spaces. The Buona Vista node at JTC Corporation’s one-north business park, for example, will include spaces for sports, community and cultural events.
Steps are also afoot to make Queenstown more elder-friendly. First developed in the 1950s, it has one of the oldest populations in Singapore, with almost one in four Singaporeans aged 65 and above.
Its six existing neighbourhood centres will be given upgrades such as new sheltered seating areas and pavements that make moving about easier.
To allow seniors to cross the roads safely, barrier-free ramps and wider centre dividers will also be rolled out. These will help residents navigate steep terrain such as at Mei Ling Heights, said HDB.
Dementia-friendly features, such as pedestrian wayfinding lines that guide residents to areas such as lift lobbies, will also be introduced to new public housing developments, including the Queensway Canopy BTO project.
HDB said the almost 6,000 new flats launched in Ulu Pandan, Ghim Moh and Queensway over the last three years will bring new commercial amenities and communal facilities.
The Queensway Canopy project, which is estimated to be completed by 2028, will feature a social and wellness hub with healthcare services for seniors.
A fitness trail will also be piloted in the Mei Ling precinct that connects various fitness corners. It is among new exercise trails and fitness equipment that will spring up across Queenstown from the end of 2025.
Ultimately, about 79,000 residents in Queenstown and Farrer Road estate will benefit from the improvements.
In drawing up the renewal plans, HDB said it engaged about 430 residents and stakeholders aged 19 to 80.
Speaking at Saturday’s launch of the exhibition in Tanglin Halt, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing assured Singaporeans that as long as resources are available, the Government will renew estates progressively and take care of their quality of life.
“I know things are tough and not the easiest at this point in time. There’s inflation. There are global uncertainties. There are concerns over economic and job security... All these challenges, we can resolve them one at a time,” said Mr Chan, an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, of which Queenstown is a division.
Civil servant Dave Koh, who lives in a part of Tanglin Halt unaffected by Sers, said he hoped that the improvements could include having more food centres near his home.
Said the 40-year-old: “Since the closure of Tanglin Halt Food Centre in July 2022, there aren’t as many food options.
“Many of the hawkers in the old food centre shifted to Dawson, which could be inconvenient for seniors living in Tanglin Halt to get to.”
Researcher Nur Asykin Ramli, 35, said she is excited to see more green spaces and exercise trails. “Some fitness corners in Queenstown are tucked in a corner, so the connecting trails will help bring more people to use them.”
HDB invites Queenstown residents to give feedback on its plans, which will be exhibited at Block 88 Tanglin Halt Road from Sept 30 to Oct 8.
Residents can also view the exhibition on HDB’s website and give their feedback online.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permission.
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