Walk Along Coast, Golf In Punggol

Source : The Straits Times, Nov 19, 2007

A 4.9km waterfront promenade will feature a host of attractions by 2010

THE vision of Punggol as a vibrant waterfront town was given more flesh yesterday.

A $13 million plan to redevelop a part of its surrounding coastline will put at residents' doorsteps a 4.9km walking trail that opens up access to the Punggol coast.

Activities such as horse riding, golf and fishing will also feature in the area.

These attractions were unveiled by Mr Teo Chee Hean, an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

He noted that adventurous young families had already taken to walking along the coast, which is largely reclaimed land.

Mr Teo, who is also Defence Minister, told reporters that there was a bit of a track there, but not a whole lot of facilities, so the walking trail would 'enhance accessibility'.

The developments are part of the Parks and Waterbodies and Identity plans drawn up by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in 2002.

The plan singled out five coastal areas - Changi, Pasir Ris, Coney Island, Pulau Ubin and Punggol Point - to develop as recreational destinations.

The waterfront promenade coming to Punggol will have three segments:

Punggol Point Walk: A 1.2km promenade will be added to this popular fishing and camping spot.

Nature Walk: A 2.4km stretch between Punggol Point and Sungei Serangoon will become a nature trail.

Riverside Walk: A 1.3km- long promenade will be built along Sungei Serangoon to make the riverfront more accessible.

The 4.9km promenade will link the proposed sports and recreational clusters in Punggol Point and Sungei Serangoon and the new park connectors along the Punggol and Serangoon rivers.

Construction of the promenade will begin in the middle of next year and will be completed by 2010. The work will not disrupt fishing or other activities there, said the URA.

The public will be invited to give feedback on the proposals, which went on show at a carnival in Punggol yesterday.

Many residents said they were looking forward to it.

Mr Roy Mathiew, 58, said: 'It is a good idea; it brings us closer to nature. I will definitely go there for walks.'

In August, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong first unveiled plans for a jazzed-up and vibrant Punggol in his National Day Rally speech.

He described a waterway winding through the town, with parks, water sports and alfresco dining on its banks.

Mr Teo said yesterday that Punggol - with more than 18,000 households now - will grow as more flats, schools, shopping centres and an improved transportation network are added.

However, littering is a problem. The Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council received more than 1,000 complaints of high-

rise littering last year. This year, there have been already more than 500 complaints by the end of last month.

Next year, the town council will launch a three-pronged campaign to promote graciousness and to rekindle the 'kampung spirit'.

Pasir Ris-Punggol MP Ahmad Magad said that with Punggol's population of young families, 'it was important to... sensitise them to what communal living and kampung living means to the entire community'.