New Trail Links Southern Ridges To Keppel Bay

Source : The Business Times, May 15, 2008

THE Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) yesterday announced details of its plan for a new 2.2-km 'linear park', which will connect the Southern Ridges parks, including Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Kent Ridge Park and West Coast Park - with Labrador Park and Keppel Bay further south.

The Labrador and Nature Coastal Walk was first announced last Saturday by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the opening of HortPark and two new pedestrian bridges, which effectively created a 9km long green trail with West Coast Park and Vivocity at either end.

To further enhance Singapore's Southern Ridges and southern waterfront as a leisure and recreation destination, the 'linear park' will consist of three distinct portions, a garden trail, a mangrove boardwalk and a harbour view walk along Keppel Harbour.

The Alexandra Road Garden Trail, complete with foot and bicycle paths and rest stops, will branch off southwards along Alexandra Road from the new Alexandra Arch to the future Circle Line Labrador Park MRT station.

Continuing southward across Telok Blangah Road, nature lovers will enter a proposed landscaped plaza marking the beginning of the Berlayer Creek Mangrove Trail.

The trail will run parallel to a previously inaccessible mangrove habitat, with several boardwalks puncturing the mangrove at strategic points to both allow visitors a glimpse into its rich biodiversity and minimise any impact on the local ecosystem.

At the end of the mangrove trail, visitors may turn west to Labrador Park or continue east along a waterfront boardwalk, which will eventually connect with the waterfront promenade at Reflections @ Keppel Bay, open to the public.

The project is estimated to cost $10 million. Its construction is scheduled to begin in 2009 and is expected to be completed by 2011, along with Labrador Park MRT as well as Reflections @ Keppel Bay.