_City in a Garden: Inspired by Our Late Founding Father's Vision
In 1989, the concept of park connectors was the result of the Concept Plan Review by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA)* to plan land use at the national level. Part of the Review involved identifying land parcels with development potential into recreational areas, or “lungs” within the urban landscape. The latter involved increasing the city’s tree canopy to offset pollutants.
Further recommendation was made to connect all these major parks across Singapore through park connectors. With this vision, the entire island of Singapore would be transformed into a large garden, in which a city sprouts out from. Thus, the concept of Garden City evolved into a “City in the Garden,” which would involve 30 years to complete.
Today, the term “Park Connector Network (PCN)” is synonymous with tracks for walks, jogging and cycling with the opportunity for users to enjoy the diversity of Singapore’s unique green landscape. Completing this is the Round Island Route (RIR), consisting of 150 kilometres of park connectors around Singapore.
Today, 50km of the first phase of the RIR is completed, which enables residents around the Sengkang Riverside Park access to the Gardens by the Bay, enjoying a scenic route of our urban greenery landscape.
An additional 32km of Coast-to-Coast Trail from Jurong Lake Gardens in West Singapore, to Coney Island Park in the North-east, provides visitors with another variety of parks, nature areas and places of interest.
(Image credit: URA)
The construction and evolution of the park connectors through the years have demonstrated the maturing of works undertaken in the 1970s and 1980s to build a Garden City. The concept has since evolved through the decades, as authorities continue to seek a balance between urban land with city greenery.
As the PCN and RIR reach completion, visitors will fully enjoy the City in a Garden experience, a vision inspired by our late founding father, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
*Now known as the Urban Redevelopment Authority.