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Greener and more walkable spaces to be introduced in Civic District

SINGAPORE — The Republic’s Civic District is undergoing a makeover that will see some landmarks in the area connected to create a green, safe and walkable park environment, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) today (Dec 4).

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SINGAPORE — The Republic’s Civic District is undergoing a makeover that will see some landmarks in the area connected to create a green, safe and walkable park environment, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) today (Dec 4).

The goal of the project, the URA said, is to stitch together spaces around the Padang — such as the Asian Civilisations Museum, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, the National Gallery and the Esplanade Park — to create an integrated arts, culture and lifestyle precinct.

Besides greenery and walkways, some new infrastructure, such as power, water and lighting, will also be installed to allow for outdoor events. The bulk of the work is expected to be completed in phases throughout next year.

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in a blog post that the upgrades are an “SG50 gift to Singaporeans”. The enhancements were first unveiled during the Draft Master Plan 2013 exhibition, Mr Khaw said.

Some of the key areas undergoing changes include:

Empress Place

Empress Place, which currently separates the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, will be paved over by July next year to give priority to pedestrians and integrate the buildings on either side into a seamless park-like setting. Part of Fullerton Road will also be realigned to create a more spacious lawn in front of the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.

St Andrew’s Road and Connaught Drive

A more spacious walkway will be introduced along St Andrew’s Road in front of the National Gallery. One side of Anderson Bridge will be converted to a pedestrian footpath. Both will be completed by July next year.

Along Connaught Drive, works have started to remove the existing car and coach parking lots and these will be paved or landscaped over to provide more space for the public. From July next year, Connaught Drive will be converted to a two-way street and traffic will be limited to buses and coaches, with new bus stops, shelters and coach drop-off points to allow visitors a convenient gateway point into the precinct.

Stepped Plazas

Along the edge of the Singapore River, new stepped plazas will be introduced at Queen Elizabeth Walk and in front of the Asian Civilisations Museum to allow visitors to sit and enjoy the waterfront views and activities taking place on the river.

Esplanade Park

The URA is working together with NParks to improve the landscaping in the area. Street furniture, such as benches with mobile phone charging points, will also be added.

Five new Angsana trees will be planted within Esplanade Park near Anderson Bridge. This commemorates a popular meeting spot marked by five such trees that were around until the 1990s, popularly known in Hokkien as the “Gor Zhan Chew Khar” (the spot under the five trees). A new children’s playground is also planned within the park.

Jubilee Walk

An 8km long trail known as Jubilee Walk will connect key attractions through the Civic District and Marina Bay. There will be trail markers that tell the story of Singapore’s progress from past to present and the future, as visitors walk from Fort Canning to the Marina Bay Barrage. A new Jubilee Bridge will also link Merlion Park to Marina Promenade.

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