SINGAPORE — Bedok residents can look forward to cycling and pedestrian paths as well as a cycling network, under the Government's rejuvenation programme for its estates. 

A 4km Outdoor Play Corridor will provide dedicated cycling and pedestrian paths connecting Bedok Town Centre to East Coast Park and Bedok Reservoir Park. Construction will start in the second half of this year.  

Also, a cycling network within the East Coast area — connecting to main activity nodes such as the MRT stations, schools, and Neighbourhood Centres (NCs) — will be completed by the first half of 2017.

Giving an update on the developments in the East Coast area — which include the Bedok town centre area and other neighbourhoods within Bedok town — the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said good progress has been made since it announced its Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) plans for the area in 2011. These include the completion of Bedok Mall, the Bedok Integrated Transport Hub, and the Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre and Multi-Storey Car Park, which has 400 parking lots. 

In the works are a new Bedok Town Plaza, a heritage corner, and the new Bedok Integrated Complex that will house the Kampong Chai Chee Community Club, Bedok Sports Centre, Bedok Polyclinic, an eldercare centre and Bedok Public Library. The complex is set to be completed by 2017. 

To deepen residents’ knowledge on the history of the area, a heritage trail – highlighting the heritage sites in Bedok and East area – will be completed by the first half of next year.

Plans for other NCs in the area are under various stages of implementation and are expected to be completed by next year. New features being installed include entrance markers and community plazas.

The ROH programme was created after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke of the need to help HDB estates keep pace with the changing needs of the community in his National Day Rally in 2007. Punggol, Yishun and Dawson were the first to be selected for the programme. This was followed by East Coast, Hougang and Jurong Lake. 

About 250,000 residents live in Bedok. Those TODAY spoke to welcomed the new developments, citing convenience brought to the area.

Housewife Vandita Khanderwar, who has been living in Bedok for four years, said she does not have to go to Parkway Parade at Marine Parade Road to shop anymore. “I can get everything here at Bedok Mall. There’s Uniqlo and Popular too,” added the 41-year-old.

Delivery packer Xin Yong Cheng, 55, felt that the developments were only necessary as the Bedok estate is old. “Last time there is a hawker centre, now they just upgrade, so it’s the same,” added Mr Xin who has been living in Bedok for seven years.

The public can visit the ROH exhibition situated in front of Block 209 New Upper Changi Road for more information. It will be open from tomorrow (Jan 11) to next Sunday from 11am to 9pm.