New elevated walkway to be completed by 2021

By 2021, visitors to Sentosa will be able to stroll along a 450m elevated walkway offering beach views at the Merlion Gateway Precinct.

Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) yesterday called an expression of interest for consultants to plan the redevelopment of the 12ha site. It intends to appoint a multi-disciplinary consultancy team, headed by an architect, to plan the scope of design and construction works at the end of this year. Another tender for the construction works will be launched in the first quarter of 2019.

“As the redevelopment will take place in a high-traffic area, it will be conducted in phases to minimise inconveniences,” SDC said in a press release yesterday.

Other upcoming attractions include bungee jumping, giant swings and a commercial vertical skywalk, which will be ready in August. Over at the Skyline Luge, two new tracks will be opened by the end of the year.

Within the Merlion Gateway Precinct is the main pedestrian thoroughfare on the island, starting from Resorts World Sentosa and trailing all the way down to the beaches.

At present, an overhead bridge takes visitors through the precinct.

The new elevated walkway will lead pedestrians to the beaches, and in the pipeline are points for visitors to take photos as well as interactive play areas.

Mr Kevin Wee, a senior lecturer with Nanyang Polytechnic teaching a diploma course in hospitality and tourism, suggested sprucing up the area with water features, sculptures and buskers.

He pointed out that weather-proofing would have to be a key design feature, given the hot and humid climate here.

At a 1ha site between Imbiah Lookout and Siloso Beach, a new adventure attraction situated on a slope will also be built.

A tender for proposals was launched last month, and more details will be released after SDC evaluates these proposals.

The tender closes around the end of next month.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s senior tourism lecturer Michael Chiam proposed using the “natural facade” of Imbiah Hill for a rock-climbing attraction.

Mr Wee, on the other hand, said that SDC could consider making use of the slope to build a huge waterslide or a dry ski slope, which is a common attraction in the United Kingdom.