New park for Sembawang by next year

SINGAPORE — First, an adventure park will be developed. In time, a sports complex with a swimming pool and stadium will be built. Such sports facilities are coming to northern Singapore, and the 80,000 Sembawang residents will be the prime beneficiaries.

Member of Parliament (Nee Soon GRC) Lim Wee Kiak disclosed this yesterday at the ground-breaking ceremony for an integrated sports, recreation and community hub at Canberra Park, which will undergo a S$2 million transformation.

By next year, residents will enjoy a 1.5ha Inclusive Adventure Park designed for all ages, which will house the largest number of swings in Singapore, including those for children, toddlers and people with disabilities. Other highlights include an amphitheatre, bicycle stations and third-generation fitness stations. Residents also have a say in the park’s colour theme.

There are also plans for bigger sports facilities in 10 years.

Dr Lim said: “We’re working very actively now with the Ministry of National Development and Urban Redevelopment Authority to see where we can build a sports complex and stadium in Sembawang. This has been a long overdue item, which residents have been asking (for) and looking forward to.”

Details are being worked out, and options include integrating the sports complex with a park, library and hawker centre. The complex is likely to be sited next to Sembawang MRT Station. The plans are not only for infrastructure development.

With more sports facilities, Dr Lim said he and his team are looking at increasing the events to be staged in Sembawang in future. Patwant Singh