SINGAPORE — Jurong Bird Park, a familiar landmark to many Singaporeans, is set to close on Jan 3 next year, exactly 52 years after it opened in 1971.

The closure will allow its staff members and avian residents to prepare for the move to a new home in Bird Paradise in the Mandai precinct.

In a news release on Tuesday (Aug 30), Mandai Wildlife Group invited members of the public to create more memories — as well as relive their fondest stories — of Jurong Bird Park through a series of activities dubbed A Flight To Remember to celebrate the wildlife park’s legacy and rich heritage.

From Sept 3 to Jan 3, visitors may go on a self-guided heritage trail of the park and make “pit-stops” at a number of displays that show some of the key milestones in the park’s journey.

Those wanting to relive a little bit of nostalgia will be glad to know that the old Panorail Station has reopened to the public, complete with a recreation of the Panorail.

The park now runs on a fleet of electric trams, but visitors used to traverse the attraction on the park’s Panorail — a type of monorail system — when it was operational from 1992 to 2012.

There will also be a recreation of the park’s old cuckoo clock tower for visitors to take photos with it. The clock tower is doubling as a countdown timer to the park's final day of operations.

Besides that, visitors may contribute their favourite memories of Jurong Bird Park to a “living” memory wall at the penguin coast attraction. They will be able to watch these memories appear on screen in real time, as well as look back on the park’s history.

For those keen to get a more in-depth experience, they may download an online trail curated by the park's employees. It allows them to explore Jurong Bird Park through the eyes of the “dedicated team” that keeps the park running every single day.

New programming will be released over the next few months, including the launch of a nostalgic signature tour in November, Mandai Wildlife Group said.

For the tour, seasoned guides will share with visitors tales of the park’s storied history as well as little-known anecdotes about its avian residents and architecture.

Ms Daisy Ling, vice-president of Jurong Bird Park who started working there in 1982 as an education officer, said that she has seen the attraction’s “many transformations” in her 40-year career.

“Jurong Bird Park is like our second home, and it will be a bittersweet time for us,” she said.

“While we commemorate our fondest memories here in Jurong, we also look forward to new beginnings with Bird Paradise in Mandai Wildlife Reserve and be part of another transformative phase of Singapore’s bird park,” she added.

“We hope the local community can join us in the coming months to make this a worthy closing chapter for the park before we turn the page.”