Playgrounds still important to facilitate interaction among families, communities

I applaud the efforts by the National Museum and the Housing and Development Board to retrace the development of playgrounds ("Take a tumble through 100 years of S'pore playgrounds at National Museum's latest exhibition"; April 20).

Playgrounds cater to the community at large and are places where multiple generations may gather and interact with their neighbours. This function remains important today.

From the swings and slides in the 1970s, the configuration for such facilities have changed to include innovative structures that incorporate learning tools and games for toddlers, such as the Marine Cove Playground, as well as specialised play areas at Admiralty Park with 26 slides.

Given that 80 per cent of Singapore residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, we should encourage more families to make use of these facilities.

At a time when electronic gadgets and devices become the main source of recreation for individuals, and threaten to cut us off from investing in our personal relationships, we must stress the importance of communal interaction and shared spaces. It is through face-to-face activities that we can develop close bonds with others, and contribute to building up communities within our neighbourhoods.