Public feedback, design contest to shape Jurong Lake Gardens
AN INTERNATIONAL competition will be held in the later part of next year to come up with a design for Jurong Lake Gardens.
The public will also be consulted on what to include in the gardens in March, and the ideas gathered from this exercise will go into the design brief for the competition.
At the first Jurong Lake District Steering Committee meeting held on Tuesday evening to explore key ideas for the district, suggestions raised included developing the Jurong Lake Gardens into Singapore's national gardens in the west, building Jurong Lake District into a bustling live-work-play destination featuring greenery and water bodies and improving connectivity and accessibility for commuters, pedestrians and cyclists.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said in a statement highlighting the key areas discussed: "There should be a comprehensive pedestrian and cycling network, linked to green corridors and waterways. Smart- and green-mobility options should become choice modes of commute to get around the district as well as to the surrounding areas and the city centre."
Jurong Lake Gardens, to include a revitalised Jurong Lake Park and the existing Chinese and Japanese Gardens, could be integrated with the new Science Centre grounds as well.
The Steering Committee, set up in October, also noted the potential of having the terminus of the high-speed rail system to Malaysia in the district, linked to the MRT lines (Jurong Region Line and Cross-Island Line) being planned in the area. This could create a "second Central Business District" in Jurong Lake District with high connectivity both within and beyond Singapore.
The committee meeting was chaired by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong. The 14 member committee includes Senior Minister of State for Finance and for Transport Josephine Teo, Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee, Housing and Development Board chief executive Cheong Koon Hean and Centre for Liveable Cities' executive director Khoo Teng Chye.
Mr Wong said: "We had a very fruitful first discussion. The committee members gave many insightful views and suggestions on how we could create a vibrant, sustainable and inclusive Jurong Lake District. We will engage the public extensively to gather feedback to help shape the district into an outstanding live-work-play district that is sustainable, smart and connected."
The Steering Committee will be supported by three work groups comprising several agencies to oversee current and future projects in the district. The work groups will focus on areas such as land use, transport and the development of Jurong Lake Gardens.
