Enlightened Parks and Markets Planning

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Singapore's second botanical gardens planned for new downtown 
By Joanne Leow, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Nature lovers can look forward to a greener Garden City when 
Singapore gets a second national botanical gardens in the new Downtown at Marina 
Bay. 

The National Development Ministry says Marina Bay will be the key focus of 
its plans in the coming years, with some S$300 million set aside for 
infrastructure and facilities. 

Among the major developments will be a waterfront promenade and a connecting 
bridge to Marina Centre, which when completed by the year 2008 will create a 
continuous loop around the entire bay. 

An anchor attraction at the new downtown will be the second botanical 
gardens. 

The existing Botanic Gardens will focus on botanical collections and 
research, while the new one will have mass floral displays and creative plant-based 
'edutainment'. 

It is also expected to have an iconic conservatory of cool tropical and 
temperate plants. 

Nature Society president Dr Geh Min is excited by the idea of the new gardens 
and is particularly enthusiastic about its location. 

Dr Geh said, "I hope it will be not just a green space or green lung, but a 
blue-green space where you can enjoy sea views, enjoy the sea breeze, look out 
to the horizon. So I hope this new botanic gardens will not be a built up 
artificial type of garden with a lot of concrete; it will be a refuge an oasis for 
people who work or live in the city." 

There are also plans for a biennial Singapore Tropical Garden Show at the new 
gardens with international floral and landscape displays and trade exhibits. 

The ministry says promoting a green Singapore will extend to the heartlands, 
with community gardening set to blossom in more private estates and even some 
public ones. 

And Singapore's reputation as a shopping paradise will be also given a boost 
with plans to rejuvenate Orchard Road with two new retail sites at the 
junctions with Killiney Road and Paterson Road. 

As for HDB residents, they can look forward to more lift upgrading, greater 
flexibility in the use of their flats and private sector participation in the 
design and development of public housing. 

Food safety and supply is also set to improve as the Agri-Food and Veterinary 
Authority strengthens its safety system for both local and imported food with 
the new Veterinary Public Health Centre. 

AVA will also approve and accredit more new food sources to allow the market 
to respond quickly to sudden supply shortfalls because of disease or bans. - 
CNA 

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