PUBLISHED 29th March 2017
SINGAPORE – It is currently a neglected elastic industrial facility changed over into a distribution center. In any case, Kallang Distripark along Geylang Bahru Road could in years be overflowing with action, with sportsmen kayaking in the adjacent Kallang River and occupants cycling along stop connectors, for example.
The 15-ha private industrial estate has been identified as a potential site, among a few others, that can be redeveloped as a major aspect of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) driven arrangement to transform the ranges along Kallang River into a way of life center point.
URA’s thoughts for the ranges around the 10km-long stream are in plain view at the URA Center at Maxwell Road, in the A River Runs Through It show, which was propelled by Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (March 29). The office plans to get feedback on its thoughts from the public.
Developments within the Kampong Bugis precinct will be in a park-like environment, with seamless pedestrian and cyclist connectors.
Kallang Riverside Residences within the Kampong Bugis precinct, a freehold mixed residential and commercial development will have the first mover advantage.
Discussions with people in general and private segments, for example, engineers and landowners, will proceed till the finish of the year, and more points of interest on URA’s arrangements can be normal one year from now. The financial plan for the venture has not been settled.
During period of rapid industrialisation, urban rivers such as the Kallang River were often abused and underestimated. The Kallang River is the longest regular waterway in Singapore, three times the length of the Singapore River, they are seen as cultural and recreational assets in cities around the world, and used as catalysts to create new recreational spaces, community nodes and beautiful promenades, said Mr Wong
Today, the path along the river is fragmented by expressways and industrial estates, Government’s objective to redevelop certain plots of land and set up new framework, with the goal that it will one day be workable for inhabitants to walk, run or cycle from Lower Peirce Reservoir, where the stream begins, to Gardens by the Bay and the Central Business District (CBD).
Among URA’s suggestions is to build a cycling bridge that goes over and across the Pan Island Expressway (PIE), which would make it more convenient for cyclists and joggers to cross the PIE. They currently have to use a pedestrian overhead bridge.
URA also hopes to build underpasses across Kallang Bahru Road and Upper Boon Keng Road, so that people using the park connector through those roads will not need to use a traffic crossing. Another goal is to turn Kallang Industrial Estate into a mixed-use precinct equipped with a pedestrian and cycling network.
Plans not long ago this month to turn Kampong Bugis – a 17.4 ha site bounded by Kallang Road, Kallang River and Crawford Street – into a car-lite residential precinct, with a network of walkways and cycling paths, is also part of the Kallang River rejuvenation project.
About 800,000 people live within 2km of the Kallang River, and the URA accept there is potential to infuse another 100,000 dwelling units into the area in the next 20 years.
He pointed out that the various possibilities are not final. “We want to hear from Singaporeans, and co-create a future Singapore that meets our shared aspirations,” said Mr Wong, who is also Second Minister for Finance
A River Runs Through It will run from Wednesday (March 29) to May 2, from 9am to 6pm on weekdays.
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