NParks invites community to shape Jurong Lake Gardens together

Public engagement roving exhibition launched at Jurong Point

5 April 2015 – The National Parks Board (NParks) is inviting the public to contribute ideas towards shaping the design of Jurong Lake Gardens - Singapore’s new national gardens in the heartlands. Today, Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Communications and Information, and Chairman of the Jurong Lake District Steering Committee, launched a public engagement roving exhibition for members of the community to learn more about Jurong Lake Gardens, and submit their suggestions on what this new people’s garden could be like.  Mr Wong also launched a new microsite (www.nparks.gov.sg/juronglakegardens) on Jurong Lake Gardens that will serve as a platform to showcase the plans and receive ideas for the new Gardens.

The launch of the roving exhibition was held at Jurong Point, where it will be staged till 7 April. It will then travel to HDB Hub (11-12 April); Parkland Green at East Coast Park (18-19 April); and VivoCity (25-26 April).  During the exhibition, members of the community would be able to gain a better appreciation of the vision for Jurong Lake Gardens. They can then share their thoughts on what they would like to see at the new Gardens, how the public spaces could be used, the types of activities they would like to participate in, and how they would like to contribute to the Gardens.

Gardens to bring nature and people together

First announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at last year’s National Day Rally, the 90-ha Jurong Lake Gardens will comprise:

• Jurong Lake Gardens West (renamed from Jurong Lake Park);
• Jurong Lake Gardens Central (including the Chinese and Japanese Gardens); and
• Jurong Lake Gardens East (including the grounds of the new Science Centre which will be integrated into the new Gardens).

The development of Jurong Lake Gardens will be done sensitively with the intention of bringing nature and the community together. It will be conceptualised and developed around four key design principles:

• Preserving nature & memories
• Co-creating show gardens
• Integrating science & nature
• Vibrant programming

Gardens’ design to be based on public feedback

The Gardens’ first phase of development will focus on Jurong Lake Gardens West, which is currently in the concept stage and will be ready in 2017.  The rest of the Gardens will be completed in phases from 2020 onwards.

The design of Jurong Lake Gardens West has been conceptualised based on public feedback obtained earlier in 2012 during NParks’ public engagement exercise for the City in a Garden vision. NParks had announced in 2012 that it would be developing Destination Parks to attract Singaporeans from all over the island, and Jurong Lake Park (to be renamed Jurong Lake Gardens West), was identified as one of three Destination Parks to be developed. 

The current public engagement exercise will enable NParks to obtain ideas from the community so that the concept for Jurong Lake Gardens West can be further refined and detailed for implementation.  

In addition, NParks will also be seeking ideas from the community for the rest of Jurong Lake Gardens, including Jurong Lake Gardens Central (current Chinese and Japanese Gardens). These ideas will be incorporated into the brief for a design competition that NParks will be launching later in the year. The design competition will seek to achieve the following:

1)    Proposals on the concept for Jurong Lake Gardens Central;

2)    Proposals on how to integrate Jurong Lake Gardens  West, East and Central;

3)    Design guidelines for the grounds of the future Science Centre which will form part of Jurong Lake Gardens East.  

Concurrently, NParks has been consulting other stakeholders on their views and feedback on Jurong Lake Gardens since the end of 2014. These include the grassroots and residents from the Jurong district; Community in Bloom (CIB) ambassadors, gardeners and volunteers; design professionals including planners, architects and landscape architects; as well as nature groups. The public engagement exercise is expected to continue till May 2015.

Concept ideas of Jurong Lake Gardens West unveiled

From the ideas and suggestions collated through a series of roadshows and online channels during the 2012 public engagement exercise, a common thread that emerged was the public’s appreciation of the tranquillity of the place. A recurring suggestion was specifically to retain the naturalistic ambience of the park. NParks also observed that respondents indicated a desire for recreational opportunities for families, with a notable number of suggestions to have playgrounds for children.

The concept ideas include:

• Sensitive landscapes that integrate community and recreational spaces with the natural setting, showcasing biodiversity and water sustainability.
• Open lawns of various sizes set amid shade trees for community events and other recreational uses.
• Interactive spaces with water, which will be brought into the Gardens mimicking streams and the river plain.
• A community lifestyle and water sports facility, which will offer spaces and various organised activities for people to pursue their interests in water and adventure sports, and also lifestyle and life skill programmes.  
• A community gardening hub for enthusiasts and other groups.
• Playgrounds that feature water and nature-themed play areas that capture the fascination that children have for some of our native plants and animals.
• Wide, tree-lined main path that meanders along the length of the Gardens for strollers, joggers and cyclists alike
• Secondary paths for appreciating nature and bird-life through open wetland, grassland meadow and tree grove areas marked with signature native tree species.
• A boardwalk that weaves through distinct, native wetland plant communities out onto the water’s edge
• Landscaped islets that seek to retain the existing Banyan trees and will provide habitat trees for the herons.