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  Channel NewsAsia 12 Nov 05
New park connector links East Coast Park to Pasir Ris
 By May Wong

Singaporeans can now take a stroll from one park to another via a 10 kilometre-long connector.

At a Clean and Green Week Carnival on Saturday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan announced the completion of the Coast-to-Coast Park Connector. The connector links East Coast Park to Pasir Ris Park and is just one part of a 170-kilometre long network. Mr Mah said the whole network was expected to be ready in about 10 years.

At the event at Bedok Reservoir, Mr Mah also launched the 'Green Fingers' initiative to encourage the public to take ownership of the surrounding environment.

NParks website 12 Nov 2005
NParks launches Coast-to-Coast Park Connector Network & ‘Green Fingers’ initiative
Media release jointly issued by: NParks and GCF

Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development today announced the completion of the 10km Coast-to-Coast Park Connector Network route linking Pasir Ris Park and East Coast Park.

He also officially launched the ‘Green Fingers’ community outreach initiative and presented the inaugural ‘Community In Bloom’ Awards 2005 at the Clean & Green Week Carnival held at Bedok Reservoir Park.

Mr Mah Bow Tan graced the event as the Guest-of-Honour and led the mass gardening at Bedok Reservoir Park to beautify the reservoir edge, with his planting of Pouteria obovata. Also present were Mrs Theresa Foo, Board Member of the National Parks Board (NParks) and Mr Charles Ho, Chairman of the Garden City Fund (GCF).

In his speech, Minister Mah reminded all that: “To achieve our vision for a ‘City In a Garden’, every one of us has a role to play. We need to have a nation of people who share the vision.

We need the community to be actively involved in, and take ownership for moving Singapore towards becoming a ‘City In a Garden’”. NParks’ Chief Operating Officer, Dr Leong Chee Chiew highlighted: “This morning, mass gardening and tree planting activities saw residents, gardeners, park visitors and the general public chipping in to do their part for the Garden City.

Participants gathered at Pasir Ris Town Park and East Coast Park to carry out mass gardening along the park connectors and - together with Mayor Zainul Abidin Rasheed and Member of Parliament Mr Chan Soo Sen - jogged, walked, cycled and bladed along the Coast-to-Coast Park Connector Network route to the carnival at Bedok Reservoir Park”.

He added: “Organised by NParks, the carnival at Bedok Reservoir Park is held over the weekend of 12 to 13 November 2005, with three other carnivals organised concurrently at West Coast Park, Bishan Park and Zhenghua Park. Activities at these carnivals, which include tree planting and gardening activities, will involve the community in park and greenery-related activities. There’s something for everyone in the family! You can try potting a shrub and taking it home to cultivate, or simply learn more about gardening at our various flower and plant talks. We are expecting some 25,000 persons to benefit from the carnivals, with almost 36,000 plants being planted”.

Launched by Minister Mah, ‘Green Fingers’ is a community outreach initiative to raise awareness of our Garden City and its goals, and to encourage the public to take ownership of, and participate in, sustaining our Garden City.

The public will be able to purchase the ‘Green Fingers’ Kit, which includes gardening gloves specially designed for the event, together with a packet of tamarind seeds and a germinating pellet.

Mr Charles Ho, Chairman of GCF elaborated: “In the coming years, we hope to encourage all those living in Singapore to take ownership of the green spaces. Thus far, the government, through the efforts of NParks’ staff, ensures that our parks, gardens and nature reserves remain green havens”.

He explained that while civic engagement and philanthropy for parks and gardens is common in some countries, this is not the case here. Mr Ho added: “In Singapore, these traditions are relatively new. The question is what we, as good citizens, can do to become co-stewards of our parks and gardens”.

Nominated Member of Parliament and Youth Volunteerism Ambassador Ms Eunice Olsen, Singapore adventurer Mr Khoo Swee Chiow, Channel News Asia newscaster Ms Glenda Chong, singer Mr Jai Wahab, host-actor-singer Mr Khai and actress-presenter Ms Sharon Ismail were present at the launch to lend their support as ‘Green Fingers’ Ambassadors.

Singapore adventurer Mr Khoo Swee Chiow, one of the ‘Green Fingers’ Ambassadors shared: “While growing up, I remembered watering and looking after my mum's plants. I even grew my own beans in little bottles. Watching them grow was really fun”.

‘Green Fingers’ Ambassador, singer Mr Jai Wahab, added: “I recently bought a plant for my new house and with care, its beauty and the richness of the green turned it into home. Sow the seed, feel the beauty indeed”.

Minister Mah encouraged: “For those who have yet to take an interest in gardening, today presents a good opportunity to start… The experience of planting seeds and watching them germinate and grow, will help us feel a greater connection with nature. Funds raised by Green Fingers will go to support worthwhile greenery projects”.

Proceeds from sales of the kits will go towards educational programmes to further spread the messages of nature appreciation. Some projects in the pipeline include outdoor learning spaces.

Students visiting Singapore’s parks in future may soon be able to pop into these learning spaces in which they will discover computers, microscopes and books to help them learn about the plants and animals they see.

Other projects include gardening workshops and reforestation activities.

As part of ‘Green Fingers’, students from the Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Singapore Polytechnic will be doing their bit. They are organising sales drives in their schools and are volunteering to manage the booths at selected shopping malls for weekend sales.

Others in the community are also getting into the act to help sponsor ‘Green Fingers’. These include participating outlets such as SPC and venue sponsors (see Annex A for full list).

Starting today, the public can go to selected retails outlets (see Annex A) to buy a ‘Green Fingers’ Kit to test out their green thumbs. Kids can get their little fingers dirty with the $8 pack and adults can join in the fun with the $5 pack. The ‘Green Fingers’ outreach effort goes on till 30 November 2005. All buyers of the ‘Green Fingers’ Kit will stand to win attractive lucky draw prizes when they participate in the promotion on www.gardencityfund.com.sg.

This outreach initiative is part of Clean & Green Week Celebration 12-13 November 2005, organized by NParks.
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