North Eastern Riverine Loop

i absolutely love that nparks has put in place park connectors around singapore in a bid to “enhance the green infrastructure” of this city.

one exemplary instance is the north eastern riverine loop (NERL) that connects several park connectors in the punggol area along very scenic and open civic spaces.

within the past 2 weeks, i cycled the NERL twice. once was the shorter loop that cuts through punggol waterway park (about 16km)  and the second time was the full loop that went around punggol point park (about 20km).

the start/end point of my loop is jomando bicycle kiosk at punggol park. it is located at the intersection of hougang avenue 10 and the serangoon park connector that runs parallel to buangkok drive.

my route takes me west towards yio chu kang road before heading north along sungei punggol (punggol river).

the river widens as it heads towards more open waters at the northern edge of singapore.

there is a choice at this bridge crossing to either continue straight north towards punggol promenade, which is the 20km loop, or make a left here at sunset strip to take the shorter 16km loop and cut through punggol waterway. both routes are lovely for different reasons so i suggest find time to see both.

punggol waterway

although punggol waterway does not have the “wind in the willows” rustic charm of seasoned bunds with reeds and a thriving ecosystem, for now, it at least does provide a jogging, cycling and even kayaking route for people to live out healthy options and meandering boardwalks fashioned after organic designs of nature which is very therapeutic amongst the repeated blocky patterns of apartment buildings. and even if the trees here are not originally naturally occurring, it is green nonetheless and does relief some carbon footprint.

a pack having fun frolicking in the open areas

further along punggol waterway

the other end of punggol waterway from where i started at sunset strip, is of course, sunrise strip where sunrise bridge provides good vantage views from an elevation.

after this turning, the route heads back south along punggol promenade riverside walk and sungei serangoon (serangoon river).

the brown halus bridge leads into lorong halus wetlands.

Located in north-eastern Singapore along the eastern bank of Serangoon Reservoir, part of Lorong Halus has been transformed into an artificial wetland to treat leachate from the former landfill. This artificial wetland, known as Lorong Halus Wetland, is a recreational space for community enjoyment, while providing a continuity of habitat for the wildlife that has established since the closure of the landfill 1999.

As part of the Punggol-Serangoon Reservoir scheme, which increases our total freshwater catchment area to two-thirds of Singapore, Lorong Halus Wetland is a phytoremediation system that protects water quality in Serangoon Reservoir. Phytoremediation is the process of using plants to improve environmental quality. Leachate from the former Lorong Halus landfill is prevented from flowing into Serangoon Reservoir by an underground bentonite wall, and is then treated through the wetland system using three kinds of reeds – vetiver grass, cattail, and papyrus.

the wetland itself is not very big, but it does have educational displays and public toilets that can come in handy.

punggol promenade

even if the frequency of public transport is not high, punggol promenade is accessible by bus 84 from punggol mrt station. a drink and ice cream vendor also seems to make a regular appearance and the promenade has shelter beneath the viewing deck to rest under. jomando operates another bicycle kiosk at punggol promenande, but like its punggol park outlet, the bikes have to be returned to the same branch rented from.

the remaining route along the northern coast of singapore follows an unpaved track for 2.4km called punggol promenade nature walk. besides some rest stops and fishing jetties, it is a stretch that is still a little rough around the edges. opposite this coast is pulau serangoon, also (quizzically) known as coney island – a park not opened to public for now.

at the end of punggol promenade nature walk, the route curves south and extends into punggol promenade riverside walk after lorong halus wetland.

it is along this stretch near riviera lrt station where the cluster of restaurants, cafes and popeye’s is located – a place to undo the cycling workout expanded thus far.

it was only at my second visit to punggol promenade riverside park that i noticed the fibre optic reeds along the river bank. i know that most of what i’ve seen has been constructed and man-made, but the artificial reeds seems to me a foreshadowing of a futuristic dystopia as imagined by richard brautigan in the poem all watched over by machines of loving grace. *shudders*

I like to think (and
the sooner the better!)
of a cybernetic meadow
where mammals and computers
live together in mutually
programming harmony
like pure water
touching clear sky.

I like to think
(right now, please!)
of a cybernetic forest
filled with pines and electronics
where deer stroll peacefully
past computers
as if they were flowers
with spinning blossoms.

I like to think
(it has to be!)
of a cybernetic ecology
where we are free of our labors
and joined back to nature,
returned to our mammal
brothers and sisters,
and all watched over
by machines of loving grace.

view other pictures of the NERL here.

download NParks NERL factsheet here.

Bay East

the highly anticipated opening of Gardens by the Bay is slated for 29 june 2012 with a line up of performances and activities to begin this new park in a big whizzbang way.

unknown to many however, gardens by the bay east, also known as bay east, is already open to public and offers very nice views of the city skyline. bay east links tanjong rhu to the marina barrage.

earlier this week, i checked out this precise route. the marina barrage can be reached by public transport by taking either the shuttle bus or sbs service 400 from marina south mrt station. the bus timings are clearly displayed at the bus stop, and can also be found online.

from top left: marina south mrt station (come out through the circle line exit), bus stop, bus timings, bus 400.

the last time i was at the marina barrage, marina bay sands was not yet part of the horizon. the view has therefore definitely changed.

walking across the marina barrage towards bay east.

a very leisurely stroll from the marina barrage to the end of bay east at tanjong rhu coveres 2.6km and can be completed in about an hour.

the walk was timed such that the sunset hues can be seen changing against the city skyline.

at tanjong rhu, sbs service 158 can be taken to mountbattan in the direction of aljunied.

enjoy the rest of the photos!

coasting at pulau ubin

chek jawa is important because of its rich biodiversity at the intertidal zones and significant because of the momentous decision to defer its destruction reclamation in 2001 due to overwhelming public support to conserve it. this deferment should not be assumed to be permanent, so visitors should not take it for granted that it will always be there or that enough is known about it already.

i have visited portions of chek jawa over time, but it was only last week that i had the opportunity to leisurely bask in its green grandeur along the whole stretch of the boardwalk.

this was also the first time that i got to chek jawa very comfortably in a van. van hire (with their drivers) are available at the main jetty. a two way trip to chek jawa costs us $24, which was not too bad because there were 6 of us. of course if you can gather a larger number of people, the cost per person will be cheaper. then again, i had no problem contributing to the local economy of pulau ubin in any case.

it was opportune that our visit to chek jawa took place at low tide on a very cool day with sufficient cloud cover to keep the heat at bay. being a weekday, albeit the march school holidays, we also did not have to contend with the hoards of visitors. i believe this was a contributing reason why we managed to spot a number of wild life along the way.

tree climbing crab

fiddler crabs

oriental pied-hornbill

wild boars (which are rather used to urban people, but should not be approached nonetheless)

a species of lizard (not spotted at chek jawa but at the sensory trail)

towards the end of the loop, was the quaint visitor centre (aka house no. 1) and the viewing jetty.

although it is common knowledge that bumboats are the usual way to get to and from pulau ubin from changi point ferry terminal, i am still fascinated by its rustic system in the uber orderly way of life in singapore, and that it is allowed to survive till this day – there is no fixed timing for the departure of the bumboats that do not disembark until 12 passengers congregate, the boatman collects $2.50 (sometimes $3) from each passenger without issuing a ticket and the ride is often characterised by the ruptuous roar of the engine and choppy currents. this juxtaposition to how clinically systematic singapore is, is as far a throwback to more bucolic times as it can get and i hope that the bumboats will continue to be the modus operandi of pulau ubin’s ferry services. this is because the boatmen represent to me, the independence of the business owner and his resistance to be corporatised into a pte ltd. not being able to ascertain for sure when the next boat leaves reminds the city slicker that he has to go with the flow and that visiting a place like pulau ubin cannot be rushed or timed.

and if you’re already in the mood to kick back further after arriving back at the mainland of singapore. a short distance towards 200 netheravon road from the changi point ferry terminal is the coastal settlement.

the coastal settlement is housed on a fairly large area with cozy indoor and lush outdoor seating. the deco is vintage themed and very thoughtfully curated from retro window panes to a full automobile. also noteworthy is the attentive and prompt service.

we didn’t try more than a dessert and coffee at the coastal settlement because we already had lunch at pulau ubin, but what i had i really liked. the menu seemed to have quite a wide variety with mouth-watering descriptions. the only draw back to this place is its inaccessibility without your own car, but then again, being far from the madding crowd is charm in itself.

State Land

boundaries. things in singapore tend to be so clearly defined by the powers that be that it leaves little space for maneuver or alternatives. the use of state land is one such example.

very near where i live is the old jurong line. i have seen it morph over time; from railway tracks, to trodden paths, overgrown foliage, removal of tracks, and to cultivated land. in recent times,  i had the opportunity to walk through a stretch of 3km along the old jurong line from teban gardens to sunset way led by the supporters of the green corridor and saw for myself the community gardens currently in the spotlight.

during the walk, we were told that these green-thumbed folks living in the area always had the culture of cultivating land, a way of life before the relocation of residents from kampong to hdb flats. they were used to having backyards and space for growing and gardening and i do not imagine them to be finicky about drawing lines of division or second-guessing where sanctioned use of land begins or ends.

map of community gardens or informal plantations at a URA exhibition

community gardens at teban gardens

community gardens at clementi

recently, Singapore Land Authority issued an eviction notice for the community gardens at clementi avenue four to dismantle and disband. the farmers have one week from now to do so. these are SLA’s reasons for the call for eviction in response to an inquiry by supporters of the green corridor.

[Letter to SLA dated 8 Mar]

Request for SLA to Explain Planned Eviction of Community Gardens Along the Jurong Line

Dear Mr Hoong

I refer to the planned eviction of the community gardens along the Jurong Line near Clementi Ave 4.

2.  I would like to understand the reasons for the planned eviction by 20 Mar, and whether there would be plans to demolish and remove the existing gardens and railway tracks. Is there a possibility of retaining the community gardens and allowing the residents there to continue their gardening (for free or pay a license fee).

3.   For your necessary action, please. Thank you.

[Reply from SLA dated 13 Mar]

 Dear Mr Tay

 1            I refer to your 9 Mar 2012 emails. Please note that this email supersedes our email of 9 March (7:25pm).

 2             SLA makes available vacant State land, pending their development, for interim use by the community for recreational activities. Over the years, SLA has upgraded vacant State land for such uses.  There are today 270 community use sites in various parts of Singapore for the community to use and enjoy.

 3          However, State land is a precious resource and must be maintained and managed responsibly. An important principle that we uphold without exception is that individuals or groups of them are not allowed to encroach and lay claim on State land for their private use.  Where State land is allowed for community use, it is important that it does not cause disamenities for the neighbourhood, and does not adversely affect the land and the environment, such as causing ground contamination or mosquito breeding.

 4          In this case, some individuals have not only encroached on State land for their private purposes but several of them have also fenced up parcels of land as their “own” and padlocked them for their exclusive use. There are also illegally erected make-shift sheds and even an outdoor toilet (photos attached). During our inspection, we found several ponds with stagnant water which are potential mosquito breeding grounds if left unchecked. We have also received feedback of the burning of branches and leaves which affects the air quality for the residents nearby and are a potential fire hazard.

 5          In the interest of all residents living in the vicinity, SLA’s immediate priority is to stop the burning of leaves and commence vector control measures. We will also give those responsible for the encroachment a reasonable period of time to dismantle and remove the enclosed areas and illegally erected structures, failing which we will have to take action to remove them.

 6          The land is zoned as “Reserve” under the Master Plan 2008 and there are no immediate plans for the site at this point in time. In the interim, SLA will seek and consider the views of the grassroots organisations whether the land can be put to some form of community use for the enjoyment of the residents in the vicinity. However, any such use is interim and will have to cease when the land is required for future development.

SLA’s response to the inquiry is followed closely with a press release depicting SLA in more conciliatory disposition in the Straits Times but interestingly a lot more punitive in TODAY.

what is congruent in both articles is the fact that these cultivated plots of land have been in use for 30 years. and what is clearly evident is that these community gardens are flourishing and have been very well kept as far as how the farmers understand what a well maintained plantation should be. so it is perplexing that the drastic and absolute measures to clear all land can be viewed to be “for the greater community interest.” surely there are much better ways to address the issue of some burning of leaves and stagnant pools of water especially when SLA has made it clear in their response to the supporters of the green corridor that there “are no immediate plans for the site.”

i despair at the labeling of these farmers as “illegal” and to have “encroached” state land. i’m sure they do not understand what wrong they have done. it will be no wonder that they will not “own up.”

Update: 21 March 2012 (Today Online)

SLA extends deadline for ‘illegal farmers’ to vacate state land by Olivia Siong SINGAPORE – Residents who illegally used state land at Clementi Avenue for farming were given a reprieve yesterday as the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) granted a three-month extension to the 13 individuals who have identified themselves.The individuals, who were supposed to vacate the area by yesterday, will work with grassroots organisations towards an acceptable arrangement.The remaining residents will also be given a three-month grace period, if they step forward by April 3. Otherwise, the SLA said it will have “no choice but to dismantle and remove the enclosed areas and illegal structures”. The land was formerly occupied by Malaysia’s Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) but has since been returned to Singapore. Meanwhile, vector control has been carried out to prevent mosquito breeding and signs will be put up to warn the public of dangers such as potholes. Advisory notices will also be put up against the illegal burning of leaves. The SLA said it will step up surveillance and work with the grassroots organisations and residents to detect illegal activities. According to the SLA, the land has been reserved under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Master Plan 2008 but there are no immediate plans for the site. It will continue to consult grassroots organisations on possible interim use. The area’s Member of Parliament Sim Ann said the grassroots organisations will consider residents’ views and decide if they should apply for a license to use the land temporarily for community purposes. In a statement, Ms Sim said: “(It is) good of the SLA to offer an extension to users who have identified themselves.” The Nature Society (Singapore) (NSS) yesterday appealed to the SLA to allow the area – coined the Clementi Garden by the NSS – to continue to be used as a community fruit and vegetable garden, under the NParks’ Community in Bloom scheme. In a letter addressed to SLA chief executive Vincent Hoong, NSS president Shawn Lum pointed out that the area was part of the railway lands which the NSS had recommended to be retained as a Green Corridor and a community garden would be a “suitable development”. “Properly implemented, the Clementi Garden will be a place where the elderly residents can practice active ageing, where families and neighbours can bond over gardening and where the young can have hands-on science lessons and develop a sense of responsibility in caring for the garden,” he said. Dr Lum added that the NSS is ready to work with agencies and residents to maintain the area as part of the Green Corridor.

Update: 16 May 2012 (Straits Times)

By Grace Chua

A compromise has been reached between the Government and the people farming illegally in Clementi.

All 18 who had been tending to crops near Sungei Ulu Pandan will get to stay, but on a smaller plot of land. They will also pay $60 a year to continue farming there.

Member of Parliament Sim Ann said yesterday that when the farmers’ activity came to light in March this year, the Government’s task was to give them ‘a legitimate outlet for their passion for planting’. ‘The legal position is clear – whatever the background reason, encroachment on state land is illegal,’ said Ms Sim, who had been leading the talks between the gardeners and the various government agencies involved.

The land is mostly in the Bukit Timah ward of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, where Ms Sim is the MP.

‘But… we also recognised that these are just individuals and families who happen to love planting vegetables and crops. We knew that they meant no harm,’ she added.

Ms Sim, who is also Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Law, said that other people who want to join in may do so.

The new community garden is located near Block 301 in Clementi Avenue 4. It will be run by the Bukit Timah Citizens’ Consultative Committee, with support from Northwest Community Development Council and the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council.

The committee is applying for a temporary occupation licence from the Singapore Land Authority, renewable each year, and expects to be able to use the land for at least three years.

Covering an area about 50m by 25m, the community garden will be divided into 30 or so strips, each 8m by 4m. Each gardener gets just one strip.

For decades, several people – mostly the elderly – have been gardening and growing herbs, fruit and vegetables at the 1,800 sq m strip of state land sandwiched between the Sungei Ulu Pandan canal, the former Malayan Railway (KTM) track, Clementi Avenue 4 and Clementi Avenue 6.

In March, they faced eviction after residents complained about burning leaves and mosquitoes, and Ms Sim had helped secure a three-month respite and June 20 move-out date.

Kindergarten teacher Ng Ang Mui, 48, who had made some initial complaints about smoke from burning leaves, said of the new deal: ‘They need to have a proper way of handling the leaves, rubbish and the mosquitoes… If there’s a proper way to handle these, I think there should be no problem.’

Laboratory manager Lester Yeung, 35, whose father tends to a plot just past the Clementi Avenue 6 flyover, said there has been no more burning of leaves since March. Even if the new garden is not as large, he said, ‘at least the objective of having folks be able to continue with what they do is met’.

Bukit Brown Cemetery

the truth is, i wasn’t familiar with bukit brown cemetery before the news about plans for parts of it to be demolished for the highway expansion. since then, news articles and blog posts about its cultural and ecological importance have appeared in accelerated frequency in support for its demolition to be stalled and alternative arrangements to be made to spare this place.

an example of such a campaign is lead by SOS Bukit Brown – Save Our Singapore. they aim to collect 100,000 signatures to participate in the petition, one for each grave at the cemetery.

the tension between material progress at the expanse of the loss in heritage especially spatial heritage will always exist, and is made more acute in a place like singapore because of land scarcity. increasingly, there has been a heightened sense of awareness of significant cultural and ecological places and the advocacy to conserve them.

so what importance does bukit brown cemetery have? i made a trip there to have a look myself. and since its days are numbers, now is as a good time than later.

bukit brown cemetery is actually not too difficult to get to. its entrance is along lornie road and lies directly opposite singapore island country club. i took bus 52 from the west and alighted just outside the entrance at kheam hock road, leading onto lorong halwa.

bukit brown cemetery was officially opened in 1922 and closed in 1973. it was named after george henry brown, a shipowner, trader and broker who arrived in Singapore in the 1840s. although named after george henry brown, the area was originally owned by three wealthy hokkien entrepreneurs and eventually used as a cemetery to meet the increasing need for more public chinese burial grounds. more information can be found here.

it was fortunate that at the visit to bukit brown cc spotted this make-shift signpost attached to a tree trunk.

if not, i would have missed out on visiting the largest and most opulent resting place in the cemetery.

to find it, follow along the dirt track until it makes a bend behind some foliage…

…that leads you to a clearing…

…where the grave of ong sam leong and his family lies and guarded by sikh sentries.

surrounding the headstones are intricate engravings depicting stories of filial piety. i’m not familiar with the moralising chinese folk stories so i could not identify them.

 

however, you should check out oceanskies‘s post that does match some of the engravings to the stories including – which i missed noticing – lady tang feeding her mother-in-law from her breast and yu qianlou tasting his father’s feces to determine the severity of his illness. now i need to return to bukit brown to have a second look with this new knowledge.

of ong sam leong, infopedia says:

Ong’s early land transactions turned out profitably. He then became interested in timber concessions in Pahang and Kemaman. In 1899, Ong secured the contract with the Christmas Island Phosphate Company Limited to supply mining workers to Christmas Island, 400 kilometres south of Java. His company, Ong Sam Leong and Company, held the monopoly. They obtained the labour from coolie houses located along Pagoda Street in Singapore. Most of the labourers were from Guangdong or Guangxi, China. Ong also owned a sundry shop on Christmas Island. He made profits from supplying daily provisions to the coolies.

Ong also owned the brickworks in Batam, Indonesia. In addition, he held large interests in numerous sawmills in Singapore. He later became involved in the construction industry in and outside of Singapore.

Ong had two sons, Boon Tat and Peng Hock, and a daughter (Mrs. Khoo Peck Lock). His sons, referred to as the Ong Brothers, were better known as the co-owners of the New World Theme Park in Jalan Besar (the other owners were the Shaw Brothers), which they built in 1923. The park closed in 1987.

Both sons were educated at Raffles Institution and became prominent men among the Straits Chinese merchants. The elder son, Boon Tat, was born in 1888 and commenced his business training under Ong when he was 19 years old. Peng Hock was trained in the timber trade by Ong.

boon tat street at tanjong pagar and sam leong road at little india are named after this boon tat and sam leong.

considering that this grave belongs to an influential and wealthy family, i would have thought that it would have many descendants tending to it. however, that is not the case. ong sam leong’s grave was abandoned and left derelict until discovered by someone in 2006. since the discovery, NEA clears the tomb of weeds and foliage and National Archives documented it. i guess that goes to show how fleeting life and riches are. your legacy might not be remembered by your future generation. a location map of ong sam leong’s tomb can be found here.

not all the tombs however, are left unattended. during my visit, i did see a family bringing bags of provision to pay respects and another man maintaining a grave.

each tombstone has its own story to tell and they are all pioneers of singapore, whether well-known or not. and some, belong to mere children.

for now not all tombs need to be exhumed. only those that have been marked with a white stake with a serial number such as these.

this is because only 5% of bukit brown cemetery needs to be claimed for the highway expansion. however who is to say that the remaining parts of bukit brown are safe from future developments. it might be a matter of time before the entire plot of land succumbs to the pressing need for progress. so do visit while you still can.

a Today news report published on 4 February 2012 (Adjustments to reduce impact of Bukit Brown Cemetery for Roads) portends that,

While there are disagreements over this development, Minister for State for National Development, Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin said he is “keen to focus on the common ground and chart out what we can do”.

The current documentation effort, led by Dr Hui Yew-Foong from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, should yield lessons on how to proceed with the next phase, he said. said he is “keen to focus on the common ground and chart out what we can do”.

Acknowledging that “tensions over development and environment-history-heritage will become more acute” in years to come, Mr Tan noted that when developed, the Bukit Brown area could house 15,000 homes for about 50,000 residents.

“This is not meant to trivialise the heritage value of Bukit Brown Cemetery, which I truly appreciate, but to put on the table the choices we have to make,” he said.

the attraction of the cemetery is not only the resting places singapore’s pioneers. in fact, the route makes for a very nice morning stroll. it is frequented by caucasian families and their dogs and also horse riders from the nearby polo club.

view other pictures here.