Campaign for a green corridor
By Teo Wan Gek and Toh Yong Chuan, The Straits Times, 30 Dec 2011.
Alarm bells rang in Nature Society (Singapore) vice-president Leong Kwok Peng’s head when he read a front-page report in The Straits Times announcing the relocation of Tanjong Pagar railway station to Woodlands.
That was on May 25 last year.
Mr Leong, 55, says the Nature Society had for years hoped to preserve the nature belt along the railway tracks.
With the railway land reverting to Singapore, future developments might encroach into the pockets of nature or break up the continuous stretch of greenery.
Mr Leong got to work. He wrote to The Straits Times Forum to propose a green corridor be preserved, and ended up spearheading the Nature Society’s campaign on the matter.
Source: The Straits Times via Wildsingapore
Good Work on The Green Corridor by UWCSEA Students
On Monday 5th December 2011, 200 Grade 8 students from United World College of South East Asia, Dover Campus, Singapore, walked the Green Corridor from Bukit Timah Rail Mall to Ghim Moh.
It was a great day out for everyone involved. The students loved having the opportunity to do something active in their local environment and it also helped them appreciate the importance of preserving green spaces in Singapore.
When the students returned to school they worked on a publicity campaign for the Green Corridor to raise awareness for this good cause. They created some really good work including posters, brochures, TV and radio adverts. Please see the winning entries below. Read more
Why Supporters of The Green Corridor Should Support Bukit Brown Too
The Green Corridor is a former railway while Bukit Brown is a cemetery, so different yet so similar. The Green Corridor and Bukit Brown both connects the past and future, and both involves heritage and the environment. I hope that all of you can support the preservation of Bukit Brown, just as you have actively supported The Green Corridor so far.
I supported The Green Corridor proposal by NSS because I feel that it would improve Singapore’s long-term resilience. The biggest threat to Singapore is apathy, and when Singaporeans do not feel a sense of belonging and are not bothered with what goes on here, then Singapore is in trouble.
For Singapore to survive and prosper in the long term, it is necessary to have more opportunities in preserving our shared memories and creating our shared vision. And keeping the railway lands as a Green Corridor is one opportunity not to be wasted.
Similarly, I feel that Bukit Brown is another excellent opportunity that enables Singaporeans to feel they belong here by remembering our past and creating our future. Read more
“Journey of Possibilities” – Ideas Competition for the Rail Corridor
Press Release by URA, 30 Nov 2011.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced today the launch of an Ideas Competition titled “Journey of Possibilities†for the Rail Corridor. The Ideas Competition is intended to draw innovative and fresh new ideas from the public in addressing some of the key challenges and issues in planning for the future use of the Rail Corridor.
Since the return of the former railway land to Singapore on 1 July 2011, the Rail Corridor project has garnered widespread public interest. From the feedback we received, it is clear that there are many more people out there who would like to make tangible contributions towards the envisioning of the Rail Corridor’s future. In order to create the window of opportunity for all to participate in this project, the URA is conducting the Ideas Competition from 30 November 2011 to 9 March 2012. Read more
Re-Imagining the Rail Corridor – Traveling Exhibition
The Re-imagining The Rail Corridor exhibition showcases some early ideas from students and design professionals for what the future of the Rail Corridor could become, in a bid to anchor Singaporeans with a stake in their surroundings and to build-up engagement with the public in jointly designing the spaces around us.
The exhibition will travel to the following locations:
6 Dec – 30 Dec 2011
Singapore Botanic Gardens (Function Hall of Botany Centre, near the gate opposite Gleneagles Hospital). Opening hours from 8:30am to 6pm.
1 Jan – 12 Feb 2012
Marina Barrage (2nd Storey outside the entrance to the Sustainable Singapore Gallery)
14 Feb – 7 Mar 2012
HortPark (Exhibition Gallery)
9 Mar – 25 Mar 2012
University Cultural Centre (NUS, exact location inside to be confirmed)
Stripping of KTM railway track completed
By Channel NewsAsia, 31 Oct 2011.
The stripping of the 23-kilometre KTM railway track from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands has been completed following the handover of the KTM land and the Tanjong Pagar railway station to Singapore this year, Malaysia media reported.
Dr Aminuddin Adnan, KTMB President, said the tracks weighed a total 2,500 tonnes, out of which about seventy percent have been transported back to Malaysia.
The rest, which was still being placed at a temporary storage area in Kranji, will be sent back to the country by the middle of next month.
The Malaysian press has also reported that part of the track would be showcased in KTMB museums as a historical exhibit while others will be kept for future use on KTMB tracks throughout the country.
Source: Channel NewsAsia
Walk down KTM memory lane at Rail Corridor
By Channel NewsAsia, 3 Oct 2011.
An exhibition that explores several ideas on how different pockets of space at the former Malaysian railway land can be used was held on Monday.
The initiative is part of a series of events dedicated to increasing public awareness of the tract of KTM railway land returned to Singapore.
Called “Re-Imagining the Rail Corridor” the exhibition showcased some preliminary ideas from architecture and landscape students as well as design professionals.
Minister of State for National Development Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, who chairs the Rail Corridor Consultation Group, said he hopes the final design will incorporate all ideas that the Urban Redevelopment Authority has been receiving.
Source: Channel NewsAsia
‘Rail Corridor’ endorsed by consultation group to be final project name
Minister of State (MOS) for National Development Mr Tan Chuan-Jin announced today during a visit to the Re-imagining the Rail Corridor exhibition that the ‘Rail Corridor’ (é“é“走廊) will be the final project name for development plans for the former railway land.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) had used ‘Rail Corridor’ as the working name for this project when the former railway land was returned to Singapore on 1 July 2011. A website was launched on the same day to gather feedback and ideas from the public in shaping the future development plans for the former railway land, including suggestions for a name for the project.
A total of 158 suggestions on the project name were received on the website as at the closing date on 31 July 2011. “Rail Corridor’ was one of the top three most suggested project names received. The other two project names were ‘Rail Trail’ and ‘Green Corridor’. Read more
Ex-railway station an event venue?
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia, 2 Oct 2011.
Singapore authorities said they would consider opening part of the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station as an event venue.
Other possibilities include having tours at the site.
This follows some suggestions on how the space could be used in the interim before any development plans are firmed up.
It has been three months since the former Malayan Railway land was handed over to Singapore.
Already, some 40 per cent of railway tracks have been dismantled.
The former workers’ quarters are now vacant, and the land around the former Tanjong Pagar railway station left bare.
There has been a series of public consultation on how the area can be best utilised.
Source: Channel NewsAsia
Re-Imagining the Rail Corridor
Re-imagining The Rail Corridor is envisioned as a series of events dedicated to enhancing the public awareness and understanding of the tract of KTM railway land recently returned to Singapore. The events comprise of an exhibition, a design workshop and a public forum, intended to explore, encourage and develop creative ideas for incorporation into the future of the Rail Corridor.
The events revolve around six key themes: Ecology, Heritage, Recreation, Transport, Education and Community Gardening. Through these themes, it hopes to shape our understanding of and give insight to a rare piece of our cultural and natural heritage amidst our urban landscape, and to spark interest in the protection and preservation of this heritage as an extension of our national identity.
Exhibition
Date: 3 Oct – 2 Dec 2011
Time: Mondays to Fridays, 8.30am to 7pm / Saturdays: 8.30am to 5pm / Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays
Venue: Atrium, URA Centre, 45 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069118
The exhibition will showcase some early ideas from students and design professionals for what the future of the Rail Corridor could become, in a bid to anchor Singaporeans with a stake in their surroundings and to build-up engagement with the public in jointly designing the spaces around us.
Design Workshop
Date: 8 Oct 2011, 9am – 6pm
Venue: 4th storey seminar room, URA Centre, 45 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069118
The 1-day design workshop seeks to foster the imagination of students, designers and interested members of the public of what the future of the Rail Corridor could become.
There will also be a public critique session at the end of the workshop for a larger public audience to actively engage the workshop participants in the ideas put forward.
Pls pre-register for this design workshop either as a Workshop Participant or as a Workshop Public Critique Participant below.
Workshop Participants (9am – 6pm)
Open for registration below. Limited seats.
*Participants should be preferably available for a site recce and briefing on Sat 1 Oct at 9am.
[Registration closed]
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Workshop Public Critique Segment (4.30 – 6pm)
Open for registration below. Limited seats.
*No need to register for this public critique segment if you have already registered for the workshop above.
[Registration closed]
