Rail Corridor's Buona Vista node now open

Facilities in L6ha community space include a playground, fitness areas, an open lawn

- Ng Keng Gene

Users of the Rail Corridor can now enjoy facilities such as fitness areas, a playground and an open lawn at a community node in Buona Vista.

The new 1.6ha space - located at the intersection of North Buona Vista Road and Commonwealth Avenue was launched on April 22 by National Development Minister Desmond Lee. It is the first community node along the Rail Corridor's southern section, which spans Holland Road to Tanjong Pagar.

Mr Lee also announced the Government's second ideas competition for the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station in nine years, and said there is "immense potential to transform the site into a vibrant multi-functional community building, with attractive, inclusive and inviting public spaces for all".

The first ideas competition for the former station was held and awarded in 2015 to a team comprising MKPL Architects and design firm Turenscape International, which proposed plans such as a heritage gallery, pop-up retail spaces and rooms for interest groups.

Alongside the concept design for the former station, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) had also chosen a winning master plan for the entire 24km Rail Corridor the former Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway line that stretched from Tanjong Pagar to Kranji.

URA said submissions received for the second competition, which runs from April 22 till June 14, will guide the development of detailed plans to transform the former station and site "with attractive, inclusive and inviting public spaces for all".