Public can look forward to additional green spaces

Areas that will get new parks include Farrer Park, Spottiswoode and Woodgrove

- Wong Yang

To bring Singaporeans closer to nature, another eight parks and 13km of park connectors will be developed here.

During the debate on its budget on March 5, the Ministry of National Development (MND) also provided updates on the Budget Meal initiative and an ongoing review of the Animals and Birds Act.

Here are some of the highlights:

1. NEW PARKS AND MORE PARK CONNECTORS

Another eight parks and 13km of park connectors will be built as part of plans to create more green spaces and connect Singaporeans to nature.

With these green spaces, the Government aims to develop more than 25 parks covering an area totalling over 170ha and more than 50km of park connectors by 2030.

Some areas that will get new parks include Farrer Park, Spottiswoode and Woodgrove, while the park connector network in areas including Yishun Avenue 1, Bukit Panjang North and Pioneer Road North will be expanded.

Among the parks in the pipeline is the 72.8ha Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat Nature Park that will beef up Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve's capacity to be a sanctuary for wetland biodiversity and migratory shorebirds. A roughly Sha Teachers' Estate Park will link the Central Catchment Nature Reserve to Khatib Nature Corridor.

As at the end of 2024, there are more than 400 parks and 391km of park connectors here.

The National Parks Board (NParks) said Singapore has met its 2021 target of developing 130ha of new parks by 2026, a year ahead of schedule.

The agency added that it will conduct concept studies for more than 100ha of land that could be developed into parks in the future.

2. PUBLIC FUNDING FOR UPGRADING WORKS BY TOWN COUNCILS