People picnic on the grassy roof of the Marina Barrage pumping station with a view of the Singapore skyline on Jul 22, 2023. SINGAPORE: All work and no play makes a dull city. After spending the last 60 years focused on transforming the country from mudflats to a, pragmatic Singapore is championing recreation. And it wants to hear from Singaporeans on how best to utilise areas within and across neighbourhoods for this purpose.
Why has Singapore placed so much emphasis and expended so much effort in planning its recreational spaces? Why are such spaces important in the first place?The Recreation Master Plan emphasises three key strategies: Enhancing recreational potential of green and blue spaces, activating underutilised spaces for recreation, and making recreation inclusive for all.
Agencies are studying plans to transform the space under the Queensway viaduct into a new multi-functional and inclusive community space. Interestingly, there exist efforts to mobilise underutilised spaces both in Singapore and abroad. In Zurich, a market hall known as Viadukt was built under the arches of a railway viaduct that was built in 1894. Initially an unused space, Viadukt is now a vibrant space that features grocers, food stalls, and shops selling crafts and fashion accessories.
It is also important to note that recreational spaces are not simply physical locations for people to exercise or engage in leisurely activities. Rather, they serve an important purpose of bringing people together.