The Adventure Playground at Sembawang Close was designed by the community of Canberra. (Photo: HDB)
Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong on Sunday (7 January) opened Singapore’s first playground that was conceptualised, designed and built in partnership with residents, including children.
Dubbed as Adventure Playground @ Canberra, the 185 sq m facility in Sembawang Close was constructed under the Housing Board’s pilot Build-A-Playground (BAP) initiative.
Inspired by the fishing jetties (kelong) in Sembawang’s past, the playground features brown poles that resembles a kelong on wooden stilts as well as hammocks that look like fishing nets. Aside from the man-made treehouse at its centre, it is also equipped with swings and climbing structures such as steps, ladders and a fireman pole.
The idea of a community-built playground was proposed during HDB’s Community Week in 2014. From mid-2015 to 2017, about 1,800 residents took part in shaping Adventure Playground @ Canberra, including those who participated in design workshops, roadshows, and surveys, wherein they shared their views on what playground they wanted.
Looking ahead, the BAP initiative will be expanded to four other HDB towns under estate rejuvenation plans like the Town Councils’ Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and the Housing Board’s Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme.
Under the NRP, residents will have the opportunity to co-design and remake the existing playground in Choa Chu Kang’s Tembusu Park. Likewise, two neighborhood parks at Lorong 1 and 8 in Toa Payoh, as well as Pasir Ris’ Seashell Park and Woodlands Admiral Garden, will get a makeover under ROH 3.
This article was edited by Keshia Faculin.
