MEDIA RELEASE New North Eastern Riverine Loop launched Most scenic loop in Singapore running along 80 per cent of waterways Singapore, embargoed till 25 February 2012, 10am – Enjoy breathtaking sea views, spot some water birds, otters or dragonflies. These are some interesting sights that residents in the Buangkok, Hougang, Punggol and Sengkang towns can now enjoy along the park connectors of the new North Eastern Riverine Loop. The 26km loop was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean this morning, making it the fourth loop of park connectors in Singapore. With 80 per cent running along the waterways of Sungei Pinang, Sungei Punggol and Sungei Serangoon, the North Eastern Riverine Loop promises breathtaking panoramic views of the coastline of northeast Singapore. The loop links four parks: Sengkang Riverside Park, Punggol Park, Punggol Waterway Park and Punggol Point Park, offering residents new recreational and commuting possibilities. While enjoying their recreational activity, residents can also experience the rich biodiversity that thrive in the habitats along the park connectors. These include dragonflies, butterflies and water birds like the Grey Heron or the White-throated Kingfisher. A Round Island Route in Singapore This morning, DPM Teo also announced plans to develop a Round Island Route (RIR) in Singapore. The idea to build such a route was among more than 3,000 gathered from the City in a Garden public engagement exercise started by the National Parks Board (NParks) last year. “With a length of about 150 km, or more than three times the length of Singapore, the Round Island Route will connect more than 3.5 million residents along the route to become a recreational destination on a national scale. The Round Island Route will not only add a new 1 recreation option for our citizens, but also enhance the experience of our park users and tourists”, said DPM Teo. “In addition, the Round Island Route will allow us to embark on journeys to look at Singapore in new and wonderful ways, as it passes through popular recreation nodes and also the less seen and explored corners of our island.” In the next few months, NParks will be organising exhibitions around Singapore for the public to give their views on RIR. The public is also welcomed to give their ideas and suggestions online at www.nparks.gov.sg/ciag . NParks will then set up focus groups to evaluate the ideas and suggestions, which will form the basis on how the RIR can be realised. Appendices Annex A: Factsheet on North Eastern Riverine Loop and Park Connector Network Annex B: Factsheet on City in a Garden and Round Island Route - Ends - For more information, please contact: Mr Chen Hsin Yeow Senior Communications Manager National Parks Board DID: 6471-7302 Mobile: 9187-1926 Email: [email protected] Ms Charmaine Lim Communications Manager National Parks Board DID: 6471-7844 Mobile: 9424-7023 Email: [email protected] About National Parks Board (NParks) National Parks Board, Singapore (NParks) is responsible for providing and enhancing the greenery of our Garden City. Beyond green infrastructure, NParks is committed to enhancing the quality of life through creating memorable recreational experiences and lifestyles. NParks manages over 300 major parks and 4 nature reserves in Singapore. Adding to this is the extensive streetscape, or roadside greenery, that forms the backbone of our City in a Garden. An island-wide Park Connector Network is also being developed to link major parks and residential areas. As Singapore’s lead agency on nature conservation, NParks monitors and coordinates measures to ensure the health of Singapore’s biodiversity. This supports the overall thrust of our urban biodiversity conservation model, which aims to conserve representative eco-systems in land-scarce Singapore for future generations. 2 NParks works closely with industry partners to promote good work practices and create a thriving, innovative and professional industry that will support Singapore’s aspirations of being a City in a Garden. For more information, log on to: www.nparks.gov.sg 3 .