News Releases

Welcome Address by Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, CEO, Urban Redevelopment Authority at the opening of the Pedestrian Bridges and Hortpark at the Southern Ridges, 10 May 2008, Saturday

Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister
Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development
Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade & Industry & Advisor to Telok Blangah GROs
Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education
Mr Sam Tan, Executive Director, CDAC & Advisor to Radin Mas GROs
Mrs Christina Ong, Chairman, National Parks Board
Mr Ng Lang, CEO, National Parks Board

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning and a very warm welcome to the Southern Ridges. Today, we are very pleased to have you join us as we celebrate the official opening of a gateway into another beautiful, green playground on our island.

For us at the Urban Redevelopment Authority, nothing is more heartening than to see our plans translate into well-loved spots for Singaporeans and visitors.

URA staged an exhibition on the Parks and Waterbodies and Identity Plan in conjunction with the 2003 Master Plan Review. It was a URA-led initiative to enhance the quality of our living environment by enhancing places and natural assets which are dear and familiar to our people. One of the areas we looked at was the Southern Ridges.

When URA shared the vision for the Southern Ridges in an exhibition in 2002 and invited feedback from the community, there was tremendous support shown for our proposal to link up the hill parks in this area. This was followed by an international competition to seek ideas for the most outstanding designs for the bridges and walkways that were to be built. The bridges were then implemented by URA in close consultation with our service partners, especially NParks. After the bridges started taking shape, the public was also invited to vote for their favourite names for these new landmarks. And finally, today, we are all gathered here as a community to witness the official opening of these bridges and HortPark – the gardening hub, yet another attraction at the Southern Ridges.

HortPark is the latest addition to NParks’ collection of thematic parks, and is Southeast Asia’s first gardening and lifestyle hub to promote gardening as a past time. HortPark was also developed hand in hand with community gardeners and industry partners.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our many partners - in government, industry and the community - for your support in helping us realise the vision for the Southern Ridges. Today, you will be able to take in the breathtaking views of our city, the harbour and the Southern Islands while enjoying a relaxing and seamless stroll amidst forests of lush greenery.

During one of my working visits here, someone said to me that this walk has made him `fall in love with Singapore again’. I do hope that you will have a wonderful walk this morning and will similarly `fall in love with Singapore’ too.

Thank you.