Car-Free Sunday SG will be extended into 2018, with the community playing a more active role in steering Singapore towards becoming a car-lite society. Since it was introduced in February 2016, Car-Free Sunday SG has been well-received, drawing wide participation from diverse groups. With an inclusive range of activities in areas spanning from the Civic District and the Central Business District (CBD) to Telok Ayer, joggers, cyclists, Personal Mobility Device (PMD) users, families as well as heritage enthusiasts have come together to transform our roads into vibrant spaces. Dr Christie Napa Scollon, Associate Professor of Psychology for SMU’s School of Social Sciences, participates regularly in Car-Free Sunday SG with her family. She said, “It gives people a triple boost in terms of well-being. First, it encourages physical activity which is excellent for physical and mental health. Also, Car-Free Sunday provides a space for people to have fun together, and really happiness is all about being with others. At a broader level, the initiative can also improve the health of the wider community by increasing civic engagement, reducing car emissions, and encouraging long-term interest in physical activity. Car-Free Sunday should absolutely continue!”
The community’s participation has been key to the success of Car-Free Sunday SG. Ground support has also grown stronger over time with like-minded community partners and sponsors coming forward. From Cycling Without Age and Yoga Seeds who have been with the event from early days, to Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan conducting tours at the Thian Hock Keng temple, and more recent entrants such as the bike-sharing companies, the initiative has brought on board people from all walks of life to enjoy Car-Free Sunday SG, and helped raise stronger awareness amongst the public on the benefits of a city with less cars. For example, Mr Han Jok Kwang, one of the early participants, has contributed free trishaw rides to Car-Free Sunday SG, making the event more inclusive for the less mobile and elderly. He said, “Families should bring their loved ones, including their elderly members, to enjoy the activities at the event. The elderly tends to stay indoors and lead sedentary lives. On Car-Free Sundays, we can bring them out for rides on the trishaws so they get to enjoy the city skyline and downtown sceneries which will also bring back pleasant memories for them.” The community is set to play an even more active role as Car-Free Sunday SG continues its run in 2018, with the formation of the Friends of Car-Free Sunday SG Network. Comprising community and corporate partners, this new network is formed to acknowledge and build on their contributions for Car-Free Sunday SG. It will also be a platform for more individuals as well as community and corporate groups to join the movement to create a vibrant car-lite experience for everyone to enjoy. Please refer to Annex A [PDF, 169kb] for the list of partners to date. Interested parties can show their support in two ways under the new network. They can either become a Car-Free Sunday SG programme partner by organising and running family-friendly/sports-related activities on car-free roads, or contribute through financial or in-kind sponsorships. For more information on how to join the Friends of Car-Free Sunday SG Network, please visit http://ura.sg/carfreesundaysg. Love Cycling SG, a community cycling group, has been a frequent programme partner of Car-Free Sunday SG. Co-founder Mr Woon Taiwoon said, “We have a big and varied cycling community network and they enjoy the roads closed to traffic. Car-Free Sunday SG is a unique event where we can run, walk, and jog in an environment that is usually for cars only. By closing the roads, the space freed up can be used to generate more street life, art and activities for everyone.” For Car-Free Sunday SG 2018, the public can expect more exciting partnerships and programmes with six fun-filled editions in January, March, May, July, October and December. Details are being developed and will be shared closer to each edition.
Car-Free Sunday SG will be back this Sunday, 29 October 2017 with a line-up of new activities designed for people of all ages. Dancers and health enthusiasts can look forward to the National Arts Council’s Got to Move SPOTLIGHT interactive dance carnival, which will be launched by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth. Participants can start their day with an exclusively-commissioned dance performance at the National Gallery Singapore foyer steps before embarking on an invigorating 30-minute Dance-Walk at the Civic District. They can also pick up new dance moves at various dance taster classes. There is also a variety of dance performances ranging from traditional to contemporary and interactive games at the carnival. Participants will get to discover how to incorporate and enjoy dance into their everyday lives at the Dance Info Fair.
Joining Car-Free Sunday SG for the first time, more than 100 students from the Republic Polytechnic will be running booths comprising a wide spectrum of activities suitable for everyone. Participants can test their limits while doing high intensity and strongman training or work out to the Zumba beat at the Physical Activity booths. The health-conscious can pick up nutrition and mental well-being tips over exciting interactive games at the Nutrition and Mental Health booths.
The young and the young-at-heart will be able to whisk down the Civic District, the CBD and Telok Ayer streets with their PMDs. Better yet, they can rent for free one of the many bicycles offered by Mobike, oBike and ofo. Families and friends can also catch rides on trishaws and take in the skylight views through the car-free routes. They can also catch up with friends over a hot cuppa at the cafes at the Telok Ayer Conservation Area, which will open early for Car-Free Sunday SG. The public can soak in the atmosphere at the Thian Hock Keng Temple or Singapore Yu Huang Gong while taking a leisurely stroll through the streets. For more details on the many activities lined up this Sunday, please see Annex B [PDF, 618kb] and for the road closure map and hours, please refer to Annex C [PDF, 360kb]. Members of the public are encouraged to take public transport or cycle to the venue. Please refer to Annex D [PDF, 1MB] for cycling access points to the Padang. Car-Free Sunday SG is a community initiative by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Land Transport Authority (LTA), National Parks Board (NParks), National Arts Council (NAC), Health Promotion Board (HPB), Sport Singapore (SportSG) and Singapore Land Authority (SLA), supported by a host of community and interest groups to promote the car-lite message and enliven the streets. Get updates on Car-Free Sunday SG activities and details at https://www.facebook.com/carfreesundaysg/. If you are a participant at the event, do share your photos with us. Visit http://ura.sg/carfreesundaysg to find out more about the event. #CarFreeSundaySG