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Ms Margaret Teo,
Assistant Chief Executive (Leisure) at the Singapore Tourism Board,
told journalists at the media conference that the Singapore River
can be much more. She said, “Like Orchard Road and the Marina Bay
precincts, the Singapore River has the potential to stand out as a
distinctive 24-hour entertainment lifestyle destination in
Singapore, particularly for the young and highly mobile
professionals. What we hope to achieve through the upcoming
developments is to enhance the precinct to further bring out its
unique character and charm, particularly its waterfront setting by
night.
“The plans lined up will
add to the precinct’s overall appeal and augment our international
standing as an exciting, dynamic and vibrant city and a leading
events and entertainment capital in Asia.”
The revitalisation of
the Singapore River precinct is aligned with STB’s strategic efforts
to attract 17 million visitors and S$30 billion in tourism receipts
by 2015, Ms Teo added.
Infrastructural
Enhancements
A tender for the first
phase of infrastructural works from Cavenagh Bridge to Clarke Quay
was launched today. Works are expected to commence in April 2008,
with some of the enhancements targeted for completion in time for
the 2008 FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix in September, when
the city expects a surge in activities and visitor numbers at
various precincts island-wide, including the Singapore River. The
second phase of works, from Robertson Quay to Kim Seng Bridge, is
expected to be launched in October 2008, with final completion
targeted in March 2009.
The range of
infrastructural changes planned for the Singapore River include new
ambient and programmable light fittings, street furniture such as
benches, enhanced signage and attractive storyboards that carry
information on the history and development of the quays and
essential tourist information, street directories, landscaping, as
well as new bumboat landing points and ticketing kiosks.
A key feature of the
infrastructural enhancements, the lighting plan comprises the
installation of programmable lights at the Read and Cavenagh
bridges, special lighting for four underpasses at Boat Quay, Empress
Place and Clarke Quay, under-bridge lighting for the Clemenceau,
Coleman and Elgin bridges, floating lights on the river, as well as
new street lamps and lighting of trees along the entire three-kilometre
stretch of the Singapore River. Together, these will create a
distinct nightscape and street-level experience for visitors to the
Singapore River.
The new lighting
initiatives at Singapore River are implemented from URA’s lighting
masterplan drawn up in 2006. The plan aims to enhance and emphasise
Singapore’s unique features as a tropical metropolis and garden
city, covering key districts in the city centre, including the
Singapore River. The lighting proposals for the Singapore River
centred on enhancing the water element, to accentuate the shimmering
effects of the water surface and to provide a warm and inviting
promenade ambience.
In addition, visitors
can look forward to new ways of experiencing the Singapore River’s
charm and appreciate its history and heritage with the new Singapore
River water taxi and sightseeing boat services which will be offered
by Singapore River Cruises Pte Ltd and DUCKtours Pte Ltd. Both
operators were awarded licences to operate such services from
January 2008. The operators will be phasing in new environmentally
friendly boats in accordance with the Public Utilities Board’s (PUB)
new regulations for the Marina Reservoir.
Over the next few years,
visitors to the Singapore River can also look forward to the
addition of other lifestyle elements to the area. The URA will soon
be launching the tender for the construction of a mobile floating
stage at Boat Quay. The floating stage will be able to accommodate a
range of cultural and arts performances including concerts and dance
acts.
Events To Brand
River, Various Quays
Complementing these
hardware improvements in the Singapore River’s rejuvenation plan is
the introduction of new events that will anchor each quay and the
river precinct as a whole. To this end, the STB has been working
with stakeholders of the various quays to create an annual events
calendar that is unique to the precinct.
The Singapore River
Festival, envisioned as an annual highlight, will be developed as
the signature event for the entire precinct. To be held in September
this year in conjunction with the 2008 FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore
Grand Prix and as part of the Singapore GP Season of festivities,
the inaugural Singapore River Festival will feature activities at
the various quays including a mega concert on the river with
international artistes, a river float parade, outdoor parties, arts
exhibitions and food & beverage promotions, among others. The
Singapore River Festival will span two weekends leading up to the
race, from 19 September to 28 September.
In addition, at
different times of the year, each quay will organise a new iconic
event that will mirror its own unique character and personality. For
instance, the Empress Place event will showcase the arts, heritage
and culture in keeping with the historic and cultural character of
the quay while Clarke Quay, with its focus on dining and
entertainment, will host parties, parades and a music festival.
Details will be released over the next few months.
Public and
Private Sector Partnership
The Singapore River has
witnessed a series of enhancements and changes in recent years, with
the private sector injecting millions of dollars to develop the
varied product mix along its banks. CapitaLand, which owns and
manages Clarke Quay, launched the mega entertainment hub after a
two-year S$80 million facelift in late 2006 amid much fanfare.
LifeBrandz invested S$18 million in the multi-concept “The Cannery”
within Clarke Quay, home to a wide array of international
entertainment brand names including Ministry of Sound. Frontier
Sports Limited launched the GX-5 Xtreme Swing thrill ride late last
year, to complement its other exhilarating attraction, the G-MAX
Reverse Bungy. Last year’s opening of Central, a S$500 million mixed
retail and home office development managed by Far East Organisation,
added even more retail and dining options to the precinct.
STB’s Ms Teo thanked the
various stakeholders for their partnership, and stressed that
continued private sector support and innovation is instrumental in
ensuring that the Singapore River continues to thrive, while the
public sector plays the central role of strategic planner, regulator
and facilitator to maintain a conducive business environment.
To catalyse the
development of the nightlife landscape in the city, the public
sector introduced 24-hour licensing of entertainment outlets in
selected city areas and tourist districts in October 2003. By the
scheme’s second phase in June 2004, business owners at Boat Quay and
Clarke Quay could apply for public entertainment licenses to operate
round the clock.
These enhancement plans
for Singapore River also complement other public initiatives, such
as Late Night Shopping and the rejuvenation of Orchard Road, adding
to Singapore’s international profile as a vibrant lifestyle
destination.
Please refer to Annex
A - Background on the Singapore River
Issued by
SINGAPORE TOURISM
BOARD AND
URBAN REDEVELOMENT AUTHORITY
--------------------------------------------------
Annex A
Background on
Singapore River
In the bygone days, it
was the lifeblood of early Singapore. Where trading boats plied its
waters, carrying cargo of the British Empire and calling at the
trading companies that lined both banks of the river, the Singapore
River today sees riverboats and bumboats ferrying visitors and local
residents keen to recall the bustling past and witness the throbbing
vitality of the modern lifestyle enclave.
Since the big river
clean-up in the early 1980s, the Singapore River was given a new
lease of life with the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA)
Masterplan for the river.
The Masterplan was drawn
up in 1985 to revitalise the area by retaining old buildings of
architectural merit and historical importance, developing new
buildings at a compatible scale, as well as introducing
river-oriented activities.
Bridges constructed at
strategic locations along the three-kilometre stretch of the river
served to improve connectivity across both river banks and along the
waterfront. Urban design guidelines were drawn up to create a
distinctive character for Singapore River, while outdoor refreshment
areas were introduced along the river banks. Street furniture was
carefully selected to bring out the area’s character, and
imaginative public sculptures and statues installed to add a touch
of art.
Near the river mouth
stands a number of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks including The
Fullerton Singapore (formerly the General Post Office building),
Cavenagh Bridge and Anderson Bridge. The numerous old godowns and
warehouses along the river have long since been replaced by the
mammoth container ports at Tanjong Pagar that are better equipped
for modern-day trade. But they have been refurbished and given a new
lease of life as hip dining and entertainment establishments.
The URA constructed the
first stretch of promenade at Boat Quay in 1992, artfully conserving
over a hundred shophouses which have been developed into what it is
today – a popular dining enclave and watering hole for executives of
the nearby Shenton Way financial district as well as visitors.
Across at Empress Place,
trendy restaurants and chill-out spots are situated amidst the
city’s most historic landmarks including Raffles’ Landing Site, The
Arts House (formerly the Old Parliament House), Victoria Theatre and
Concert Hall and the Asian Civilisations Museum.
The Clarke Quay
conservation area was a URA sale site in the 1980s, where low-rise
warehouses of good architectural value were conserved. Managed by
CapitaLand, the area recently completed an S$80 million makeover.
Today, Clarke Quay offers something for everyone, from history,
shopping and dining, to entertainment and nightlife. Now, the
waterfront godowns thrive as a kaleidoscopic collection of
restaurants, clubs, entertainment outlets and retail shops take
residence.
Further upstream,
Robertson Quay offers a more tranquil ambience for dining and
entertainment by the river. Its popular alfresco dining outlets,
wine bars and arts establishments complement the laid-back
atmosphere that Roberson Quay exudes.
Source:
www.ura.gov.sg News Release 29
Feb 2008
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Singapore River to undergo
enhancement works
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