DPM Heng Swee Keat at the Completion of the Eastern Corridor

Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How,
East Coast GRC Grassroots Advisers Dr Maliki Osman and Ms Cheryl Chan,
Ladies and gentlemen,

A very good morning to all of you and Happy Chinese New Year! 

As we ring in the Year of the Dragon, I am happy to join you to celebrate another joyous milestone, especially for our East Coast family.

Since 2021, residents here and across Singapore have been enjoying recreational activities along parts of the Eastern Corridor, bringing them closer to nature. 

Today, I am happy that we are marking the completion of the Eastern Corridor. You can now enjoy a continuous 18-kilometre greenway that connects major parks in the east of our island.

You can walk, jog or cycle directly from Pasir Ris Park, through Bedok Reservoir Park, all the way to East Coast Park.

You can also connect to Tampines Eco Green, Sun Plaza Park and Bedok Ria Crescent Playground from here at Eastwood Park Playground. 

And along the way, enjoy the beautiful green spaces we have in East Coast!

By connecting the different parks in the East, this Eastern Corridor will also help to strengthen how we connect with nature, as well as with one another in our society.

Through the Eastern Corridor, our residents can more easily access our green spaces and develop a deeper appreciation for the environment.

As you would appreciate, a clean and green Singapore is a legacy that we have inherited from our pioneer generation including our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. 

Over the years, our people and NParks have put in great efforts to preserve and enhance the greenery in our city-state. They have made Singapore a beautiful Garden City, and a City in a Garden. 

And we are not stopping there. We continue to take this ambition forward by striving to become a City in Nature.

In 2020, NParks launched the OneMillionTrees movement, to plant a million more trees across the island between then and 2030.

So far, we have crossed the 600,000 mark and we are on track to meeting our target. In fact, we will be adding to the count later today, when we plant another 100 trees to commemorate the completion of the Eastern Corridor.

Under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, we aim for every household to be within a 10-minute walk from a park.

With the completed Eastern Corridor, many of our residents can now access our parks and other green spaces more easily.

Along this route, you can enjoy the scenic waterscapes and breeze along our waterways, including some that have been enhanced under the ABC Waters Programme by PUB.

Indeed, this is the lived experience of a City in Nature – spending time and connecting with nature, so that we can learn to better appreciate and respect the environment around us.

And many in our East Coast community are true nature enthusiasts!

I always enjoy meeting neighbours helping one another in our community gardens or joining our residents in cleaning up our beaches and waterways.

So I look forward to seeing many more residents, and others from across Singapore, making full use of this Eastern Corridor in the years to come!

Transforming Singapore into a ‘City in Nature’ requires active citizenry. So I encourage all of you to volunteer, to join the Friends of the Parks or Friends of Park Connector Network initiatives.

By doing so, you can help design our green spaces and promote their responsible use.

And for our East Coast residents, you can also join our East Coast Green Ambassadors Programme!

Since 2021, 300 residents have stepped forward to raise awareness on environmental issues in our community and help fellow residents adopt more sustainable practices and lifestyles.

We aim to grow this group to 1,000 in the next 3 years. By joining us, you can help to catalyse positive change towards a greener East Coast.

So do approach our NParks and PA staff who are here with us today.

I also mentioned earlier how enhancements like the Eastern Corridor can also help strengthen Singapore’s social connectivity.

By bringing families, friends and neighbours together, shared spaces like these help to create a more caring, green and vibrant community, here at East Coast.

Families and friends can spend time with one another along the Eastern Corridor, forging special memories across generations.

In fact, there is something for everyone along the Eastern Corridor.

You can enjoy birdwatching at Tampines Eco Green, immerse yourselves in the Therapeutic Garden at Sun Plaza Park, or engage in different sports at East Coast Park.

As recreational areas, our parks and park connectors also provide opportunities for all age groups to exercise, keep active and stay healthy.

For those of you enrolled in Healthier SG or the National Steps Challenge, I hope you make the most of the additional connectivity from the Eastern Corridor – in 18 kilometres you can cover roughly 23,000 steps!

And we are making it even easier and more comfortable for you to spend time in our parks and create special memories with your loved ones.

Back in 2022, I announced the opening of the eastern half of the Round Island Route.

Stretching over 75km, this is Singapore’s longest recreational route till date, stretching from the northeast, through the east, and ending in the south.

Today, I am pleased to share that we will further enhance the Round Island Route, starting with the Eastern section. This will make it even more accessible and memorable for residents.

NParks will improve wayfinding along the Route to enable easier navigation, as well as enhance landscaping to provide more greenery and shade for visitors.

Furthermore, NParks is planning to put in place a new cycling bridge across Changi Creek, to make it more convenient for visitors to get from Changi Point to Changi Beach Park.

Other bridges to enhance visitor experience at East Coast Park are also being studied.

To conclude, let me encourage our residents to take the time to explore and enjoy the Eastern Corridor, as well as other recreational routes and green spaces we have here in East Coast, with your family and friends.

Let us all do our part to transform Singapore into a “City in Nature”, and build a cherished home for Singaporeans today and future generations to come. Thank you!