Re-Imagining the Rail Corridor
Re-imagining The Rail Corridor is envisioned as a series of events dedicated to enhancing the public awareness and understanding of the tract of KTM railway land recently returned to Singapore. The events comprise of an exhibition, a design workshop and a public forum, intended to explore, encourage and develop creative ideas for incorporation into the future of the Rail Corridor.
The events revolve around six key themes: Ecology, Heritage, Recreation, Transport, Education and Community Gardening. Through these themes, it hopes to shape our understanding of and give insight to a rare piece of our cultural and natural heritage amidst our urban landscape, and to spark interest in the protection and preservation of this heritage as an extension of our national identity.
Exhibition
Date: 3 Oct – 2 Dec 2011
Time: Mondays to Fridays, 8.30am to 7pm / Saturdays: 8.30am to 5pm / Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays
Venue: Atrium, URA Centre, 45 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069118
The exhibition will showcase some early ideas from students and design professionals for what the future of the Rail Corridor could become, in a bid to anchor Singaporeans with a stake in their surroundings and to build-up engagement with the public in jointly designing the spaces around us.
Design Workshop
Date: 8 Oct 2011, 9am – 6pm
Venue: 4th storey seminar room, URA Centre, 45 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069118
The 1-day design workshop seeks to foster the imagination of students, designers and interested members of the public of what the future of the Rail Corridor could become.
There will also be a public critique session at the end of the workshop for a larger public audience to actively engage the workshop participants in the ideas put forward.
Pls pre-register for this design workshop either as a Workshop Participant or as a Workshop Public Critique Participant below.
Workshop Participants (9am – 6pm)
Open for registration below. Limited seats.
*Participants should be preferably available for a site recce and briefing on Sat 1 Oct at 9am.
[Registration closed]
.
Workshop Public Critique Segment (4.30 – 6pm)
Open for registration below. Limited seats.
*No need to register for this public critique segment if you have already registered for the workshop above.
[Registration closed]
Paradise once lost, can’t be regained
By Paul Gilfeather, Today, 7 Sep 2011.
While major cities around the world search for the money and means to establish quality green spaces for its population, Singapore appears to have hit the jackpot with the closure of the Malaysian railway line.
As the last train pulled out of Tanjong Pagar Station in July there was an outpouring of sadness as Singaporeans young and old turned out to mark the end of another chapter in the country’s history.
Now, as the planners and politicians fix their sights on the future of the now-defunct track, the environmental lobby has stolen a march by unveiling their “green corridor” concept. The genius and beauty of the proposal is in its simplicity. The plan is to do absolutely nothing to the stretch of natural beauty and I can’t help but feel excited at the prospect.
Source: Today
Part of Jurong Line in master plan
By Esther Ng, Today, 3 Sep 2011.
It might not be as well known as the main line but a 2.5km stretch of the old Jurong Line – which passes through the steel bridge over Ulu Pandan Canal – will be included in the conceptual master planning of the rail corridor, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has told Today.
The URA explained that parts of the Jurong Line have been committed to, or are undergoing development work. For instance, the installation of new roads at the International Business Park and the Faber residential estate will improve traffic and “facilitate future developments”, said a URA spokesperson.
“The former Jurong Line is not part of the main line from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands and has been abandoned for many years. In some places, the rail line has been turfed over or is in a severe state of disrepair,” the spokesperson added.
Source: Today
Old Bukit Timah Railway Station to be opened to public
By Esther Ng, Today, 3 Sep 2011.
Allaying concerns that the removal of the KTM railway tracks would damage the flora and fauna, Law Minister K Shanmugam yesterday invited nature groups and the media to view a stretch of the tracks and the old Bukit Timah Railway Station, which will be opened to the public on Sept 16.
Mr Shanmugam said: “I’ve been assured, in this area, that none of the trees have been taken down. (There is) very little damage to the vegetation … I think people can see for themselves.”
The 1.4km stretch to be re-opened starts southwards from the steel bridge along Bukit Timah Road and runs past the old station, which will be conserved.
Source: Today
Part of KTM railway land to be reopened
By Grace Chua, The Straits Times, 3 Sep 2011.
Those who flocked to Bukit Timah railway station in the wake of the closure of the Tanjong Pagar station can do so again from Sept 16.
A 1.4km stretch in Bukit Timah of the former Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway land is the first section to have rail-removal works completed and will be reopened to the public.
But the tracks and equipment at the Bukit Timah railway station and the black steel bridge across Bukit Timah Road have been retained.
The 26km tract from Woodlands to Tanjong Pagar reverted to Singapore in July, and as agreed with Malaysia, most tracks and other structures are being removed and returned by Dec 31. The stretch is also being turfed over.
Source: The Straits Times via Wildsingapore
Bukit Timah Railway Station open to public from Sept 16
By Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia, 2 Sep 2011.
The old Bukit Timah Railway Station and surrounding railway land will be open to the public in two weeks.
Announcing this on Friday, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said the station and railway land extending 1.4km southwards from the steel bridge along Bukit Timah Road will be open from September 16.
The SLA said other portions of the railway land will also be progressively open after removal works are completed.
Source: Channel NewsAsia
