East Coast Park
Encyclopedia
The East Coast Park is a beach
park
located on the southeastern coast of Singapore
. It was opened in the 1970s, when the government
completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong
which extends from Changi
to Tanjong Rhu
. It also serves various key neighborhood communities such as Tanjong Rhu, Marine Parade, Bedok and Tampines.
The 185 hectare East Coast Park is the largest park in Singapore, and is built entirely on reclaimed land with a man-made beach
, where swimming is possible. The beach is protected by breakwaters
, with no other natural features. The park is easily accessible by East Coast Park Service Road
with numerous exits along the East Coast Parkway
. The place has ample parking space with many carparks near the park. The park is also accessible via public transport in the form of bus services, available on East Coast Park Service Road. Underpasses link the park to the nearby Marine Parade
housing estate.
The park is a popular place for families and friends to relax and enjoy themselves. The park has barbecue pits, entertainment facilities, chalet
s, food and beverage, and amenities for sports activities. A cycling and inline skating
track runs along the perimeter of the park, which measures over 15 km long.
course and has 10000 square feet (929 m²) facilities within the Playground @ Big Splash complex on East Coast.
LilliPutt – meaning the little land of golf - features a creation of miniatures of well-known Singapore landmarks around an 18-hole indoor mini golf course, each of them fitted with visual animation and sound effects. These include an MRT
train that moves a distance of three metres when the golf ball enters the carriage, a ball putted through the Haw Par Villa
hole that “lights up” the eyes of the dragon, and a mini cable car that transports the golf ball to Sentosa Island where there is a musical fountain.
's plan to build a whitewater
sports stadium
at East Coast Park. Singapore's first Cable Ski Park, Ski360°, opened at the refurbished East Coast Lagoon in January 2006.
's Sea Sports Centre conducts activities such as sailing
and wind surfing. It is also known as the National Sailing Centre
, run by the Singapore Sailing Federation
.
among locals and tourists. In late 2003, the hawker centre was upgraded to give it a newer and fresher look, having new features. The braised duck rice, satay
and the Hwa Kee wanton noodles are firm favourites.
. Its initial name was known as UDMC Seafood Centre, which was later changed in 2000 to its current name. Popularized for housing several major local seafood restaurants, the seafood centre serves local favourites such as chilli crab
, black pepper crab
and mee goreng
. In 2005, the Seafood Centre was upgraded to give it a modernised look, and better facilities. Many of the features were revamped, and a number of old tenants vacated for new tenants to take their place.
As of 2007, the seafood restaurants located within the seafood centre included No Signboard Seafood, Fisherman's Village, Redhouse, Jumbo Seafood and Long Beach Seafood Restaurant.
The Seafood Centre has become a popular dining spot for tourists and locals alike, with many of the establishments being fully booked on most evenings. Given that most of the dining tables are placed outdoors, diners are able to dine while enjoying the sea breeze and sights of the numerous ships anchored in the Singapore Strait
.
s, restaurant
s, and bar
s are located. It also contains a bowling alley and a billiards
saloon.
The McDonald's
restaurant is the only one in East Coast Park and with an adjoining McCafé
features both a drive-thru and a "skate-thru" counter.
, the skate park promises to provide an avenue for both professionals and beginners alike the experience of enjoying extreme sports suited to their skill levels.
The skate park is separated into three areas:
Streetcourse
This section of the Skatepark caters to intermediate and advanced skaters and bikers, consisting of street obstacles such as stairs, handrails, ledges and gaps.
Combo Bowl
This section is built for intermediate to advanced level skaters and bikers. The layout, featuring different depths, corners, a spine and a bank wall, allows riders/skaters to traverse continuously around the sections of the bowl.
Vertical Bowl
This 3.6m area is a challenging bowl for advanced skaters/bikers, containing a channel with different corners.
is the longest and most popular fishing jetty in Singapore located in Area F of East Coast Park.
It is also frequented by cyclists, rollerbladers, joggers or park visitors.
Participants will swim in the open sea, then switch to the scenic and tropical green setting of the East Coast Park road for the cycle and run segments.
which has resulted in a higher sea level
, thus bringing the coast
further inland.
(NParks) announced that East Coast Park may see many new enhancements to its access
, circulation, activities and amenities over the next few years as outlined in the East Coast Park Concept Plan proposed by the board.
The proposals in the concept plan that would enhance accessibility
and connectivity within the park include the following:
There are also plans to develop a garden to cater to the needs of all age groups for recreation
, and a visitor centre
that would serve as a one-stop information and service centre for park users. Under the concept plan, the park will offer more recreational activities and lifestyle amenities for outdoor sports, games, leisure, and food and beverage outlets. It was proposed that weekend events and festive flea market
activities be organised to inject vibrancy into the park.
The plan will be confirmed in mid-2006 once NParks has sought the opinion of the public.
1.303956°N 103.9263725°W
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
located on the southeastern coast of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It was opened in the 1970s, when the government
Government of Singapore
The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...
completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong
Katong
Katong is a residential area in the east of Singapore near the seafront. Formerly located by the sea, land was reclaimed all the way to East Coast Park to provide more land for housing and recreational purposes due to shortage of land in the late 1960s after Singapore gained independence.Katong was...
which extends from Changi
Changi
Changi is an area at the eastern end of Singapore. It is now the site of Singapore Changi Airport/Changi Air Base, Changi Naval Base and is also home to Changi Prison, site of the former Japanese Prisoner of War Camp during World War II which held Allied prisoners captured in Singapore and Malaysia...
to Tanjong Rhu
Tanjong Rhu
Tanjong Rhu is a residential neighbourhood in Kallang in the south-eastern part of Singapore.-Etymology:Tanjong Rhu is an old place name in Singapore that appeared in de Erédia's 1604 Map of Singapore, referred as "Tanjon R"....
. It also serves various key neighborhood communities such as Tanjong Rhu, Marine Parade, Bedok and Tampines.
The 185 hectare East Coast Park is the largest park in Singapore, and is built entirely on reclaimed land with a man-made beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
, where swimming is possible. The beach is protected by breakwaters
Breakwater (structure)
Breakwaters are structures constructed on coasts as part of coastal defence or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.-Purposes of breakwaters:...
, with no other natural features. The park is easily accessible by East Coast Park Service Road
East Coast Park Service Road
East Coast Park Service Road is a road in Singapore that runs along the northern perimeter of the East Coast Park and parallel to the East Coast Parkway. It provides access from Marine Parade, Fort Road and East Coast Parkway to the park....
with numerous exits along the East Coast Parkway
East Coast Parkway
The East Coast Parkway is an expressway that runs along the southeastern coast of Singapore. The expressway is approximately in length, and connects Singapore Changi Airport in the east to the Benjamin Sheares Bridge in the south of the main island before it links with the Ayer Rajah Expressway...
. The place has ample parking space with many carparks near the park. The park is also accessible via public transport in the form of bus services, available on East Coast Park Service Road. Underpasses link the park to the nearby Marine Parade
Marine Parade
Marine Parade is a town and an urban planning area in Singapore directly to the east of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.-Location:...
housing estate.
The park is a popular place for families and friends to relax and enjoy themselves. The park has barbecue pits, entertainment facilities, chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
s, food and beverage, and amenities for sports activities. A cycling and inline skating
Inline skating
Inline skating is a recreational sport practiced widely internationally. Inline skates typically have 2 to 5 polyurethane wheels, arranged in a single line. The in-line design allows for greater speed than roller skates and better maneuverability...
track runs along the perimeter of the park, which measures over 15 km long.
Attractions
- Goldkist Beach Resort
- East Coast Seafood CentreEast Coast Seafood CentreThe East Coast Seafood Centre is a tri-block food centre in East Coast Park, Singapore, best known for co-locating several major local seafood restaurants, including Jumbo Seafood and Long Beach Seafood Restaurant. Jumbo Seafood established its first and flagship oulet at the Centre in 1987, with...
(formerly UDMC) - LilliPutt
- Marine Cove (formerly East Coast Recreation Centre)
- Regent Bowl
- Seafood International Market and Restaurant
- Seasports Centre
- Singapore Tennis Centre
- Ski360° Cable SkiCable skiing.Cable skiing is a way to water ski , where the skier's rope and handle are pulled by an electrically driven cable, whereas traditionally a waterskier is pulled by a motorboat. The mechanism consists of two cables running parallel to one another with carriers between them every 80 metres. The...
- SparkC @ Marine Parade
- Xtreme Skatepark @ East Coast
- Bedok JettyBedok JettyBedok JettyBedok Jetty is the longest fishing jetty in Singapore. It is located in of East Coast Park.It is the most popular jetty for fishing in Singapore, but it is also frequented by cyclists, rollerbladers, joggers or park visitors since it is a part of East Coast Park.-History:Bedok Jetty...
- Mana Mana Beach ClubMana Mana Beach ClubMana Mana Beach Club is a Beach club on the East Coast of Singapore. Located Along the East Coast of Singapore, it has sailing, windsurfing and kayaking equipment and place for storage of boats and windsurf equipment. It also has one indoors function room and one outdoor function area which is...
LilliPutt Indoor Mini Golf
LilliPutt Indoor Mini Golf is Singapore's first themed indoor mini golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course and has 10000 square feet (929 m²) facilities within the Playground @ Big Splash complex on East Coast.
LilliPutt – meaning the little land of golf - features a creation of miniatures of well-known Singapore landmarks around an 18-hole indoor mini golf course, each of them fitted with visual animation and sound effects. These include an MRT
Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
The Mass Rapid Transit or MRT is a rapid transit system that forms the backbone of the railway system in Singapore, spanning the entire city-state. The initial section of the MRT, between Yio Chu Kang Station and Toa Payoh Station, opened in 1987 establishing itself as the second-oldest metro...
train that moves a distance of three metres when the golf ball enters the carriage, a ball putted through the Haw Par Villa
Haw Par Villa
Haw Par Villa is a Chinese mythological theme park in Singapore, located along Pasir Panjang Road.The park contains over 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese folklore, legends, history and illustrations of various aspects of Confucianism...
hole that “lights up” the eyes of the dragon, and a mini cable car that transports the golf ball to Sentosa Island where there is a musical fountain.
Goldkist Beach Resort
This chalet resort was originally owned by Costa Sands Resort of NTUC Club, but ceased operations on 3 January 2006 when its 30-year lease expired. Island Resort took over the site and started operations from 1 March 2007. It has since renovated most of the chalets and been rebranded Goldkist Beach Resort. It has 195 single and double storey units.East Coast Lagoon
The East Coast Lagoon underwent renovation in 2005 under the Singapore Sports CouncilSingapore Sports Council
The Singapore Sports Council is a statutory board under the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports of the Singapore Government...
's plan to build a whitewater
Whitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
sports stadium
Sports Stadium
Sports Stadium was an Irish television sport programme on Raidió Teilifís Éireann . Broadcast between 1973 and 1997, it was RTÉ's flagship sports programme and one of its longest-running shows....
at East Coast Park. Singapore's first Cable Ski Park, Ski360°, opened at the refurbished East Coast Lagoon in January 2006.
East Coast Sea Sports Centre
The Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
's Sea Sports Centre conducts activities such as sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
and wind surfing. It is also known as the National Sailing Centre
National Sailing Centre
The National Sailing Centre is located at the south-eastern tip of Singapore along the East Coast Park. It occupies 2.4 hectares of land.-History:...
, run by the Singapore Sailing Federation
Singapore Sailing Federation
The Singapore Sailing Federation , also known as SingaporeSailing, is the national sports association responsible for the management and organisation of the sport of sailing in Singapore...
.
East Coast Lagoon Food Centre
The East Coast Lagoon Food Centre opened in 1977, and is a popular hawker centreHawker centre
A hawker centre or cooked food centre is the name given to open-air complexes in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Riau Islands housing many stalls that sell a variety of inexpensive food...
among locals and tourists. In late 2003, the hawker centre was upgraded to give it a newer and fresher look, having new features. The braised duck rice, satay
Satay
Satay , or sate, is a dish of marinated, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats, or tofu; the more authentic version uses skewers from the midrib of the coconut palm frond, although bamboo skewers are...
and the Hwa Kee wanton noodles are firm favourites.
East Coast Seafood Centre
The East Coast Seafood Centre was opened at the same time as the East Coast Park, with eight restaurants serving seafoodSeafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
. Its initial name was known as UDMC Seafood Centre, which was later changed in 2000 to its current name. Popularized for housing several major local seafood restaurants, the seafood centre serves local favourites such as chilli crab
Chilli crab
Chili crab is a seafood dish originating from Singapore. It was created in 1950 by Singapore chef, Cher Yam Tian with her husband, Lim Choon Ngee. The couple ran Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant on Upper East Coast Road Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and...
, black pepper crab
Black pepper crab
Black pepper crab is one of the two most popular ways that crab is served in Singapore. It is made with hard-shell crabs, and cooked in a thick gravy made with black pepper. The creation of Singapore's black pepper crab is attributed to Long Beach Seafood Restaurant in 1959...
and mee goreng
Mee Goreng
Mie goreng is a dish famous in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It is made with thin yellow noodles fried with garlic, onion or shallots, fried prawn, chicken, or beef, sliced bakso , chili, vegetables, tomatoes, egg, and acar...
. In 2005, the Seafood Centre was upgraded to give it a modernised look, and better facilities. Many of the features were revamped, and a number of old tenants vacated for new tenants to take their place.
As of 2007, the seafood restaurants located within the seafood centre included No Signboard Seafood, Fisherman's Village, Redhouse, Jumbo Seafood and Long Beach Seafood Restaurant.
The Seafood Centre has become a popular dining spot for tourists and locals alike, with many of the establishments being fully booked on most evenings. Given that most of the dining tables are placed outdoors, diners are able to dine while enjoying the sea breeze and sights of the numerous ships anchored in the Singapore Strait
Singapore Strait
The Singapore Strait is a 105-kilometer long, 16-kilometer wide strait between the Strait of Malacca in the west and the South China Sea in the east. Singapore is on the north of the channel and the Riau Islands are on the south...
.
Marine Cove
Marine Cove, formerly known as the East Coast Recreation Centre, is a building complex in East Coast Park where many caféCafé
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
s, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, and bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s are located. It also contains a bowling alley and a billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
saloon.
The McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
restaurant is the only one in East Coast Park and with an adjoining McCafé
McCafé
McCafé is a coffee-house-style food and drink chain, owned by McDonald's. Created and launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1993 by McDonald's Licensee Ann Brown, the chain reflects a consumer trend towards espresso coffees....
features both a drive-thru and a "skate-thru" counter.
Xtreme Skatepark @ East Coast
The Xtreme Skatepark @ East Coast is the first skate park in Singapore built in accordance to international competition standards, allowing extreme sports enthusiasts within Singapore, and from around the region, the opportunity to display their skills. Jointly developed by both National Parks board and the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS)Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports is a ministry of the Government of Singapore tasked with, from the government's point of view, building a "cohesive and resilient" society in Singapore.The MCYS often pursues vigorous social engineering campaigns of varying effectiveness and...
, the skate park promises to provide an avenue for both professionals and beginners alike the experience of enjoying extreme sports suited to their skill levels.
The skate park is separated into three areas:
Streetcourse
This section of the Skatepark caters to intermediate and advanced skaters and bikers, consisting of street obstacles such as stairs, handrails, ledges and gaps.
Combo Bowl
This section is built for intermediate to advanced level skaters and bikers. The layout, featuring different depths, corners, a spine and a bank wall, allows riders/skaters to traverse continuously around the sections of the bowl.
Vertical Bowl
This 3.6m area is a challenging bowl for advanced skaters/bikers, containing a channel with different corners.
Bedok Jetty
Bedok JettyBedok Jetty
Bedok JettyBedok Jetty is the longest fishing jetty in Singapore. It is located in of East Coast Park.It is the most popular jetty for fishing in Singapore, but it is also frequented by cyclists, rollerbladers, joggers or park visitors since it is a part of East Coast Park.-History:Bedok Jetty...
is the longest and most popular fishing jetty in Singapore located in Area F of East Coast Park.
It is also frequented by cyclists, rollerbladers, joggers or park visitors.
Sport
Triathlons would be held in East Coast Park. The distance and area covered is still unconfirmed by the ministry.Location
Less than one-kilometre away from the National Sailing Centre on the south-eastern part of Singapore, the venue for triathlon is situated along the East Coast Park, Singapore’s largest and most popular public beach and park. The area offers a wide range of facilities – food, recreation, entertainment and sports.Other Competitions held here
East Coast Park has been the location for the Osim Singapore Triathlon, an international Olympic-distance triathlon event that has grown steadily from 500 participants in 2002 to 3,800 participants in 2007.Participants will swim in the open sea, then switch to the scenic and tropical green setting of the East Coast Park road for the cycle and run segments.
Soil erosion
On 5 March 2006, it was reported in the media that certain parts of the park are experiencing soil erosion which caused certain beachfront areas to collapse. One of the reasons that the authorities attributed to was global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
which has resulted in a higher sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, thus bringing the coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
further inland.
East Coast Park Concept Plan
In November 2005, National Parks BoardNational Parks Board
The National Parks Board is a statutory board of the Singapore Government.The National Parks Board is responsible for providing and enhancing the greenery of Singapore. NParks manages around 300 parks, the park connector network and the roadside greenery in Singapore...
(NParks) announced that East Coast Park may see many new enhancements to its access
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
, circulation, activities and amenities over the next few years as outlined in the East Coast Park Concept Plan proposed by the board.
The proposals in the concept plan that would enhance accessibility
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
and connectivity within the park include the following:
- Development of a PedestrianPedestrianA pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
GardenGardenA garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
Link - Enhancement of the entrances of existing underpasses
- Conversion of existing carparks into bermBermA berm is a level space, shelf, or raised barrier separating two areas. Berm originates in the Middle Dutch and German berme and came into usage in English via French.- History :...
ed carparks - Introduction of a People Mover SystemPeople moverA people mover or automated people mover is a fully automated, grade-separated mass transit system.The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks, but is sometimes applied to considerably more complex automated...
within the park
There are also plans to develop a garden to cater to the needs of all age groups for recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
, and a visitor centre
Visitor center
A visitor center or centre , visitor information center, tourist information center, is a physical location that provides tourist information to the visitors who tour the place or area locally...
that would serve as a one-stop information and service centre for park users. Under the concept plan, the park will offer more recreational activities and lifestyle amenities for outdoor sports, games, leisure, and food and beverage outlets. It was proposed that weekend events and festive flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
activities be organised to inject vibrancy into the park.
The plan will be confirmed in mid-2006 once NParks has sought the opinion of the public.
External links
1.303956°N 103.9263725°W