SINGAPORE - A new steering committee, headed by Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong is formed to "drive and coordinate the plans and development of Jurong Lake District," said Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Sunday morning.

Members will consider "the options, ideas, feedback and possibilities" before plans are finalised. "The new Jurong Lake Gardens will not be developed in rush," he added.

"We will take care that it retains its special character. It will be completed in phases over several years."

Among others, members of the new committee include Senior Minister of State for Finance Josephine Teo; Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee; Nature Society president Shawn Lum; Centre of Liveable Cities executive director Khoo Teng Chye and Taman Jurong Citizen's Consultative Committee chairman Goh Peng Tong.

Transformation will start with the completion of Jurong Lake Destination Park on the western shore of the lake in 2017.

The challenge is to retain the natural feel and history of the place, and yet inject life into it, Mr Tharman added.

Mr Wong said: "There is a lot to do. For the immediate part, our focus is on the lake and the gardens because that is something we can start work on."

Ideas for the redevelopment can be submitted to the National Parks Board early next year.

Besides the new steering committee, Jurong also has another water venture committee (Jurong Lake), led by citizen's consultative committee, to help generate eco-themed activities.

Mr Tharman, who is also the Finance Minister and Jurong GRC MP, was speaking at a grassroots event where he joined some 700 young families and residents to clean up Jurong Lake.