Work to enhance stormwater collection pond in Bukit Panjang starts

An artist's impression of how the Pang Sua Pond in Bukit Panjang will look. -- PHOTO: PUB 
An artist's impression of how the Pang Sua Pond in Bukit Panjang will look. -- PHOTO: PUB 
An artist's impression of how the Pang Sua Pond in Bukit Panjang will look. -- PHOTO: PUB 
An artist's impression of how the Pang Sua Pond in Bukit Panjang will look. -- PHOTO: PUB 
An artist's impression of how the Pang Sua Pond in Bukit Panjang will look. -- PHOTO: PUB 

SINGAPORE - Work has begun on enhancements for Pang Sua Pond in Bukit Panjang, one of the 16 stormwater collection ponds here, with a groundbreaking ceremony at Senja-Cashew Community Club on Sunday morning.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan, an adviser for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said after the event: "Every pond, every waterway in Singapore is a potential community feature, and we'll work with local communities to generate ideas so that there'll be facilities which families can use."

The project is expected to be completed in mid-2016, and will add to the pond boardwalks, lookout decks and a multipurpose stage on the water itself.

Plants grown in one of the main canals that feeds into the pond will also be tested as a means of improving the quality of water flowing into the canal from surrounding areas during dry weather.

This is one of 15 projects under national water agency PUB's Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters Programme which will be implemented over the next five years. The scheme was launched in 2006 to transform Singapore's water bodies beyond their functional purpose into clean water features.

Bukit Panjang resident Shirley Yeo, 68, a billing assistant, said she was looking forward to enjoying the new boardwalk.

She leads a group of a hundred people for brisk walks on Friday nights and Saturday mornings. "I can bring them there to walk. The scenery is very nice and it's cooling," she said.

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