SINGAPORE - The new $250 million Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) campus at Coney Island is now expected to be ready in 2021, instead of the originally scheduled 2020.
This is because plans to study and adjust the environmental impact on the island took "longer than expected", said OBS on Wednesday (Feb 7) at an engagement meeting with environmentalist groups at the OBS Punggol Reception Centre.
Its appointed consultant EnviroSolutions & Consulting has been examining the potential effects of the development of OBS@Coney since February 2017. The findings are being assessed by relevant agencies for approval.
Some casuarina trees on the island had been removed to protect students in case of strong winds. OBS said it wants to minimise the environmental footprint while maintaining the quality and safety of its programmes.
It is also factoring in the time taken to test its facilities more rigorously.
The new campus, together with existing premises on Pulau Ubin, will expand OBS' capacity to provide outdoor adventure training for 45,000 students every year.
In April 2016, the Ministry of Education announced a new five-day camp for Secondary 3 students to be launched in 2020. The Coney Island site was supposed to be one of the sites for the camp, which is part of the National Outdoor Adventure Education Masterplan unveiled in Budget 2016 to instil resilience in students.
