Admiralty Park offers wild rides on 26 slides

Revamped facility features S'pore's longest outdoor slide, tallest tube slide in public park

A young visitor trying out Singapore's longest and tallest tube slide in a public park. National Parks Board said it made use of the area's undulating terrain to come up with unique designs.
A young visitor trying out Singapore's longest and tallest tube slide in a public park. National Parks Board said it made use of the area's undulating terrain to come up with unique designs. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The newly opened Admiralty Park features 26 different slides at three new play areas - the Adventure, Family and Junior Areas. PHOTO: NPARKS
The newly opened Admiralty Park has 26 new slides at three new play areas - the Adventure, Family and Junior Areas. ST PHOTO: JONATHAN CHOO
The newly opened Admiralty Park has 26 new slides at three new play areas - the Adventure, Family and Junior Areas. ST PHOTO: JONATHAN CHOO
The newly opened Admiralty Park has 26 new slides at three new play areas - the Adventure, Family and Junior Areas. ST PHOTO: JONATHAN CHOO
The newly opened Admiralty Park has 26 new slides at three new play areas - the Adventure, Family and Junior Areas. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

A burst of colour erupted as children whizzed down the 32m-long High Adventure Roller Slide at Admiralty Park yesterday.

The slide is lined on both sides with bright motion-sensor LED lights, which will illuminate it from 7pm to 11pm daily.

It is one of 26 slides at the park, which reopened yesterday after a two-year facelift.

The park is home to Singapore's longest and tallest tube slide in a public park, at 23m long and 9m high.

Children - and adults - can also check out Singapore's longest outdoor slide in a public park, at 34m in length.

"There are slides for all ages, so all of you can try them out," said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong yesterday to a crowd of park visitors, following which he, too, tried some of the slides.

Admiralty Park is along Riverside Road and, at 27ha, is billed as the biggest park in northern Singapore.

It was closed in 2015 for the revamp. Its 7ha "urban area" cost $13.5 million to develop.

  • 34m Length of the Curved Roller Slide, Singapore's longest outdoor slide in a public park.

    $13.5m Cost of park's 7ha urban area.

    80% Percentage of Singapore residents who live within a 10-minute walk of a park.

In December, a 20ha "nature area" will be opened, said Mr Wong, who is also Second Minister for Finance. The nature area will feature a new viewing platform and mangrove boardwalk.

Mr Wong said Singapore now has an extensive network of green spaces.

"Eighty per cent of our residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park," he said. "We will increase the percentage to 90 per cent."

Admiralty Park's design was a result of the 4,000 suggestions that the National Parks Board (NParks) received from the public.

Many residents had asked for more spaces for families, but also wanted the natural greenery of the park to be retained.

NParks said it made use of the undulating terrain of the area to come up with unique designs.

Apart from the slides, there is a wheelchair swing and merry-go-round that children with disabilities can play on.

Housewife Shanthi Bala, 36, guided her 14-year-old son Parath Bala, who has epilepsy, onto the wheelchair swing.

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"Swings like this are very fun for him, and he clapped a lot when he was on it. It's easy and not too heavy for me to swing it either," she said.

Republic Polytechnic lecturer Shige Kudo, 43, was there with his wife, three-year-old daughter and six-year-old son.

He liked how the facilities cater to people with disabilities.

"It's good that children with or without disabilities can play together," he said.

NParks' annual Parks Festival also kicked off yesterday.

Visitors to several parks, including Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Pasir Ris Park, Esplanade Park and Jurong Central Park, can enjoy free activities like music performances, Zumba classes and art workshops.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on October 29, 2017, with the headline Admiralty Park offers wild rides on 26 slides. Subscribe