New community urban farm with a social mission at West Coast Park
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City Sprouts @ West Coast features 33 greenhouse lots for horticulture and nature-related activities and 41 gardening plots for the community to rent.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
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SINGAPORE – Gardening and nature lovers in the west have a new attraction to visit to hone their green fingers – a 5,000 sq m urban farm lined with greenhouses at West Coast Park.
City Sprouts @ West Coast, a venture between the National Parks Board (NParks) and social enterprise City Sprouts, features 33 greenhouse lots for horticulture and nature-related activities and 41 gardening plots for the community to rent. It also has play areas for children and a cafe that highlights produce grown in the gardens.
The community urban farm at Area 2 of West Coast Park, near Carpark 2, is the first of its kind in a park formed in collaboration with a social enterprise, said NParks at the attraction’s opening on June 1.
About two-thirds the size of a football field, the farm came about after City Sprouts was awarded a grant under NParks’ Social Enterprise Community Urban Farm (Secuf) scheme introduced in 2021.
NParks has just released a Secuf tender for a second community urban farm to be built at Pasir Ris Park.
City Sprouts’ social mission has been to turn underutilised spaces in Singapore into community farms, while reaching out to seniors, at-risk youth and people with special needs through sustainability projects. This will also be a priority at the new West Coast farm, with the help of community partners, said the social enterprise’s founder Zac Toh.
For one thing, the urban farm will offer micro-employment opportunities for residents. City Sprouts will work with Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities to provide horticulture-related vocational training to people with autism at one of the greenhouses. After completing the course, the trainees can work in farms across Singapore.
City Sprouts programme coordinator Lee Rui Tong conducting a therapeutic horticulture workshop for seniors from Lions Befrienders.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
The cafe will partner social organisations to display artwork by low-income women, children with special needs and former convicts.
About 30 to 40 per cent of the greenhouse and outdoor gardening plots, each measuring 2.5m by 1m, can be rented for an annual fee of $240 and $210 respectively. Those interested can visit go.gov.sg/citysproutsatwestcoast
Civil servant Dan Umar watering his plants in a greenhouse plot he rents and shares with a friend at City Sprouts @ West Coast.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Separately, NParks will release 194 allotment gardening plots for balloting from June 3 to 16. These plots are found in existing allotment gardens at places including Aljunied Park, Choa Chu Kang Park and Pasir Ris Park.
To date, more than 2,400 allotment plots have been introduced in 28 parks and gardens across Singapore, and which get oversubscribed during balloting.
Speaking at the opening of City Sprouts @ West Coast on June 1, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said West Coast Park will be enhanced into what is called a Destination Park, with themes and unique features to attract visitors from all over Singapore.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee (second from right) touring one of the greenhouse plots at City Sprouts @ West Coast.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
East Coast Park and Lakeside Garden are existing Destination Parks.
“West Coast Park will serve as the western gateway for the Greater Southern Waterfront,” said Mr Lee.
“And we intend to connect all 13 parks in the south-west of Singapore, through a series of paths and trails... all the way from Labrador Nature Park to Jurong Lake Gardens.”
