Come 2012, Singaporeans will have one more new leisure destination to enjoy along the southern waterfront, with the completion of URA’s Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk. For the first time, the walk will open up currently inaccessible mangrove areas and coastal areas at Bukit Chermin, offering a wonderful mix of hills, mangroves and coastlines all in a day.

The 2.1 km Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk is an extension of URA’s award-winning Southern Ridges, linking from Alexandra Road to the waterfront at Bukit Chermin, bringing together nearby attractions, parks and nature areas along the way. The walk is a new gem in Singapore’s leisure offerings, giving Singaporeans a rare experience with nature away from the bustle of the city.

Imagine strolling or cycling through lush greenery along hilly paths, coming up close to one of the last few remaining mangroves in the south, meandering off for coffee at Gillman Village or visiting the latest attractions at the HortPark, and rejoining the walk again to emerge onto a stunning boardwalk, with breathtaking views on all sides. This is what the URA planners have envisaged, as first shared in the 2002 URA Parks and Waterbodies Plan that sought to enhance Singapore’s green spaces and waterbodies.

Work on this three-part themed Coastal Walk started in July 2010 and is expected to be completed by 2012. The first part - the Alexandra Road Garden Trail, spans the eastern bank of Alexandra Road between Depot Road and Telok Blangah Road. Beyond the footpaths and cycling paths set amidst mature trees and rich landscaping, this stretch will also have an elevated open pavilion that doubles up as a rest shelter and a look-out to scenic views of the Forest Walk within the Southern Ridges and Gillman Village. This Garden Trail also connects to other key attractions in the area like the Alexandra Arch and the HortPark.

The second stretch of the Coastal Walk - the Berlayer Creek Mangrove Trail, allows visitors to experience one of the last few remaining mangrove areas in Singapore and the rich biodiversity of the creek. The Mangrove Trail has been planned with the public transit commuter in mind. Its Entrance Plaza will be integrated with the future Labrador MRT station. The Entrance Plaza will serve as a rest shelter and multi-functional space for exhibitions, talks and other educational activities related to the mangrove area. The roof deck of the plaza, accessible via a ramp, enables visitors to savour an unusual ‘tree-top’ view of the Berlayer Creek. Visitors along the trail will be able to better appreciate the flora and fauna in the area with information storyboards located at key points.

The final stretch of the Coastal Walk - the Bukit Chermin Harbour View Walk, is an elevated boardwalk that brings visitors all the way out to sea. It skirts the foothill of Bukit Chermin, connects to Labrador Park westwards and to the future public promenade at the Reflections at Keppel Bay eastwards. Visitors will be able to pause at various rest points to soak up the beautiful waterfront views of Keppel Harbour and Sentosa, particularly during the sunset hours.

This walk is an addition to the many URA infrastructural projects like the Changi coastal boardwalk and Woodlands waterfront promenade that offer more unique and diverse leisure options for Singaporeans to enjoy. Watch this space for more updates on this new latest leisure playground at the southern waterfront!

Labrador Villa Road

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