Bukit Batok Town Park

Last updated
Bukit Batok Town Park
Little Guilin Park, Singapore (3823573035).jpg
At Bukit Batok Town Park
Singapore location map (main island).svg
Red pog.svg
LocationBukit Batok East Avenue 5, Singapore
Nearest city Bukit Gombak
Coordinates 1°21′21″N103°45′18″E / 1.355912°N 103.754880°E / 1.355912; 103.754880
Area77 ha
Established1984
StatusOpened

Bukit Batok Town Park is a nature park located in the precinct of Guilin in the town of Bukit Batok, Singapore. The park was created from a disused granite quarry. As such, it has a resemblance to the granite rock formations in Guilin, China. Hence it is also known as Little Guilin or Xiao Guilin (Chinese :小桂林) among the Chinese.

Contents

History

Together with the neighbouring Bukit Batok Nature Park, Bukit Batok Town Park occupies 77 hectares of land in Bukit Batok planning area, which covers the subzones Bukit Gombak, Hong Kah, Brickworks and Hillview. The park was a granite quarry for extracting a form of norite called Gombak norite. The name of the area, Bukit Batok, which means "coughing hills", was derived from the sounds of quarrying activities.

The Little Guilin is located in Bukit Gombak, Singapore Littleguiling-SG.JPG
The Little Guilin is located in Bukit Gombak, Singapore

When the granite had to be extracted below sea level and could threaten the ecology of the area, the government closed down the quarries in Bukit Batok and made arrangements to purchase granite from Indonesia instead. As a result, the quarry became abandoned and rainwater filled it up over time, turning it into a mini lake. In 1984, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) wanted to fill up the quarry and build a road over it. However, after seeing that the existing quarry had rugged granite outcrops and a contrasting backdrop of green hills that gave it a pleasant look, the HDB converted the quarry into a park instead. They also beautified the surroundings and improved accessibility by placing granite blocks on the retaining walls, as well as adding footpaths, lights and seating. The park was called "Little Guilin" or "Xiao Guilin" by the locals because the granite formations resemble the mountains in Guilin in China's Guangxi Province.

In 1996, the Urban Redevelopment Authority linked the Town Park and Nature Parks via park connectors to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Sungei Pandan to enhance the residential landscape for the area around Yishun and Bukit Batok. [1]

The park is located in Bukit Gombak, at Bukit Batok East Avenue 5, and is a five-minute walk from Bukit Gombak MRT station. Besides being used for exercise and walks, the park has also been used as a stage for Chinese opera, dance and music performances. The park has also been suggested as an alternative destination for tourists wishing to see a different side of Singapore.

Urban legends in Singapore say that the park is haunted by the spirits of those who died in accidents while working at the quarry or drowned in the lake.

Construction

The 42-hectare park has two dome-shaped shelters for protection against sun or rain. [1] [2]

This park is divided in 3 parts:

The middle and right side part are located just behind the road (Bukit Batok East Ave 5). These parts are built as retaining walls for the lake. The left side part is not connected to the other parts and is accessible by the roadside. The middle and right side are connected internally by a small path and these two parts are also accessible by the roadside.

This park is a favourite spot with shutter bugs intending upon Nature Photography, Anglers fishing in the lake, picnickers and joggers. The park has been designated with the code 9V-0006 by the international Parks On The Air award program, and so is regularly 'activated' by Amateur Radio operators using portable equipment.

Bukit Gombak Trail

Part of the Little Guilin Park, the Bukit Gombak Trail was created through the national Parks Board's Adopt-A-Park Scheme with the former Sembawang-Hong Kah Community Development Council and Bukit Gombak Community Club Youth Executive committee in 1999. It was a nature walk through the park, with directional signposts located at several points. According to the National Parks Board, these lookout points offered magnificent aerial perspectives of the lake and a bird's eye view of the surrounding estate. [3] In 2007, following landslides, the National Parks Board permanently closed the trail. [4]

Getting there

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jurong</span> Commercial district and Regional centre in West Region, Singapore

Jurong is a major geographical region located at the south-westernmost point of the West Region of Singapore. Although mostly vaguely defined, the region's extent roughly covers the planning areas of Jurong East, Jurong West, Boon Lay, and Pioneer, along with Jurong Island in the Western Islands cluster and the southernmost portions of the Western Water Catchment. Should it be described at its greatest historical extent, the region can also include present-day Bukit Batok and Tuas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clementi, Singapore</span> Planning Area and HDB Town in West Region, Singapore

Clementi is a planning area and residential town located at the easternmost fringe of the West Region of Singapore. The town borders Bukit Batok to the north, Bukit Timah to the northeast, Queenstown to the east and Jurong East to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choa Chu Kang</span> Planning area and residential town in Singapore

Choa Chu Kang, alternatively spelled Chua Chu Kang and often abbreviated as CCK, is a planning area and residential town located at the north-westernmost point of the West Region of Singapore. The town shares borders with Sungei Kadut to the north, Tengah to the southwest, Bukit Batok to the southeast, Bukit Panjang to the east and the Western Water Catchment to the west. Choa Chu Kang New Town is separated into two portions by the Kranji Expressway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Timah</span> Area in Central Region, Singapore

Bukit Timah, often abbreviated as Bt Timah, is a planning area and residential estate located in the westernmost part of the Central Region of Singapore. Bukit Timah lies roughly 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the Central Business District, bordering the Central Water Catchment to the north, Bukit Panjang to the northwest, Queenstown to the south, Tanglin to the southeast, Clementi to the southwest, Novena to the east and Bukit Batok to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Batok</span> Planning Area and HDB Town in West Region ----, Singapore

Bukit Batok, often abbreviated as Bt Batok, is a planning area and matured residential town located along the eastern boundary of the West Region of Singapore. Bukit Batok statistically ranks in as the 25th largest, the 12th most populous and the 11th most densely populated planning area in the Republic. It is bordered by six other planning areas - Choa Chu Kang to the North, northeast and northwest, Cashew to the northeast and east, Clementi to the south, Bukit Timah to the southeast, Jurong East to the southwest and Tengah to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Panjang</span> Planning Area and HDB Town in West Region, Singapore

Bukit Panjang is a planning area and residential town located in the West Region of Singapore. A portion of this town is situated on a low-lying elongated hill. The planning area is bounded by Bukit Batok to the west, Choa Chu Kang to the northwest, Sungei Kadut to the north, the Central Water Catchment to the east and Bukit Timah to the south. Bukit Panjang New Town is located at the northern portion of the planning area. Bukit Panjang has an average elevation of 36m/118 ft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jurong East</span> Planning Area and Regional Centre in West Region, Singapore

Jurong East is a planning area and residential town situated in the West Region of Singapore. It borders Jurong West and Boon Lay to the west, Clementi to the east, Tengah and Bukit Batok to the north and Selat Jurong to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Gombak</span> Place in Singapore

Bukit Gombak is a subzone of Bukit Batok, Singapore. It is a hilly neighbourhood in the west-central area of the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore. In the Malay language, bukit means hill and gombak a bunch or collection of something. The neighbourhood consists of two hills. One of them stands at 133m while the other stands at 113m. They are Singapore's second and third highest natural point after Bukit Timah Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Batok MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Bukit Batok MRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the North South line in Bukit Batok, Singapore. Until the opening of the Woodlands Extension, the station was part of the Branch line. Bukit Batok station is situated within the town centre of Bukit Batok New Town, next to Bukit Batok Bus Interchange. During planning stages, the station was called "Bukit Batok South".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukit Gombak MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Bukit Gombak MRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the North South line in Bukit Batok, Singapore. Located at the junction of Bukit Batok West Avenue 5 and Bukit Batok East Avenue 5, it is the nearest MRT station to the Bukit Batok Town Park, a scenic parkland otherwise known as "Little Guilin".

Bukit, the Indonesian or Malay word for hill, may refer to:

Taman Jurong is a residential precinct in Jurong West, Singapore. It is one of the oldest residential precincts in Singapore and a division of Jurong GRC, with the area's HDB flats under the management of Jurong-Clementi Town Council and Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the area's MP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillview, Singapore</span> Place in Singapore

Hillview is located in Bukit Batok, Northwest Singapore. The neighbourhood overlooks Bukit Timah Hill, hence its name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tengah, Singapore</span> Planning Area and future HDB town in West Region ----, Singapore

Tengah is a planning area and future HDB town located within the West Region of Singapore. It is bound by Choa Chu Kang to the northeast, Jurong East and Jurong West to the south, Bukit Batok to the east and the Western Water Catchment to its west and north.

Igneous rocks are found in Bukit Timah, Woodlands, and Pulau Ubin island. Granite makes up the bulk of the igneous rock. Gabbro is also found in the area and is found in an area called Little Guilin, named for its resemblance to Guilin in South China. This area is in Bukit Gombak. Sedimentary rocks are found on the western part of Singapore, which is mainly made of sandstone and mudstones. It also includes the southwestern area. Metamorphic rocks are found in the northeastern part of Singapore, and also on Pulau Tekong, off the east coast of Singapore. The rocks are mainly made up of quartzite, and also make up the Sajahat Formation.

Bukit Gombak Single Member Constituency (SMC) was a single member constituency in the western area in Singapore. The seat consisted of Bukit Gombak New Town with is made up of Bukit Gombak MRT station and a few private housing estates such as the Hillview area. It was formed in 1988 by carving out Bukit Batok SMC.

Yuhua is a subzone region located in the town of Jurong East, Singapore. Yuhua comprises two subzones, Yuhua East and Yuhua West. The area's HDB flats are under the management of Jurong-Clementi Town Council and the people of this precinct are represented in parliament by either Grace Fu or Rahayu Mahzam, depending on where they stay.

Hong Kah is a residential precinct in Jurong West, Singapore. It is bounded by the PIE, Corporation Road, Jurong Canal Drive, Jurong East Avenue 1 and Jurong Town Hall Road. It is named after the former 'Hong Kah Village'.

Brickworks (also known as Bukit Batok West Extension) is a subzone of Bukit Batok, Singapore. It is bounded by Bukit Batok West Avenue 3/2/5 and Bukit Batok Road and is beside the upcoming New Town, Tengah. It is the latest development area in Bukit Batok.

Guilin is a subzone of Bukit Batok. It is bounded by East Avenue 2, Central, West Avenue 2/5, the north side of Bukit Gombak Sports Complex, the west and north perimeters of Town Park, the west perimeter of landed housing estates along Hillview Avenue, and Hillview Avenue.

References

  1. 1 2 "Bukit Batok Town Park". National Library Board. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Bukit Batok Town Park". National Parks Board . Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  3. ↑ "National Parks Board". National Parks Board. Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  4. ↑ "Bukit Gombak Trail closed for public safety". [AsiaOne]. Retrieved 2009-03-13.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Little Guilin at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.