For Geylang Bahru residents, sighting otters in the Kallang River is par for the course. But on a Sunday morning in July, residents were greeted by a somewhat less familiar sight - more than 30 members of the public paddling on the river in bright red kayaks.
Many were in the river for the first time. They had signed up for the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) public engagement on its upcoming Draft Master Plan 2025. Each masterplan, reviewed once every five years, guides development for the next 10 to 15 years.
A far cry from a typical focus group discussion, the kayaking expedition gave participants a firsthand look at the area for which their views on public spaces and recreational options were being sought.
Participants, aged 12 and up, were from all walks of life, with teenagers, groups of friends and a middle-aged couple among those who showed up on July 21. No prior kayaking experience was required, and life vests were provided.
They paddled about 3km from the Kolam Ayer Kayak Shed in Geylang Bahru to PAssion Wave@Marina Bay in Marina East.
Mr Nicholas Li, URA's director of urban design for Singapore's east, said: "Even for us as planners and urban designers, how we feel about a place totally changes when we go down to observe people over the day at different times of the day, and how they use spaces.
"It is important that the participants also get to experience it this way rather than meeting them straight away in a closed room." The kayakers could be invited back to focus group discussions on the corridor that are slated for November.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 18, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 18, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Mbappe could be stripped of captaincy
PARIS France captain Kylian Mbappe is facing criticism in his home country for skipping Les Bleus' Nations League games against Israel and Belgium while being available to play for his club Real Madrid.
STEWING OVER 'WORST' DEFEAT
Spurs boss slams unacceptable second half’ at Brighton, conceding thrice in 18 minutes
CHRISTIAN IS ROOKIE CHAMP
S’pore driver heads to Eurocup-3’s final round with chance of being overall winner
TENNIS STARS PICK 'SECOND FAMILY'
New coaching partnerships help top players refresh, improve their games
Scepticism over Chinese stocks remains despite world-beating rally
Global fund managers waiting for Beijing to back up stimulus pledges with real money
US scientists win Nobel Prize in medicine for work on microRNA
Duo lauded for discovering new principle of gene regulation for multicellular organisms
Hurricane Milton strengthening as it heads towards Florida
FLORIDA Hurricane Milton is intensifying on its path towards Florida possibly reaching Category 4 power and may spark the largest evacuation in seven years as it aims for the state's Gulf Coast and Tampa.
Trump on the stump, Harris hits airwaves with race on razor's edge
US presidential candidates scramble for votes in 7 swing states vital to poll victory
China military drills expected soon after Taiwan national day
China is likely to launch military drills this week near Taiwan, using Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's upcoming national day speech as a pretext to pressure the island to accept its sovereignty claims, Taiwanese officials say.
Gaza war deadliest conflict for journalists: Observers
Israel refutes claim by advocacy group that it directly targeted 32 media workers