SINGAPORE: Sengkang residents will get a number of new community spaces and enhanced features in their town, including a dog run, butterfly sanctuary and a rooftop garden as part of a new five-year master plan launched by the Sengkang Town Council.

Members of Parliament for Sengkang GRC He Ting Ru, Louis Chua and Jamus Lim announced details of the plan at the Sengkang Sculpture Park in Compassvale on Saturday (Apr 5). 

Construction for some of these projects is already underway, including the dog run at Rivervale Shores, which is expected to be completed this year. 

The Workers' Party MPs said the concept for the dog run originated from a group of pet owners who submitted a proposal to Mr Chua, after which the town council conducted a survey to gauge support for the initiative. 

Out of 271 responses, 72 per cent of residents expressed support for the initiative, including a significant proportion of non-dog owners. 

“There are always trade-offs involved, and we wanted to make sure that it’s not just us deciding what is best for residents, but for residents themselves to share with us their feedback,” he said of the decision to conduct the survey.

To mitigate concerns on noise and cleanliness raised by non-dog owners, the dog run will operate within designated hours, and a regular maintenance schedule will be implemented to ensure the facility remains clean and well-maintained.

In addition, the MPs announced that the Sengkang Sculpture Park will be rejuvenated in line with the town’s heritage as a fishing village.  

The park will feature kelong-style pavilions, a waterscape and sailboat feature, as well as a landscaped garden and coral reef sculpture. Ms He said that young Sengkang residents aged 18 to 30 will be invited to apply to join a “steering committee” which will shape the area’s design. 

Over at Anchorvale, residents will see the transformation of the rooftop of a multi-purpose hall into a butterfly sanctuary and hydroponic garden where residents will be able to cultivate their own leafy greens, herbs and other produce. 

A new edible rooftop in Buangkok, which will serve as a community hub as well as an area for residents to grow their own produce, will also be introduced.

Apart from new spaces, the Sengkang MPs said town improvement projects like repair and redecoration works are also underway. 

Assoc Prof Lim said that about 50 per cent of the estate has undergone such works, and the remainder will be done in the next several years.

For instance, 685 lifts across the town will undergo either a lift modernisation programme or total lift replacement. 

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

In the 2024 financial year, Sengkang Town Council submitted 248 projects for funding from the Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) – the most of any town in Singapore.

The types of CIPC projects include basic infrastructural facilities, recreational facilities and communal amenities in Housing and Development Board housing estates, such as playgrounds, fitness corners and covered linkways.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann said during the Committee of Supply debate last month that the CIPC could only support 47 of Sengkang’s higher-ranked projects, amounting to S$4.5 million, due to funding constraints. 

In response to questions from the media on what some of these projects entailed, Assoc Prof Lim said there was a diverse range. 

He added that some approved projects, such as the building of a simple pathway, may seem like “ordinary, humdrum projects” but are a result of “overwhelming” feedback from residents. 

“We submit a list of projects that we hope to be able to be realised, but in the end, the feedback from the Ministry of National Development is that we will have to share the national budget for these projects,” said Assoc Prof Lim.

“We are happy that we are able to get our share and that these were allocated to our projects.”

The three MPs declined to comment on reporters’ questions about whether they would contest in Sengkang GRC in the coming General Election.

A potential new face for the Workers’ Party, Mr Abdul Muhaimin, was present at Saturday's event. He is touted as the replacement for former MP Raeesah Khan, who resigned from the party after admitting to lying in parliament.