Minister of State for National Development Lee Yi Shyan, speaking in Parliament at the Committee of Supply debate today, highlighted a series of ongoing and upcoming projects to make Singaporean neighbourhoods more livable, from “green” iniatives to installing lifts in all multi-storey car parks.
“There’s been a conscious effort to locate facilities nearer to HDB residents to lower transport costs, minimise inconvenience,” said Mr Lee.
The Minister of State said that the Lift Upgrading Programme is on track to be completed by 2014, at a cost of S$5.5 billion, with the Government funding up to 90 per cent of the price tag.
On the issue of parking space in Singapore’s dense neighbourhoods, Mr Lee said the MND is doing “whatever is practical” to increase parking, including multi-storey or podium car parks.
“We will also explore with LTA the possibility of using space under MRT tracks for heavy vehicle parking,” he said in response to a query by MP Ang Hin Kee.
Mr Lee also announced that HDB will roll out a S$120-million lift installation programme for all existing Multi-Storey Car Parks without lifts. While all HDB MSCPs built from 2007 have been fitted with lifts, more than three-quarters of MSCPs - 548 out of the 740 in Singapore - are currently without lifts. This programme will be completed by 2016.
On the HDB’s green initiatives, Mr Lee said the agency plans to roll out pilot projects under the “Greenprint ” concept, in which HDB will “green” a neighbourhood in Jurong East with water and energy-saving solutions, as well as a Pneumatic Refuse Collection System. It will also pilot a Green Home Package, where residents can choose the types of energy-saving appliances to green their homes.
Under the project, HDB will enhance cycling, pedestrian network, complemented with secured bicycle parking facilities.
“From the pilot’s findings, HDB will then refine the Greenprint model for possible rollout to other HDB towns,” said Mr Lee.
He also expanded on the “City in the Garden” concept, which includes the Gardens by the Bay due to open in June and the Round Island Route of connectors announced last week by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.
“Our aim is to develop an urban landscape with pervasive greenery, where our parks, gardens and green spaces are linked up to form large tracts of greenery. We want to transform from a garden city to a City in a Garden. What this means is that instead of having a garden just outside our homes, we will have the entire city nestled within a garden,” he said.
“We want to bring biodiversity back to the heart of the city so that daily encounters with nature become a way of life.”
Wrapping up his speech, Mr Lee noted that “even as we seek to position Singapore as a Global City, it is important to think about what makes Singapore a special place”.
He said: “Our skyscrapers may awe us, our greenery may soothe us, but it is the time we spend with our family and friends, the helping hand we extend to our neighbours and the common memories we create and share together that will render this place special, and a place we call home.”
