Nature lovers, you can now have your quiet evening stroll at two new therapeutic gardens in Pasir Ris Park and Bedok Reservoir Park. These new gardens are the first of the kind to be built in the east of Singapore. With the addition of two new parks, Singapore now has a total of nine therapeutic gardens across the country.
According to the National Parks Board, these therapeutic gardens are designed to encourage the public’s interaction with nature and thus improve their well-being. With evidence-based design principles in mind, the locations of these gardens are selected based on its proximity to care centres, ease of accessibility and having an emphasis on interesting features such as the sea view. NParks hopes to establish 30 therapeutic gardens across Singapore by 2030.
Therapeutic garden at Pasir Ris Park
The garden at Pasir Ris Park is built near the sea, offering visitors a view of Singapore’s kelongs. Stroll around the therapeutic garden and take in the scenic coastal views. Expect a fitness area with playing elements such as a xylophone, a balance beam and a slider, and a swale that runs through the garden. The swale is the park’s nature-based solution that functions as a naturalized drainage system. This is Singapore’s way of addressing the rise in sea level and inland flooding due to climate change. Other design elements include wooden benches made from recycled wood, a labyrinth lawn, and different planting zones. National Parks will also be partnering with eldercare centers and senior activity centers to conduct therapeutic hormone programmes.
Therapeutic garden at Bedok Reservoir Park
Meanwhile, the garden at Bedok Reservoir Park overlooks the reservoir and boasts elements such as an interactive rock feature that aims to instil mindfulness through rock balancing therapy. The amenity is the first to be built over a former sand quarry. The garden also serves as an intergenerational fitness center where seniors can have their physiotherapy sessions outdoors.
National Park hopes the gardens provide an avenue to help people with their mental resilience during the pandemic. It carried out four evidence-based studies and found that urban nature has a positive impact on the health and well-being of people. With these insights, National Parks hope to enhance the design of green spaces and therapeutic hormone programmes.
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