Redeveloped Marine Cove offers more open spaces with vistas of the sea

 Improved connectivity, outdoor children’s playground and family-friendly dining options for visitors

24 June 2016 — Visitors to East Coast Park can look forward to more open spaces with vistas of the sea, improved connectivity, family-friendly amenities and dining options at the redeveloped Marine Cove. These are part of efforts by the National Parks Board (NParks) to enhance visitors’ experience at Singapore’s most popular park and enliven green spaces in our City in a Garden.

Mr Kong Yit San, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Park Management and Lifestyle Cluster, NParks, said, “With more than 7.5 million visits annually, East Coast Park is Singapore's most popular park, catering to the diverse needs of users. There are quiet corners, as well as lawn areas where families and friends can play together. The enhancement projects over the next two years are part of NParks’ efforts to create more open spaces with vistas of the sea, upgrade amenities, and improve accessibility and connectivity within the park.”

Enhanced view and improved connectivity

The redevelopment of Marine Cove, which started in 2014, is part of a phased overall masterplan to redistribute park facilities and meet the recreational needs of park visitors. The upgraded Marine Cove, which is about 21,500sqm, was developed based on a family and lifestyle concept with a focus on providing recreation for families.

East Coast Park is known for its distinct coastal identity that has endeared it to its users. To complement its beach setting, NParks has created more open spaces and vistas at Marine Cove to provide visitors with a clear view of the sea. Park users can look forward to soaking in the beach view while enjoying the facilities and dining in the area.

In addition, the redeveloped Marine Cove boasts a well-connected network of footpaths that provides park users dining at the F&B establishments with better connections to the children’s playground and rest of the park.  The footpaths are also designed to be wheelchair-friendly and accessible for parents with baby strollers.

To increase accessibility, a new linkway has been built to connect the dining outlets with the nearby underpass to Marine Terrace. The two car parks at Marine Cove, C2 and C3, have also been reconfigured and the number of parking lots increased to better serve park users who drive to East Coast Park.

Family-friendly amenities and outdoor children’s playground

NParks has introduced more family-friendly facilities at Marine Cove. This includes a new standalone public toilet facility which incorporates toilets, sinks and shower facilities tailored to young children.

One of the highlights is a 3,500sqm children’s playground with a range of play equipment suitable for children of varying ages, which opens to the public on 29 June. Located close to the beach, it offers playground users good views of the sea and was designed to integrate with the surrounding greenery and the beach setting within East Coast Park. Older children aged five to twelve years can explore the three-storey play tower at the centre of the playground. The tower is connected to three slides of different levels and a rope bridge. Kids can also climb up the tower through a funnel net in the middle. Children aged two to five years can also join in the fun at a play area with talking tubes, fun mirrors and a drum set.

The outdoor playground also comprises inclusive elements to encourage children of different abilities to play together. The inclusive play equipment is designed with a range of motion, such as spinning, rocking and swinging to improve muscle control. For example, the swing set stimulates a child’s sense of balance and eye movement and includes an accessible swing seat equipped with a safety harness for security. Other special needs friendly equipment include sensory play panels that help to develop a sense of discovery, motor skills, hand-eye coordination, rhythm and movement, and improve attention span.

As part of the sensitive upgrading of Marine Cove, NParks has retained the mature trees in the vicinity to provide shade. Adequate seating areas are also located around the playground for families to rest while the children enjoy the playground.

More dining options for families

Visitors can choose from a host of family-friendly F&B establishments with dining concepts ranging from local favourites to Western café food. The five dining outlets, which will open progressively from 28 June onwards, include Babalicious, Hill Street Coffee Shop, McDonald’s, My Briyani House and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.