New Buona Vista community node along Rail Corridor offers inclusive space for play, nature recreation and bonding

- First community node along Rail Corridor (South) opens with a children’s playground with biophilic elements, fitness areas, a ‘plug-and-play’ space and a community lawn

- Launch of ‘From Dreams to Rail-ity’ Ideas Competition for public to shape the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station into a vibrant and inclusive multi-functional community node

The public can now enjoy another recreational and community space along the Rail Corridor, at the new Buona Vista community node in one-north. Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, Mr Desmond Lee, officially opened the community node today, the fourth node of the Rail Corridor, and the first along its southern stretch.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) also announced the launch of an ideas competition – From Dreams to ‘Rail-ity’ – for the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (TPRS), as part of the Draft Master Plan 2025 (DMP2025) focus to Steward our Nature and Heritage. The public is invited to submit proposals that reimagine th historic railway station as a vibrant and inclusive multi-functional building that is a key community node and southern gateway into the Rail Corridor, bringing together heritage, nature and communities.

Bringing plans to reality together and shaping delightful spaces for all

The new Buona Vista community node represents another outcome of the collective effort of agencies, stakeholders and the public to shape the future of the Rail Corridor, since the return of the former railway land in 2011. This includes extensive consultations with the Friends of the Rail Corridor, residents, students, heritage and nature groups and industry to chart the plans for the Rail Corridor and bring them to fruition.

Located between The Metropolis and Elementum[1] and in close proximity to Buona Vista MRT interchange station, the 1.6 ha community node is developed by Ho Bee Land in collaboration with JTC Corporation (JTC), the National Parks Board (NParks) and URA. JTC had brought forward the development of the Elementum site to support the activation of the adjacent Rail Corridor.

Sensitively integrated with the green spine of the Rail Corridor and surrounding developments, the Buona Vista community node features inclusive spaces for play as well as community and cultural events. Highlights include a children’s playground with biophilic elements, fitness areas for adults and seniors, a ‘plug-and-play’ space underneath the North Buona Vista Link viaduct for fitness enthusiasts and community activities, and a 500 sqm community lawn that serves as a flexible events space. Agencies are also studying plans to revitalise the street art space underneath the Commonwealth Avenue viaduct.

NParks has also planted the first vegetated swales along the Rail Corridor within the Buona Vista community node, which recall the original stream and marshland landscape of the Rail Corridor before the railway was first built. Some species planted include the critically endangered Lepironia articulata, and the Narrow-leaf Cat Tail (Typha angustifolia). The vegetated swales also provide new habitats for dragonflies and other biodiversity to thrive along the Rail Corridor.

Since May 2023, NParks also engaged various stakeholders in long-term habitat enhancement efforts near the node, such as invasive species management and OneMillionTrees planting sessions with NUS Toddycats and residents.

In the coming months, Rail Corridor users and the community can look forward to convenient access to end-of-trip amenities such as bicycle parking, lockers and shower facilities at Elementum.

From Dreams to ‘Rail-ity’ ideas competition

As part of the DMP2025 public engagement, URA launched an ideas competition for TPRS today inviting the public to submit ideas that reimagine the historic railway station as a unique heritage, community and recreational node along the Rail Corridor and to adaptively reuse the site as a vibrant and inclusive multi-functional community space for the next 20 years.

Gazetted as a National Monument in 2011, TPRS is the key southern gateway into the Rail Corridor and entry point to the Central Business District and future Greater Southern Waterfront. The competition seeks proposals to support the transformation of the building and site, with attractive, inclusive and inviting public spaces for all. This includes possible uses and programming for the premises, innovative ways to retrofit the buildings, introducing additional space through sensitive low-scale infill developments within the site as well as ways to seamlessly integrate the railway station building and the Rail Corridor. The competition is open to local and international participants, including members of the public, tertiary students and professionals, and will run from 22 April 2024 to 14 June 2024.

The public can also share their memories and stories as well as feedback on the types of activities they would like to see in the future at TPRS at go.gov.sg/TPRSfeedback. Their input will contribute towards a shared vision for the site to guide the development of future plans.

Rail Corridor to become even more inclusive

Singaporeans can look forward to more inclusive spaces along the Rail Corridor and greater opportunities to shape the space together. This includes more new community nodes such as one at the Queensway viaduct space where URA has started to engage residents and stakeholders for ideas. The restoration works for TPRS is targeted to be completed by 2028 and it will subsequently be put up for adaptive reuse. In addition, the former Bukit Timah Fire Station will be transformed into a community node for nature, heritage and adventure lovers. We will continue to partner Singaporeans and stakeholders in shaping the Rail Corridor to offer inclusive recreational options and spaces for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy within our City in Nature. The Rail Corridor is also part of NParks’ overall plans to curate a 360 km island-wide network of recreational routes, which will contribute towards enabling every household to live within a 10-minute walk of a park by 2030.

Shaping our Identity Corridors together

The Rail Corridor is one of five Identity Corridors identified during the Long-Term Plan Review in 2022, in response to Singaporeans’ desire for our city to retain its unique character and identity and to provide more diverse recreational options closer to their homes. The five Identity Corridors cover significant routes around our island with their unique urban or natural characters, and thread through vibrant neighbourhoods and charming streetscapes with a strong sense of place that resonate with Singaporeans.

As part of the DMP2025, URA will be engaging residents and communities from the third quarter of this year on the Kallang River, Historic East and Inner Ring Identity Corridors to seek their feedback and ideas to strengthen the Corridors’ heritage, identity and inclusiveness. Possible strategies include enhancing the streetscapes at key nodes through urban design guidelines, improving public spaces and introducing community projects to deepen the Corridors’ sense of identity and belonging, and strengthening connectivity through cycling network extensions to make the routes more accessible and safer. Singaporeans and stakeholders’ input will be taken into account when URA develops detailed plans for these Corridors.

The public can sign up for upcoming engagements for the Identity Corridors as well as find out more about the stories behind the Corridors and share their memories at go.gov.sg/identity-corridors.

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[1] Elementum is an upcoming new mixed-use biomedical hub by Ho Bee Land