Speech by Minister Desmond Lee at the Launch of the Active Garden at Gardens by the Bay
Apr 2, 2022
Gardens by the Bay – a People’s Garden
A very good morning to everyone. We are delighted and honoured to host Madam President at the launch of the new Active Garden right here at Gardens by the Bay.
Gardens by the Bay was founded in 2012 as a People’s Garden – a space that people from all walks of life can enjoy on their own or with their loved ones, and find respite from the strains and stresses of everyday urban life.
Now the Gardens team has worked hard to curate programmes that bring people closer to our Gardens, and to one another, even during the pandemic. The Children’s Festival, the Christmas Wonderland, and River Hongbao are just some of the many popular events that friends and families can enjoy together right here.
Many of us have also chosen to celebrate important milestones in our lives, at the Gardens – from graduations to weddings and other family events – joyous occasions that we celebrate with our loved ones, and our friends.
Above all, the Gardens team has ensured that the Gardens remains accessible to all Singaporeans. For example, eligible seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income families can enjoy free admission to attractions at the Gardens, under our Gift of Gardens community outreach programme.
Launch of the New Active Garden
Now we want to continue to create new spaces and programmes in the Gardens that can help to build strong social and community bonds – and, in particular, to encourage families to interact and bond across multiple generations. Because families are such an important part of our social fabric.
Strong and supportive families are the bedrock of our society – and that is why we have dedicated this year, 2022, as the Year of Celebrating SG Families. This is a movement led by Families for Life, to celebrate the importance of our families, and to support families in building strong bonds. You can look forward to a calendar of exciting family events throughout the year. But it is not only about the events – events provide an opportunity and platform for a day out, for you to come together as a family amidst our busy lives, come together as one, spend time together.
In support of the Year of Celebrating SG Families, we are launching the new Active Garden, which we hope will become a well-loved and well-visited inter-generational space.
On the weekends, you can visit the Garden with your family and friends, and relax on the lawns. Across all ages, you can use the fitness equipment and musical instruments in the Active Garden to stay active and have fun. All paths within our Active Garden are barrier-free as well, to keep them accessible for people of different abilities. And for those with furry friends, the Active Garden has a pet-friendly café for the whole family to enjoy.
Now, the Gardens will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and the opening of the new Active Garden is just one of the many offerings commemorating this milestone.
Throughout this year, Gardens by the Bay will host an exciting line-up of workshops and programmes here at the Active Garden. For example, Gardens by the Bay has been partnering the Health Promotion Board to organise the Active Family Programme, which promotes parent-child bonding through fun physical activities. So do keep a lookout for the calendar of upcoming events on Gardens by the Bay’s website.
Now besides encouraging family bonding, the Active Garden will also contribute to the Singapore Green Plan 2030, it is our national sustainability movement that we launched last year.
And under our Green Plan, one of the key pillars is to transform Singapore into a City in Nature, to bring people closer to nature and to help nature thrive within our city, to build wellness, by interacting with nature around us.
One of the ways we do this is by promoting community gardening, which gives people a chance to interact with nature, in a hands-on way. The Active Garden contributes to this with its very own community garden, where horticulturists and volunteers can come together and teach others to grow their own edibles. Do check out the Gardens by the Bay website to find out more about these gardening sessions at our Active Garden.
Now, in line with the Green Plan, the Active Garden has also been designed with environmental sustainability in mind – with its energy-efficient equipment, water-efficient technology, as well as a façade and roof design that lowers overall temperatures. In fact, the Active Garden has achieved the BCA Green Mark Platinum Award.
Conclusion
Now, let me conclude by thanking once again, Mdm President, for honouring us, by helping us to open this Active Garden, a space for Singaporeans and for families. And I want to also thank some of our important partners who have helped to make Gardens by the Bay what it is today.
First, we would like to thank the Tote Board for your contributions throughout the years, which have enabled our Gardens to provide meaningful experiences for many visitors. We have thus dedicated a sensory trail to the Tote Board within the Gardens. The trail will link the Bayfront Plaza to the new Active Garden. So thank you, to our friends from Tote Board, for your strong support.
Later this morning, we will also unveil a new sculpture by artist Dale Chihuly in the Cloud Forest, called the Ethereal White Persians. This installation was made possible by the Tanoto Foundation, and I would like to thank them as well.
With the generous support of our partners, we will continue to introduce new spaces, new programmes and features to further enhance our Gardens by the Bay, for Singapore. We encourage everyone to explore the new Active Garden with your family, and with your friends. And we will continue to improve our Gardens by the Bay as a People’s Garden.
Let’s continue to work together to transform Singapore into a City in Nature, with accessible green spaces for all to enjoy. With that, have a very good morning and a good day ahead. Thank you.