SINGAPORE – Let your feet do the exploring through Central Singapore and immerse yourself in the rich historic Kampong Gelam precinct.
Or stroll through Tampines to discover the town’s evolution and community spaces in Singapore’s first World Habitat Award-winning township.
These are new neighbourhood walking trails by the five community development councils (CDCs), in partnership with the National Heritage Board and Government Technology Agency of Singapore.
The Walking Trails @ CDC (Heritage Edition) series also includes a coastal trail in Woodlands, a Bedok trail tracing former coastlines and locations of military landmarks, and a Jurong scenic walk highlighting the iconic Stoneboat at the Chinese Garden.
The five walking trails are designed to get people moving while showcasing the rich culture, heritage and green spaces of each district in Singapore, highlighting the histories, cultures and everyday stories embedded within communities.
The trails were launched by Mr David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Education, on March 14.
He flagged off more than 250 participants in the morning from SMU Connexion, who took to the neighbourhood trails.
The routes can be accessed at https://www.cdc.gov.sg/walking-trails-cdc/, and participants must be aged 15 years and above and have a Singpass account. Friends and family members of all ages can tag along.
Along each route are five checkpoints that unlock bite-size heritage stories and interactive content.
In the vein of Pokemon, participants who catch five CDC Ollies – digital owl mascots – and a sixth special edition along each trail will receive a $10 reward.
This heritage edition builds on the strong public response to the earlier Walking Trails @ CDC launched in August, which have recorded more than 80,000 trail completions with about 30,000 residents.
The first five trails, also located in the five Singapore districts, feature iconic and scenic landmarks such as Bukit Timah Railway Station, Little Guilin, Fort Canning Centre, East Coast Beach and Punggol Promenade Bridge.
Over the next two years, 20 heritage-themed trails will be rolled out across Singapore.
Like Pokemon enthusiasts, these participants tried to catch all the CDC Ollies on their mobile phones.
PHOTO: CENTRAL SINGAPORE CDC
Mayor of Central Singapore District Denise Phua said heritage is not just about preserving the past, but also about keeping the communities connected.
“The Central Singapore trail has its own special flavour where residents can experience the richness of our multicultural heritage, from the Peranakan Museum and Masjid Sultan to Bras Basah’s arts precinct, our beloved hawker culture at Golden Mile, and the sporting memories of Jalan Besar Stadium,” she said.
Mayor of South East District Dinesh Vasu Dash added: “From the seawall and former coastline to the iconic Simpang Bedok, the trail dives into coastal heritage and looks at its evolution in today’s vibrant heartland, celebrating the heritage sites that define our multicultural identity.”