SINGAPORE – When Coney Island opens to the public next year, it will include a rustic nature park complete with a boardwalk, bicycle racks and bird observation points.

This was revealed in a National Parks Board (NParks) tender which closed two weeks ago.

According to the tender documents, NParks wants to include several features such as solar street lamps, shelters, and a play area made from wood from casuarina trees which grow on the island.

Casuarina logs will also be recycled to make features such as benches, seats and signage, while footpaths will be made from small granite pieces instead of concrete.

The development should take 15 months after the contract is awarded.

According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) Draft Master Plan 2013, the island will be ready in 2015.

About half of the island was earmarked for a park, with the other half zoned for residential, sports and recreational use under the URA’s Master Plan released in 2008.

The island, also known as Pulau Serangoon, is located off Punggol and is mostly covered with lush vegetation.

Two bridges link the western and eastern ends to Punggol Promenade and Pasir Ris Coast Industrial Park 6 respectively.

NParks had earlier planned to call for the tender to develop Coney Island by 2012, hoping to get the park ready by this year.

It also said previously that it plans to leave the park as untouched as possible.

The island is a stop for migratory birds.

Birds of prey which hunt along the coast and in the Johor Strait also use the tall casuarina trees as a perch.

Source: The Straits Times