Lifestyle

Woodlands is Going Through a Reset to Be the Next Big Town With 6 ‘Attractions’

2017-04-16 , 11:54 am

Last Updated on 2020-01-13 , 3:50 pm

Unless you live in Woodlands, chances are, you’ll associate Woodlands with JB, and that whenever you go to Woodlands, you’ll bring your passport along.

Now, hold your horses because Woodlands is going to be the next big thing.

Lest you’re not aware, there’s been a programme in the pipeline to redesign old towns into younger, and more modernly designed, towns. Known as “Remaking Out Heartland” programme, several towns in Singapore are now undergoing the “remaking”: Punggol, Dawson, Yishun (hehe), East Coast, Hougang and Jurong Lake.

And here comes a new challenger: Woodlands.

Like the other ROH initiatives, this new initiative is set to provide a better community in the region.

For a start, it will introduce six “star attractions”: Discovery Playground, Woodsvista Gallery, Woodlands Regional Centre, Social Corridor, Community Nexus and Wellness Haven.

What’s beneath these fancy names, I hear you ask. Well. Goody Feed to the rescue.

Discovery Playground

There’s a Woodlands Town Garden at Marsiling (just so you know, Marsiling MRT Station is like Yew Tee MRT Station: the surrounding roads are all part of Woodlands, just like the surrounding roads in Yew Tee MRT are all part of Choa Chu Kang), and it’ll be upgraded to be called “Discovery Playground”.

But of course, this isn’t just named because someone decided to throw a dice; the area does have a children’s playground, a new boardwalk, a heritage corner and a learning lane with storyboards to showcase, erm, the heritage of the town (which I’m suddenly interested in now).

Woodsvista Gallery

Despite its name, this isn’t exactly a gallery, but a community link with both cycling and pedestrian paths to connect Woodlands Central to Woodlands waterfront.

This 1.9 km link is set to make this awesome town smaller with better physical connectivity instead of, you know, 4G connectivity…so people would cycle and walk more, rather than Netflix and Facebook more.

Woodlands Regional Centre

Non-Woodlanders might associate this with the Woodlands Civic Centre beside Causeway Point, but no, this isn’t that. This targets to be an area as a vibrant hub of activity—perhaps to be the heart of Woodlands. Now, whoever says Woodlands is all about JB?

This also sets to be a business hub for businesses, especially those with Malaysian and ASEAN links. Now, are we going to see Marrybrown outlets there? #justsaying

Social Corridor

Nothing to do with social media here, my dear connected readers, though you’re not entirely wrong.

A park connector that connects the east of Woodlands to the west of Woodlands will be transformed into a “Social Corridor”, which comprises greenery, gardens and, well, 3G facilities (the part where you got it kinda right).

In other words, the journey from east to west of Woodlands, or west to east of Woodlands, is going to a combination of nature and Internet. Interesting much, no?

Community Nexus

This fancy name isn’t just a fancy term; it’s a one-stop hub of facilities for all ages, and is right next to Admiralty MRT Station. This will include new amenities as well—not that it’s short of many, but more is always better than less, right?

And just in case some foodies are already complaining, here’s a news just for you: there’s going to be a new hawker centre. You’re welcome.

Wellness Haven

Located next to an upcoming MRT station, Woodlands South MRT Station, this is a new integrated healthcare complex called Woodlands Health Campus. This will open in phases from 2022—just years from now!

Now, wherever you live, here’s something you might want to consider: explore Woodlands before making your way to JB for your makan.