Xiao Guilin’s Little Bro, Bukit Gombak Park, to Be Ready by Early 2020 with a Dog Run

If you intend to learn driving next year in Bukit Batok Driving Centre, you might want to take a leisure walk on a new park that’s just opposite the driving centre to calm your nerves before embarking on your lesson or the dreaded TP test.

Because by early 2020, a new park would be ready there to make driving lessons great again.

New Bukit Gombak Park

If you’re a Bukit Batok-er like us, you’d know about Xiao Guilin. The Instagram-worthy park is just next to Bukit Gombak MRT Station, and it looks so lit that we’ve filmed a couple of our videos there.

In this video, our character proposed with the iconic hill as the background…

…and in this video, our character sold his “passion” at the unique park.

Now, NEA has started works on Xiao Guilin’s little brother, the new Bukit Gombak Park, which is located just opposite Bukit Batok Driving Centre (the centre’s near Bukit Gombak MRT Station).

If you’re one who has shed tears of joy after passing your TP at the driving centre, you would know that it’s an empty piece of land just opposite the centre.

Last year, it was reported that a new park would be built there, and back then, NParks were gathering feedback from residents on what they wanted to be there.

And on the very last day of March 2019, NPark released a statement, saying that they’ve started work on the park and revealed more information.

Hill Trek, Biophilic Playgarden and a Dog Run

Well, for a start, the park would be smaller.

At 4.8 ha, it pales in comparison with the Bukit Batok Nature Park that houses Xiao Guilin as that’s at 36 ha.

However, the park isn’t all nature and no fun: it’ll feature a hill trek, a nature playgarden and other recreational facilities amidst nature and lush greenery to serve the different needs of residents.

The hill trek mirrors the one found in Bukit Timah hill. At 400m with a steep, it might not resemble the “chiong sua” soldiers have gone through, but it’s still a good exercise for someone who likes climbing.

Other than the hill trek, there would be an active area with an open lawn for events, an outdoor fitness area, a community garden, a F&B outlet and public toilets. It’s unknown what the F&B outlet would be, but if it’s going to be A&W, I bet my boss’ assets that everyone’s going to take a journey to the west more regularly.

There’s also a biophilic playgarden that’s aimed to encourage children to play amid nature. Part of the playground would be a slide that’s integrated into the natural sloped terrain, and there will be nature-inspired play equipment, such as balancing beams set amongst trees and shrubs. Kind of like the Forest Adventure in Bedok Reservoir Park, if you’ve been there before.

And finally, here’s one for the dog lovers: there would be a 480 sqm dog run because dogs need exercise, too. It will be sited on a flat terrain for dogs to run without leash, with benches for dog owners to rest.

The new Bukit Gombak Park will complement the existing Bukit Batok Town Park and Bukit Batok Nature Park. These parks are connected via the Choa Chu Kang Park Connector.

Not sure about you, but I’m feeling healthier already.