On January 19. 2020, the Housing Board announced its final plans for the Jurong Lake area under its Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme. The area has been under a scheme of rejuvenation since 2011.
Jurong as an industrial town has its beginnings in the 1960s. By the 70s, it had grown to include the resettled areas like Boon Lay, Taman Jurong, Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak, Hong Kah, Teban Gardens and Yuhua. The huge area was in need of a makeover suitable for the times and was selected for the same in 2011.
Since 2011, many new amenities were added and these are beneficial to residents of all age-groups.
The Jurong East Town Centre, which constitutes of 6 HDB blocks on Jurong Gateway Road has got a significant makeover in these years. The Town Centre is now called J Connect and is an architectural delight. It bears beautiful landscaping that blends business and as well as communal spaces with a scenic integrity. The J Link connects it to the popular JCube shopping mall.
In nine years, Jurong Lake area has grown into a popular weekend hub for local residents. Residents now are more keen on spending weekends in the estate instead of visiting the central area or elsewhere.
Renovations like adding a new playground for the young kids and a pavilion with green roof have managed to attract families with young members. Besides, the area now has a newly built pedestrian mall and ample space for community events.
The recent years have also seen the opening of several small business and tuition centres. Both have been instrumental in directing weekend traffic from other districts to Jurong area.
The ROH programme by the government has given ten neighbourhood centres within the Jurong estate a much-needed facelift. The greenery incorporated in these renovations has earned the area the “Orchard Road of the West” title.
The Bukit Batok West Shopping Centre, too, now houses a beautiful pavilion with a garden for the community. It is a popular spot among residents as it houses 65 shops, several restaurants. It also comprises of both supermarket and wet market.
The Jurong Gateway has grown into a healthcare hub with the opening of consisting of hospitals, Jurong Community Hospital and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. It also has several commercial buildings such as Jem, Jcube and West Gate.
In 2019, the western section of the entire project was officially opened up to the public. 2020 is set to see the opening of the expansive 15km long cycling network of the Jurong Lake District, which will connect to the cycling paths being built in the estate of Taman Jurong . The remaining Japanese and Chinese Gardens which also formed of the Jurong Lake Gardens, are scheduled to be completed in 2021.
When the rejuvenation plans are completed, there will stilll be other development plans in the area as well. The HBD aims to make Jurong Lake Area a tourist hub by 2026. There are plans for a upcoming science centre as well as a few more avenues for leisure and recreation. The district will also be developed into a car-lite area.
The completed project will make have an area of 360ha. This will make Jurong the largest central business district which is made up of both residential and commercial uses that is outside the central area.
The upcoming MRT lines which includes the Cross Island Line and Jurong Region Line are scheduled to function sometime in year 2027 and 2030s respectively. Once functional, it is anticipated that there will definitely be more visitors from other parts of Singapore coming to the area.
Please refer to the website for more information,
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/from-industrial-estate-to-bustling-town-jurong-lake-area-housing-estate
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