Coney Island, Singapore Explained

Coney Island
实龙岗岛
செராங்கூன் தீவு
Native Name:Pulau Serangoon
Native Name Link:Malay language
Map:Singapore
Label:Coney Island
Coordinates:1.4095°N 103.9217°W
Location:Southeast Asia
Archipelago:Malay Archipelago
Area Km2:1.33
Country Admin Divisions Title:Region
Country Admin Divisions:North-East Region
Country Admin Divisions Title 1:Planning Area
Country Admin Divisions 1:Punggol----
Country Admin Divisions Title 2:CDC
Country Admin Divisions 2:
Country Admin Divisions Title 3:Town council
Country Admin Divisions 3:
  • Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council
Country Admin Divisions Title 4:Constituency
Country Admin Divisions 4:
Country Leader Title:Member of Parliament
Country Leader Name:
Population:0
Population As Of:2015
Population Footnotes:[1]
Website:Coney Island on NParks

Coney Island, alternatively known as Pulau Serangoon, is a 133-hectare island located off the northeastern coast of Singapore within the town of Punggol, between Pulau Ubin to its northeast and the mainland to its southwest.[2] [3]

Land reclamation works were carried out on the island from 1975 to the 1990s, as there were plans to build residential buildings on the southern part of the island. The works narrowed the channel between Punggol and the island to 100m.[4] Still, in spite of this small distance, motor launches had to be specially hired to reach the island until the opening of Coney Island Park, linked to the main island by two bridges on its western and eastern ends.

History

Formerly known as Pulau Serangoon (English: Serangoon Island), the island was once owned by entrepreneur siblings Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, before being sold to an Indian businessman, Ghulam Mahmood, in 1950 with the intention of turning the island into a resort modelled after the amusement area at Coney Island, New York.[5]

The land reclamation works begun in 1975, increasing the area of the island from 32hectare to 62hectare.[6] Further land reclamation works were carried out during the 1990s with plans to build a 50-hectare park together with the development of Punggol New Town.[4]

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said that under the Master Plan, a part of Coney Island was zoned for residential, sport and recreational use but as the land is not immediately required for development, a part of Coney Island would be kept as an interim park for the time being. The rest of the island was zoned for park use.[7] On 10 October 2015, Coney Island Park opened to the public, with a beach stretching 2km (01miles) and a 2.4km (01.5miles) long path that is part of the park connector network. The offshore island of Pulau Serangoon (Coney Island), was formerly part of the Changi SMC from 1951 to 1997, then subsumed into East Coast GRC (Siglap division) from 1997 to 2015 before transferring to Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC after the growth of Punggol.

Activities and facilities

Coney Island is also a popular place for jet skiing and camping.[8] However, this has contributed to the beaches being polluted by litter such as discarded cans, instant noodle packets and bottles.[9]

Coney Island Park

Managed by the National Parks Board, the 81hectare[10] nature park is home to a wide variety of habitats, including coastal forests, grasslands and mangroves. The park was officially opened by the Transport Minister and Co-ordinating Minister for Infrastructure, Khaw Boon Wan on 10 October 2015.[11] During its first year of operation, a free-ranging Brahman cow was frequently sighted in the area.[12] [13]

Scouting

See main article: article. The island was proposed as the main venue to host the 23rd World Scout Jamboree, as part of a defeated bid by the Singapore Scout Association.[14]

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Punggol (Planning Area, Singapore) - Population Statistics and Location in Maps and Charts. City Population (with data from the Singapore Department of Statistics). 15 August 2016.
  2. http://www.citypopulation.de/php/singapore-admin.php?adm2id=30301 City Population - statistics, maps and charts | Coney Island
  3. Web site: [[Ministry of Trade and Industry (Singapore)#Departments & Statutory boardsSingapore Department of Statistics]] - Planning Areas/Subzones in Singapore (Year 2015) . 11 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013413/http://www.singstat.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/publications/publications_and_papers/population_and_population_structure/population2015-map1.pdf . 5 March 2016 . dead .
  4. Singapore. Parliament. Parliamentary debates: Official report. (28 July 1997). Estimates of expenditure for the financial year 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998 (Vol. 67). Singapore: [s.n.], col. 1123. (Call no.: RSING 328.5957 SIN); Tan, H. Y. (31 January 2007). Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  5. Web site: Ten Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Coney Island Park - Little Day Out. 13 October 2015.
  6. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19740311-1.2.31.aspx $14.5m holiday resort plan for Coney Island.
  7. Web site: Coney Island to open to public in 2015. 2014-02-03. 2014. Lip Kok Wai. TODAY.
  8. Web site: 2004 . Islands around Singapore . . 2006-11-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070112080818/http://library.thinkquest.org/04apr/00793/Islandtext/Island%20Facts.htm . 2007-01-12 .
  9. Web site: 1991 . Beaches or the dumps? . . 2006-11-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061006101059/http://www.recyclingpoint.com.sg/Articles/1991july8Beachesorthedumps.htm . 2006-10-06.
  10. Web site: Coney Island Park. National Parks Board. February 8, 2021.
  11. Web site: New nature park opens on Coney Island. Channel News Asia. 15 October 2015. 15 August 2016. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170106035251/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/new-nature-park-opens-on/2183296.html. dead.
  12. News: Coney Island: The life and death of a lonely Singapore cow. 16 October 2016. BBC News. 16 October 2016.
  13. News: Coney Island cow dies. 16 October 2016. Channel NewsAsia. 6 January 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170106035209/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/coney-island-cow-dies/3200104.html. dead.
  14. 11 July 2008 . Singapore bids for World Scout Jamboree 2015 . 19 July 2015 . Coney Island, Singapore . The Singapore Scout Association. YouTube.