Reservoirs come alive with new facilities

Reservoirs come alive with new facilities

RESERVOIRS are now more than just popular jogging areas they can also be used for many recreational and educational purposes.

For example, under national water agency PUB's Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABC) Waters programme, Pandan Reservoir was transformed into a water-sports arena, with new facilities conducive to activities such as fishing and sailing.

The $6.95-million facilities were officially opened yesterday by Senior Minister of State for Education and Trade and Industry S. Iswaran, who is also a Member of Parliament for West Coast GRC.

They include a sailing deck for radio control-and-electric boats, a fishing and viewing deck, a fishing jetty, a carpark and an amenities centre, which will also house offices of the national sports associations for canoeing, sailing and rowing.

The ABC Waters programme, first launched by PUB in 2006, was set up to beautify drains, canals and reservoirs to draw more Singaporeans to lifestyle activities close to the waters.

Of the 20-plus projects for the initial phase, which runs from 2007 to next year, five have been completed. The new facilities at Pandan Reservoir, which took 11/2 years to build, comprise the first of these projects to be completed in western Singapore.

SingaporeSailing president Benedict Tan said that the reservoir is an ideal location for lake sailing, where conditions are less harsh, compared to open- sea sailing.

The former national sailor added: "This place reminds me of the Queen Mary Sailing Club, a prestigious sailing spot in London. I won many awards there, so, when I saw the reservoir, it brought back many fond memories."

-News courtesy of Omy-