Submit Your Ideas To Reimagine Former Jurong Bird Park & Jurong Hill Park

Submit Your Ideas To Reimagine Former Jurong Bird Park & Jurong Hill Park
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JTC and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) have launched the ‘Reimagining Former Jurong Bird Park & Jurong Hill’ ideas competition, inviting the public to submit creative ideas for the redevelopment of the 39.2ha site comprising the former Jurong Bird Park, Jurong Hill Park and The Village.


JTC & URA Competition to Reimagine Former Jurong Bird Park & Jurong Hill 

JTC & URA Competition to Reimagine Former Jurong Bird Park & Jurong Hill 

This competition aims generate innovative ideas that reimagine and transform the site into a vibrant space for both work and play, while celebrating its rich industrial and recreational heritage as well as enhancing integration with the larger Jurong Industrial Estate and surrounding areas.

The shift of the former Jurong Bird Park shifted to Mandai in 2023 created the opportunity to reimagine Jurong Hill. It is envisaged that the site be redeveloped into a space for work and play, where industrial uses can be integrated with amenities, recreational and public spaces, as well as other creative new uses.


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JTC & URA Competition to Reimagine Former Jurong Bird Park & Jurong Hill 
Image: JTC

Hence, JTC and URA are launching a competition seeking ideas. This competition is open to both professionals and the public. They are seeking proposals on how the land can be used to support economic growth and at the same time sensitively retain the iconic landmarks within the site, such as Jurong Hill Tower, the Garden of Fame and key features within the former Jurong Bird Park. 

Participants can register under one of two categories – Open or Professional, with prizes to be awarded to the top three ideas in each category.

 
Reimagining Former Jurong Bird Park & Jurong Hill
Image: URA & JTC

Suitable ideas and concepts from the competition will be distilled into planning and design principles to guide the site’s future redevelopment and uses.

The competition opens on 19 October 2024 and closes on 18 January 2025. Proposals can be submitted through the link https://go.gov.sg/jbp-ideas-competition.

In addition, at the 14th edition of the Challenge for the Urban and Built Environment (CUBE) held in November 2023, 140 students from 18 junior colleges, polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) dreamt up new ideas in reimagining the former Jurong Bird Park site as a vibrant future industrial estate with delightful spaces and recreational options.

The students’ proposals can be viewed at the URA Centre from 12 October to 28 November 2024 and also viewed online here. 

 

A Look Back at Jurong Hill Park: Archived Story from November 2020

Below is our story about Jurong Hill Park from November 2020. Jurong Hill Park is currently close and inaccessible to the public. 

Visitors to Jurong Bird Park may have noticed the road leading upwards next to the park entrance and wondered what lies beyond. The answer is Jurong Hill Park, an off-the-beaten-path location which famous people once visited while in Singapore and now a quiet park with a spiral lookout tower.

Once upon a time, Jurong Hill was known as Bukit Peropok. It was the highest point in Jurong and in 1968, the Jurong Town Corporation decided to convert it into a park. Jurong Hill Park’s most famous feature, the Lookout Tower, opened in 1970. This all pre-dates Jurong Bird Park which opened on the western side of the hill in 1973.

 

Visiting Jurong Hill Park

A visit to Jurong Hill Park feels like a step back in time.

Jurong Hill Park garden

There are two levels at Jurong Hill Park. The first is mainly a car park with a set of restrooms. Besides these, there is also a little garden that you can take a walk through.

Lookout Tower at Jurong Hill Park

From the lower level, you can see the Lookout Tower beckoning. It is another flight of stairs up to the higher level or a drive up the slope to get to it.

 

Garden of Fame at Jurong Hill Park

Garden of Fame at Jurong Hill Park

While main feature at the Jurong Hill Park summit is the Lookout Tower, it is also home to a Garden of Fame which is worthwhile spending some time exploring.

Trees at the Garden of Fame, Jurong Hill Park

From 1969 to 1984, foreign dignitaries and heads of states were invited to plant trees at Jurong Hill Park’s Garden of Fame. In total 30 trees were planted.

The first was by Princess Alexandra of the United Kingdom in 1969 and the last was by Singapore’s economic advisor Dr Albert Winsemius in 1984.

Others who have planted trees here include Queen Elizabeth II, Deng Xiaoping and Singapore’s president Benjamin Sheares.

You can try identifying the various trees from the plaques at the base of each tree.

Old concession stand at Jurong Hill Park

Besides tree-spotting, the secluded nature of Jurong Hill Park means that you are likely to have the park almost to yourself. Quaint structures such as an old concession kiosk give it a 1970s vibe.

 

Lookout Tower

Jurong Hill Park

Eventually, you will want to climb Jurong Hill Park’s Lookout Tower.

This grey-tiled tower was officially opened on 22 June 1970 by then-Minister for Social Affairs Othman bin Won.

Jurong Hill Park’s Lookout Tower Ramp

It has broad ramps which spiral three levels upwards.

View from the Top of the Jurong Hill Lookout Tower

You can take in the view of Jurong Island in the distance – a testament to how much Jurong has developed over the last 50 years.

Stained Glass at Jurong Hill Lookout Tower

The top of the Jurong Hill Lookout Tower has decorative stained glass set into the ceiling.

The base of the tower has a space which once housed a popular teppanyaki restaurant.

 

Where Time Stood Still

Even as the area around Jurong Hill Park has changed, the park itself seems to have stood still in time. This makes it almost like a time capsule you can visit to head back in time, just for a little while at least.

[Editor’s Update – January 2024: Jurong Hill Park has been closed and is no longer accessible.]


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