The 0.5 ha Pek Kio Park can be found along Cambridge Road, nestled between existing and upcoming housing developments. The small park provides a variety of nature-based recreational offerings for nearby residents, including a therapeutic garden with a nature play area for kids and a pétanque court.
Different planting zones feature a specific selection of plant species that provide opportunities for sensory engagement. These include trees, shrubs and flowers that are fragrant, coloured and textured, as well as those that attract biodiversity such as birds and butterflies.
Pek Kio Park Therapeutic Garden
Pek Kio Park is home to NPark’s 17th therapeutic garden. It is designed with a simple loop circulation to cater to a diverse range of users including children and seniors.
The Pek Kio Park therapeutic garden has various features that promote both physical activity and passive contemplation.
Nature Play Area for Kids
Children can engage in imaginative and exploratory play amidst nature at the nature play
area, which features naturalistic elements surrounded by greenery, fostering a deeper
connection with nature.
The Pek Kio Park nature play area contains naturalistic features such as a sand pit,
pea gravel, wood, log poles and log stumps. These allow children to experience a sense of adventure amidst a natural setting, and deepen their connection with nature.
Pétanque Court and Sensory Path
To encourage physical activity and senior mobility, the therapeutic garden is also equipped with a pétanque court.
Pétanque is a ball game where the main objective is to throw boules as close as possible to a wooden ball. The pétanque court allows more people to learn about and try this unique game.
There is also a sensory path made of recycled materials.
Visitors can explore distinctive tactile experiences, as they walk along this meandering path made of recycled wood logs, pine bark, river pebbles, red pumice and perforated pipes.
The therapeutic garden also features various gardens that are designed to enrich visitors’ interactions with nature by engaging their senses and providing mental relief.
These include a Colourful Garden, Texture & Sensory Garden, and an Edible & Spice Garden.
The Colourful Garden features cool colours, thanks to plants such as Elfin Herb (Cuphea hyssopifolia), Pagoda Flower (Clerodendrum paniculatum) and Ixora ‘Dwarf Pink’, that create a calming effect. These colours then gradually transit into a more vibrant palette along the path.
The Texture & Sensory Garden encourages sensory stimulation through tactile interactions with plants of different textures.
The plants at the Edible & Spice Garden are commonly used in local dishes, and tell
the story of Singapore’s culinary heritage. They include the aromatic Curry Leaf (Bergera koenigii), zesty Kaffir Lime (Citrus hystrix) and fiery Chilli Padi (Capsicum frutescens).
There is even a bee hotel at Pek Kio Park, a specially designed structure that provides shelter and nesting sites for insects such as solitary bees. This allows visitors to observe biodiversity in a natural setting.
Other Features of Pek Kio Park
Pek Kio Park offers other recreational amenities, including a 230 m jogging track and
a 300 square metre multi-purpose plaza suitable for community events and various sporting activities.
The surfaces of the Pek Kio Park’s shelter’s table and chairs are made of recycled milk bottles contributed by Our Green MoCa.
In addition, naturalised swales integrated along the park’s perimeter help in stormwater
management by slowing down surface runoff and absorbing rainwater, while contributing to
the park’s natural landscape.
Pek Kio Park is designed with barrier-free access and wheelchair-friendly footpaths that cater to users of different needs.
If you enjoyed this story about Pek Kio Park, you may also enjoy this one on the playground at Pek Kio market.
