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Diary

Learning Trail With Children At Bishan Ang Mo Kio Park

As a keen supporter of corporate volunteering program, when the learning trail activity with children from low income families was announced, I quickly signed up for it.  Turns out, only 6 of us have put our names down.  Unlike the one we did for the elderly, this activity was intense.  And it involved quite a bit of reading up and preparation as well.

Bishan AMK Park with the Children

By the time our chartered bus has rolled into the neighborhood, immediately, I saw kids and teenagers jumping up and down eager to attend our learning trail event.  Once they entered the bus, one by one they have started screaming!  Really loudly so.  I was slightly intimately by them.  I did a quick headcount.  Around 20 of time.  All screaming at the same time as they dashed into the bus looking for a seat.  Aged between 8 to 18, these kids were active.  Hyperactive.

Soon, we found out that these wonderful kids were from four Malay families.  Beyond Social Services has organized this event and our organization has participated.  Their target groups are low income families.  Families that may have a single parent, or from teenage mothers.  The kids may not have sufficient parental care because their parents need to work, and at times night shift.  Some kids may be delinquencies and Beyond Social Services‘s role would be to facilitate the parental ownership of the issue.  Beyond Social Services also engages volunteers to provide tuition to the kids, as well as regular activities such as soccer for the boys and dancing for the girls.  Our role today was to bring them out for a half day trip and raise the awareness of water conservation.  Play some games that were relevant to the theme.  Hand out gifts to everyone.  Basically, have a fun time.  By the time the event has ended, I was exhausted.  But it was a heartwarming and fulfilling experience.

Click here to view the photo album of today’s event.

As mentioned previously, Bishan-AMK Park has recently been renovated.  The old concrete canal has been converted into a natural river.  It is part of our government’s Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) initiative to transform Singapore’s drains, canals, and reservoirs into beautiful and clean streams, rivers and lakes for recreation and community bonding.

Singapore is a small country.  We have been relying on Malaysia – our neighbor – for water supply under two bilateral agreements.  One expired in 2011 and the second one will expire in 2061.  With the completion of the Marina, Punggol, and Serangoon reservoirs (which brings the number of reservoirs in Singapore to a total of 17), the water catchment area has been increased from half to two-thirds of Singapore’s land surface.  We have plan to boost water catchment area to 90% by 2060.

Then we have NEWater, which is a high-grade reclaimed water produced from treated used water that is further purified using advanced membrane technologies and ultra-violet disinfection.  Our NEWater plants is now meeting 30% of the nation’s water needs.  By 2060, we intend to push this to 50%.

Singapore has one of the Asia’s largest seawater reverse-osmosis plant.  Producing 30 million gallons of desalinated water a day, it is currently meeting 10% of our nation’s water needs.  By 2060, the plan is to ramp up the desalination capacity by 10 times in meeting at least 30% of our water demand.

Today, our per capita domestic consumption is 154 liters a day.  Water conservation programs are important.  We can never have enough water if we do not treasure what we have and use water wisely.  Here are some of the ideas that may help lowering the consumption to 140 liters by 2030.

  • Monitor your water bills.
  • Take shorter showers and turn off the tap while soaping.
  • Use a mug when brushing your teeth.
  • Check and repair leaks promptly.
  • Install water saving devices such as thimbles.
  • Use water-efficient devices.
  • Cut down your shower time to 5 minutes.

It's a beautiful park!

Categories
Diary

Spending Time With Elders At Bishan Ang Mo Kio Park

I have always enjoyed participating in the corporate volunteering programs.  It gives a little extra meaning to what I do for a living.  Year 2011, I have done weeding in one of the islands.  Boy, that was laborious.  Year 2012, I have done art crafting with the children in a hospital.  I hope by now, they have fully recovered and who knows, I might have tickled the kids’ artistic bones a little.  This year, I have signed up for a learning trail excursion with the elders from a senior citizen center.  A walk in the newly renovated Bishan Ang Mo Kio Park

I am pretty surprised how well the mobile app Snapseed works on this picture.

I have been driving pass Bishan AMK Park for years as it is located quite near to my home.  It was not until a 2010 blogger event that brought me to this park.  Soon after, the park was closed for years.  What was used to be a canal has now been transformed into a 2.7 km long meandering river integrated with the park.  The park looks clean and beautiful, sustaining a healthy mixed of flora and fauna.  During my visit, the water level was low.  Besides a few gardeners working along the river, there were large white birds “playing” in the water.

The elderly group has a good mix of different cultural background.  And the eldest was a 104 years old lady.  Initially I was concerned if my lack of Mandarin speaking skill would be a burden.  Fortunately, my Cantonese sufficed.  Some of my colleagues do not speak the local languages.  So they helped out with photograph taking, or carrying of umbrellas.

There is a fast food restaurant in the middle of the park.  Probably not the healthiest choice for the elders.  But it is a convenient location.  There is a patio and I got to serve food, together with my colleagues.  Quite possibly the most relaxing and enjoyable volunteering event I have participated thus far.  The elders appeared to be happy.  I took some pictures in the park with my wireless phone.  The one above has surprised me a little.  Snapseed application has done a great job in making the picture pops.  But what delights me most is how well the perspective holds.  It could only be a tinny miracle.

Categories
I See I Write

Asmara Lifestyle At Bishan Park – Singapore’s Best Kept Secret?! – Garden Spa, Restaurants, And More

You have no idea how surreal I felt last evening, when Cynthia and I attended a blogger event somewhere so close to our home.  We have driven up and down passed Bishan Park along AMK Ave 1 so many times a month, in the day and at night.  We had absolutely no idea that behind the rolls of trees there are restaurants, a garden spa, and more.  During the private tour organized by three cordial ladies from Asmara Lifestyle, when we got a chance to shuttle between the bar and the restaurants and the beautiful spa, for a moment, I thought I was inside our Botanic Gardens.  Such serenity and soothing scent.  That brings me to the second reason why I felt so surreal.

I often participate for a blogger event knowing more or less what I am getting myself into.  Bar and restaurants, checked.  Catching up with good friends, checked.  But the spa is a surprised for me.  Pilate?  And nails treatment?  In a way I was relieved that I brought Cynthia along.  Seeing how excited she felt.  But in a way I am a bit weary what this could mean to my credit card bill, having a resort like spa and facility so close to our home.  Then again, since a happy wife means a happy life, I am delighted to have come to know this establishment.

The overall design of this awards winning establishment follows very much to the philosophy of being immersed with the nature.  Initially I observed that some trees appear to be out of place.  Upon inquiry, I realize that the structures are built around the original landscape – trees and etc.  There is a rather huge rock in the middle of a bar, which has been there before the bar was built.  At first, it is strange to see staffs at times hopping over the stone to get in and out of the bar area.  But I suppose this adds another layer of charm to the decoration.  I heard that they may call this new bar “Middle Rock” and intend to bring in live bands for entertainment.  I also heard that they may bring in a projector TV for the broadcast of World Cup.  Immediately I said to Cynthia: You can have the car key, I will have my beauty sleep.

For those who are into garden dining and bar, there is Canopy.  Beautiful ambiance, with different dining theme from month to month.  They are open for breakfast and brunch too.  For the vegetarians, there is Green Room Café.  For both indoors and alfresco dining.  We have tried some of the dishes.  They are delicious.  A must try even if you are not a vegetarian.

OK.  I must admit I can’t write more than my first impression after spending a short albeit lovely evening at Asmara Lifestyle.  I am not a man for spa but I may try it out once and share my experience here with you.  Meanwhile, I have taken a few photos for sharing (see below).  To reach Asmara Lifestyle by bus, you can take Bus 136, 133, and 262 from AMK Bus Interchange.  Or by car, there is a public car park in front of the entrance.  If you come by CTE, exit AMK Ave 1, drive pass Bishan Road and then drive s-l-o-w-l-y.  You wouldn’t want to miss the public car park entrance on your left.  Back to the garden spa, there are 17 rooms in total open till midnight.  Some are for special treatments.  Some are couple rooms that are pretty spacious.  Stay tuned for more write-ups.  For reservation details, please click onto the links below.

The address is: 1382 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 Bishan Park 2 Singapore 569931.