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Part of Orchard Road to be pedestrianised, Istana Park expanded as part of revamp source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/part-of-orchard-road-to-be-pedestrianised-istana-park-expanded-as-part-of-revamp?xtor=CS3-18&utm_source=STiPhone&utm_medium=share&utm_term=2020-02-14 8%3A02%3A48 SINGAPORE - Part of Orchard Road could be turned into a car-free green space as part of wide-ranging plans to redesign and expand Istana Park to include Dhoby Ghaut Green. The proposal would mean realigning the stretch of Orchard Road from the Istana to SMA House to merge with Penang Road. The ideas were among proposed enhancements to refresh Singapore's shopping belt unveiled by the National Parks Board (NParks) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Thursday (Feb 13). The plans will be showcased at a month-long public exhibition at The URA Centre. Proposed enhancements also include increased greenery along Orchard Road and improved connectivity in the stretch towards the Singapore River to form a 6km green connection linking Singapore Botanic Gardens, Istana Park, Fort Canning Park and the Singapore River. National Development Minister Lawrence Wong told a ceremony to open the exhibition: "These efforts will create a new green oasis in the city. This is part of our efforts to ensure Singapore remains a lush and liveable city in a garden." The proposals come after a public exhibition and consultation exercise last year. More than 1,500 people gave feedback with many calling for more green spaces and family-friendly facilities in Orchard Road. The new plans call for the 1.3ha Istana Park to be expanded to more than three times its current size. The park will be redesigned to include the existing Dhoby Ghaut Green and Penang Road Open Space. It will feature an orchid-themed garden and a rustic nature playgarden with a water play area. Other initiatives include pedestrianising a section of Orchard Road from Buyong Road to Handy Road to allow Istana Park to be better integrated with the Istana entrance and commercial establishments in the area. Orchard Road's vehicular traffic would be directed to Penang Road. The proposal also includes improving the links between Orchard Road and the Singapore River. For example, there will be new connections from Istana Park to Fort Canning Park via a linkway at 9 Penang Road (former Park Mall) and proposed sheltered escalators leading from the pedestrian underpass at Canning Rise to Fort Canning Centre at the hilltop. Pedestrian connectivity could also be improved with new public spaces at Clarke Quay Road and Merchant Road. These additions will create a 6km-long green connection linking many of the cities landmark spaces, including Singapore Botanic Gardens, Fort Canning Park, the Singapore River and Pearl's Hill City Park. Ms Ang Wei Ping, group director of policy and planning at NParks, said: "We intend to inject more greenery into the streets by bringing in more bougainvillea, cloves and nutmeg plants and plant these along Orchard Road. We want the Orchard Road and the Dhoby Ghaut zone to be appealing to all age groups, especially families. "What we are trying to do is enhance the experience of walking through Orchard Road. So that as you walk along .. you get to enjoy flowering shrubs and lush trees." Singapore University of Social Sciences transport economist Walter Theseira said realigning part of Orchard Road would be a large task but not impossible: "It would take time but if they are talking about building another four lanes on Penang Road then it won't be as disruptive as constructing a tunnel." Dr Theseira said the plans are an interesting reimagining of the space that would increase activity in the Dhoby Ghaut area, which he feels is under utilised. He added: "The question should not be how will it affect vehicular traffic. That is a very car-centric view. The question should be how could it improve things for everyone else."

Lai lai lai waiting for someone to start the 2022 thread 😀 https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/orchard-road-christmas-light-2022-337166

A 500m stretch of Orchard Road — the section running in front of Plaza Singapura, the Istana and Concorde Hotel — will be pedestrianised as part of a broader project to redevelop Dhoby Ghaut. According to The Straits Times (ST), plans for the area include an extension of the Istana Park, making it three times larger and integrating the neighbouring Dhoby Ghaut Green and Penang Road Open Space. The Istana Park is currently 1.3 hectares. The work will be completed progressively from 2025. More facilities and activity spaces To facilitate the pedestrianisation of the section of Orchard Road between Handy Road and Buyong Road, a portion of Penang Road — a one-way road with up to five lanes — will be made two-way. As part of the facelift, ST cited the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in reporting that the area will be remoulded to include: An orchid-themed garden A flexible activity space A nature-play garden featuring a water-play area Integration with the Istana's entrance Source: https://mothership.sg/2022/09/dhoby-ghaut-redevelopment/ A visit to URA's website will show you a fuller picture of the planned developments. A. Inclusive Playground at Dhoby Ghaut Green A family-friendly play area within a pocket park with lush greenery for children of all abilities to explore and learn about nature in a fun manner. B. New Water-Play Features at Dhoby Ghaut Green The water play features can reflect the original alignment of the Stamford Canal before it was redirected and allow children to interact with various water elements set within a lush park setting. C. New Sheltered Events Space at Dhoby Ghaut Green The all-weather activity lawn with a canopy can serve as a flexible events space to host various events from F&B festivals to fashion shows. D. New Park Entrance @ Dhoby Ghaut Green Dhoby Ghaut Green is envisioned as attractive and family-friendly, fronting the former Park Mall and linking to Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station. https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Planning/Master-Plan/Regional-Highlights/Central-Area/Orchard-Road/Bring-Back-the-Orchard

Manners maketh man is a phrase popularised by the movie 'Kingsman: The Secret Service'. The phrase refers to 'A person may be judged according to his behaviour towards other people'. Now, watch this video of what a well-dressed man in a suit and tie did to this cam car driver: 'WAH CH$$B*E! CHUA SAI AH!' The cam car driver was driving along Orchard Road when a man in a suit and tie blatantly disregarded the red man and jaywalked across the road. The cam car driver sounded a very long honk at him to alert him of his dangerous act. In response, the well-dressed man performed some hand gestures toward the driver from afar before walking up to his car and flashing the driver his middle finger. Despite the upfront confrontation of the jaywalker, the driver remained calm and did not retaliate back. Instead, all he did was exclaim, 'WAH CH$$B*E! CHUA SAI AH!' in his car (Something we are all too familiar with doing). Netizens' Comments 🤷‍♂️ Sad reality, everything is the driver's fault. Just Singapore things: People thinking you are a restaurant/hotel manager when you wear a suit and tie😂 ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news, and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

This year looks great, got the 90s/early 2000s feel... really no need spend so much to overdo the street, just get it done tastefully will bring much xmas joy..

According to LTA, the number of new Teslas in Singapore increased from 8 to 487 from July to Q3, 2021. Regardless, the number of Teslas in Singapore remains small and unreported in user-submitted video platforms...until TODAY! Warning: The video contains wheel spins, turbo spooling, engine revving, and exhaust burbling Excited? Watch the video here: The Cars Involved What Happened? The "race" took place at Orchard Road, where the BMW 535i (cam car) attempted to chase down a Tesla Model 3 Performance. Upon the traffic light turning green, you could hear the wheel spin of the BMW 535i as all 300 BHP was sent to the car's rear wheels. Meanwhile, the Tesla Model 3 Performance was almost silent, apart from the noise coming from its tyres. Tesla's instantaneous torque coupled with its All-Wheel Drive and 473 BHP allowed it to gap the BMW 535i within seconds. I would say that the Tesla smoked the BMW 535i, but...there isn't any exhaust system on a Tesla. How to smoke when there isn't any smoke? You could hear the BMW driver laughing to himself in defeat and telling his passenger that his BMW was no match for the Tesla. BMW driver Could Not Swallow His Pride Moments later, both cars met at another traffic light, where they raced again. Sad to say, it was just a copy-paste of the previous race. At this point in time, you just feel so bad for the BMW 535i driver. Netizens' Comments Probably the only thing the BMW can win the Tesla in. That's some audacity right there. Funny sia. ======== Receive a $10 PayNow transfer for every submission we publish on Facebook! Simply WhatsApp us ➡️ https://bit.ly/3c6JERA

Every Singaporean aged 18 and above in 2020 is set to receive S$100 worth of SingapoRediscovers vouchers, which can be used on staycations, attraction tickets and tours. The vouchers can be used between December this year and the end of June next year. The SingapoRediscovers vouchers for tourist attractions, tours and hotel bookings will be given out via SingPass. Every Singaporean aged 18 and above in 2020 is set to receive S$100 worth of SingapoRediscovers vouchers, which can be used on staycations, attraction tickets and tours. The vouchers can be used between December this year and the end of June next year. A S$10 subsidy will also be provided for children and youth tickets for attractions and tours, said the STB. Each adult may purchase up to six children or youth tickets at subsidised prices during the duration of the scheme. Announcing the details on Wednesday (Sep 16), Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said the move will help the local tourism industry, which has been battered by the COVID-19. “This is not a social assistance scheme. This is an economic scheme to help our tourist attractions to preserve their capabilities that have been built up over the years, while they consolidate capacity in the interim,” Mr Chan told reporters at the Jurong Bird Park. The vouchers will be provided in denominations of S$10 via SingPass, and may be used to purchase tickets for attractions and tours, and accommodation bookings at licensed hotels, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in a separate fact sheet on Wednesday. More details on the redemption mechanism will be announced in November. STB will be calling a tender to appoint the platform providers for the redemption of the vouchers, said chief executive Keith Tan. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced in August that the Government would give out S$320 million worth of vouchers to encourage Singaporeans to support local tourism businesses. The scheme will complement the ongoing SingapoRediscovers campaign launched in July, said the STB. More than 200 deals and bundled packages have been launched “to encourage locals to explore different precincts and aspects of life of Singapore”, the STB said. The vouchers will provide more encouragement for Singaporeans to do so, it added. All licensed hotels, tourist attractions and tours that have been approved by the STB to operate or reopen can benefit from this scheme. "We're working out the economic impact now, but certainly we do expect a return, not necessarily to the Government but obviously to the merchants. From the response we've seen so far, even from the initial SingapoRediscovers campaign, the merchants have responded very positively," said Mr Tan. "There is clearly a sense that they are responding, and the reason why they're responding is that they must see there is commercial return of interest and return of benefits to them," Mr Tan added. Mr Chan said he expects merchants to benefit from a "multiplier effect". “We’ll expect a certain multiplier effect because when people come here, they will also spend on other things ... So for example, they can use this to pay off the tickets or defer the cost of the tickets for coming in. But when they come in, they will spend on some of the F&B and other services that the attractions, hotels or the tours provide," said Mr Chan. “We think that there will be a catalytic effect. As to the exact extent of the catalytic effect, it will be hard to predict at this point in time, but we hope that is at least a few times what we have provided for in the Budget,” he added. Responding to questions on why the vouchers may not be used for F&B and retail purchases, Mr Chan said: "It's a balance between which sector we want to target, and also the simplicity in the administration so that people who (have) the vouchers can actually use it in a most convenient way. That's how we have designed the system." Thanking tourist attractions for “putting in an effort” to put safe management measures in place amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Chan said: “The other thing that they have done very well over the last few months or so was to help us work out the arrangement to have safe cohorting for the live performances.” From Sep 18, attractions that have received approval to resume operations can apply to the STB to increase their operating capacity from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, subject to approval from the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Attractions can also apply to increase the capacity of their number of outdoor shows to five zones, with 50 people in one zone, subject to safe management measures. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singaporediscovers-tourism-vouchers-chan-chun-sing-covid-19-13115702 in before haters gonna hate n negative comments as highlighted its an economic scheme meant to help the tourism sector with many livelihoods at stakes do our part or jus dont use the vouchers lor why need to kpkb so much so many negative comments on fb from ppl who dont get the whole point behind the tourism vouchers there r many ppl struggling out there n wud prefer more social assistance schemes to tide them thru n so may not understand these vouchers are targeted to help those in the tourism biz to secure their jobs n prevent the tourism n sector industry from collapsing with our borders closed to tourism now n in the near future even locals spending may not be of much help but can help jiu help? for those who still have jobs n wanna bring ur kids out. bt maybe shd have given to those under 18 toooo la

A limousine driver was fined $4,500 in court on Thursday (8 July) for punching and kicking another car that was blocking his way at a yellow-box junction. According to Channel News Asia, the incident occurred in May 2019 near Ion Orchard, when the freelance limousine driver urgently needed to go to the toilet while being stuck in a traffic jam. Due to his tight schedule, the driver needed to be at Beach Road in less than half an hour for another job. Wanting to exit from Orchard Turn into Orchard Boulevard, the driver found himself caught in a slow-moving peak hour traffic. There was no way for him to move out as vehicles were stopping inside the yellow-box junction. As the light turned green in his favour, the limousine driver tried to move out but was blocked by the victim, who stopped his vehicle in the yellow-box junction. With the frustration of a full bladder on a packed schedule, the driver got upset at the victim for being ungracious. This led to him throwing a temper tantrum as he alighted his limousine, kicked the front bumper and pounded on the windows and doors of the victim’s vehicle. The victim subsequently sent his car into a workshop and received a full quotation of $7,074.84. However, he only opted for partial repairs, which costs $550. The limousine driver pleaded guilty to one count of mischief, with a secondary charge of intentionally causing alarm. As compensation for the damages he had inflicted, he repaid the victim a total of $3,500. Along with the fine, the total amount that he had to pay resulted in $8,000. While I understand the pent-up stress that one experiences from holding his bladder for 11 hours straight, what the driver did to the victim was in bad taste. Also, wouldn’t raging at someone else take up more time, especially since he desperately needed a toilet then? Netizens’ reactions While the limousine driver got lucky and did not have to serve any time in jail, $8,000 is still a lot to pay for a moment of road rage. --- Thinking of selling your car? sgCarMart Quotz guarantees the highest selling price for your car. We’ll even give you $100 cash if you find a better offer elsewhere! Get a free quote to find out how much your car is worth today!

Last night everyone seems to had forgotten Covid 19 and safe distancing.

https://youtu.be/gEYqNP4IzqY Visit the Orchard Ion - Ion Sky. Sited at level 55 , charmed by the multimedia display and the scenic view of the city view of Singapore from the best panoramic view in town !

42 more days to X'mas and let's dwell into the good moods today ! A short walk-about from WheelLock Place / Ion Shopping Mall towards Plaza Singapura. For those who are abroad or too reluctant to visit the always-crowded Orchard road, you can get a virtual view from here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D66Ru8Ar0ns&t=12s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwjN1Wbr4B4&feature=youtu.be Transit link bus 190 driver cuts into my lane aggressively, forces me to gently steer into the left lane and brake to a stop. video captured him showing a middle finger to me as I drove past. driver is indian race, please advise me on the channels to lodge a complain. Thank you. Incident happened at 3 30pm on Orchard Road on a weekday afternoon, traffic condition is light and smooth. I seriously got no idea why the bus is doing on the fourth lane and then have to cut through 3 lanes just to stop at the bus stop which is just after the traffic light. Is there a need for such impatient and reckless driving? Please advise or assist me with regards to the various authorities which I can file a proper complaint against this selfish public bus driver who does not give a damn to other road users' safety. I only tap my horn lightly. I do not think that this tapping of the horn warrants a middle finger from him. Driver was caught on video showing me the middle finger as I drove pass him.

As part of the Great Singapore Sales (GSS) promotion, Orchard Central (OC) has come up with a theme called 'A Classic GSS affair'. According to the management of the shopping centre, OC enters a world of vintage charm with car boot sales with a vintage twist. Along with the theme, OC displayed two classic cars along the walkway of the shopping mall. These are the Porsche 912 Coupe and the Lancia Fulvia RS. As a car enthusiast, I was naturally more interested in these classics rather than what is on sale in OC. The Porsche 912 is a sports car that was manufactured by the German supercar maker between 1965 and 1969 as their entry-level model. The 912 is a nimble-handling compact performance four-seat vehicle, delivering 90bhp at 5800 rpm from a 2.0-litre flat-4 power plant. It is capable of returning a fuel economy of up to 7.8L/100km (or 12.8km/L). A variant of the 911, one of the most famous and successful sports cars of all time, the 912 initially outsold the 911, boosting the manufacturer's total production until success of the 911 was assured. Styling, performance, quality construction, reliability, and price made the 912 a very attractive buy to both new and old customers. Porsche produced nearly 30,000 912 coupe units and about 2500 912 Targa body style during its five year production run. The Porsche 912 has also proven successful as a race car. The Lancia Fulvia is an Italian car introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963 and produced through 1976. Fulvias are notable for their role in automobile racing history, including winning the International Rally Championship in 1972. Road & Track called the Fulvis as a "a precision motorcar, an engineering tour de force" in a review of the car in 1967. What caught my attention is that the car was actually powered by a V4 engine when most engines of the bent configuration usually have 6 or 8 cylinders. The engine has a DOHC design with a one camshaft operating all intake valves and another operating all exhaust valves. The engine was initially offered with a 1091cc capacity and was enlarged to 1298cc later on. This raised the output from 71bhp to 87-92bhp. The car is often used for track days at Sepang and Pasir Gudang. If you are a fan of classic cars, do make your way down to OC before they are gone. Old school's cool !