SCARLET HEART

Today's weather - sunny



Although the TV chinese period drama "步步惊心" (Scarlet Heart), adapted from an internet novel, ended its run a few weeks ago, I am still drawn to these songs, particularly <三寸天堂> (Three Inches of Heaven).

BUKIT BROWN

 Today's weather - sunny

This issue has been extensively debated in the press for these last couple of weeks. But a decision was made by the government to proceed with the construction of the new four dual lane road through the 89 years old Bukit Brown cemetery to alleviate the traffic congestion along Lornie Road.


I guess the fundamental thing we need to acknowledge is Singapore has very limited resources where land is concerned, especially when compared to all our neighbours. Land scarcity will always be an issue for Singapore moving forward and there is pretty nothing much we can do other than carrying out land reclamation or acquiring more land. This is one big area where we will lose out to other countries. Hence, there will always be a tussle between the government and the nature activists in order to strike a balance between national development and nature conservation.


So the decision to build the new road, announced in Parliament on 5 Mar 12 by our Minister of State (National Development) Mr Tan Chuan Jin, was a most difficult one. A 670 m vehicular bridge will be constructed across the area to minimize the impact to the existing ecosystem, flora and fauna. I personally think this is an excellent idea unless there is a better solution. I understand the sentiments of the nature and heritage groups to conserve what is left of our natural heritage, but at times I also feel we should not demand the government put a complete halt to their plans. Whilst I do not agree with the government's decision in all cases, such as the demolition of the former Stamford Road National Library building, I think they have softened their stance and made a compromise in this case to meet halfway. I mean, they could have decided to go ahead to bulldoze everything to build the road and completely cut off the cemetery into two parts, thereby putting a barrier to alienate the fauna from both sides to come together. With this bridge raised above the ground, at least there is this natural corridor to allow the flora and fauna to continue to interact and thrive. At the same time, some of the three thousand over graves were spared from exhumation to make way for the project.


That to me, is a win-win situation for all and we have to gradually get used to more similar compromises ahead of us as we all band together and forge forward towards a better Singapore.


NB on 27 Mar 12: It was a pleasant surprise when I read what the news editor Mr Ignatius Low wrote in the Sunday Times on 25 Mar 12. I couldn't have written a better article or put across the salient points as effectively as him. While the outcome of the government's engagement exercise wasn't really what the various interest groups expected, the exercise wasn't a complete waste of time because the government did sit up, accept some of the merits of conserving the site and give in partially. After all, we simply cannot deny that the government agreed to spend up to 3 times the original budget to accommodate the voices of the nature conservationists. And yes, I wish the Van Kleef Aquarium at River Valley could have been spared demolition.

BISHAN PARK 2

On the other side of Bishan Park 2 across the road, the residents were gathered around the tentages to kick-start the Community Arts Festival event as part of the PassionArts Month.

One of the first things that attracted my attention, other than the crowd, was the mass of flowering Zephyranthes grandiflora (common name: Pink Rain Lily) in the new landscape beds. I also have not seen the Lagerstroemia indica (common name: Crape Myrtle; Family: Lythraceae) used in our parks for a long time now and I was delighted to see them here.


Almost everyone was carrying umbrellas of a multitude of colours and design in the drizzle. On my way across the overhead bridge to make a quick exit to avoid the heavy downpour, I took photos of the understorey palms e.g. Arenga hookeriana, Johannesteijsmannia lanceolata, Iguanura wallichiana, planted below the crown of the existing clusters of mature trees.

BISHAN PARK 1

I started off this post with a photo of the weed Asystasia gangetica 'Alba' (common name: White Ganges Bluebell; Family: Acanthaceae) for Bishan Park 1 because after the completion of the PUB and NPark's ABC project, this is a wildflower haven. It is a wonderful place to study various species of beautiful wildflowers such as the Melinis repens (common name: Natalgrass, Rose Natal Grass, Natal Redtop; Family: Poaceae/Gramineae).


I love the new look of the park, with numerous meanders and riverside submergent and marginal plants and so on. I mentioned it before that I love water features and the riverscape is so riveting because it reverts to a more natural look reminiscent of the past, before city-scrapers and high-rise buildings come into the picture. The former concretised monsoon drain was hacked away to make way for this high capacity river that caters to those once in a hundred years kind of floods. With heavy rains, the water level will rise and the marginal plants will be temporarily swallowed by the rising waters. When this happens, the river functions as a temporary flood plain and reservoir to hold the swelling waters until the rain ceases and the water levels drop. I think all these are so cool!


Red markers are dotted along the river and sirens will be activated to warn the park users to avoid the swollen channels when the water levels rise to the markers. To cross the river, there are bridges or stone pavers in the water for users to walk on. In fact, this is an excellent habitat for freshwater flora and fauna and organisms and for researchers to study about them. Just look at the clutches of pink eggs of the Apple Snail, even if they are non-desirable. Sometimes, one can see shorebirds wading and feeding in the shallow waters. 


Existing trees such as the Mesua ferrea (common name: Ceylon Ironwood, Indian Rose Chestnut; Family: Clusiaceae) are retained to provide shade and aesthetics and new plant additions are introduced into the landscape to create interest and diversity. 


I was enjoying myself but had to quickly leave the park and hurry to my next destination when the dark clouds in the sky rowed towards my direction and it started to drizzle.