Sengkang may be a populous town in the Northeast but you can still find pockets of green in this relatively young estate. The Sengkang Riverside Park is a riverine park by Sungei Punggol – one of the two large rivers that run through Sengkang.
Opened in 2008, the park is home to a unique water feature, constructed wetlands that collects and filters rainwater naturally through its aquatic plants. The wetlands also double as a wildlife habitat and attract many mangrove birds into the park such as purple heron, collared kingfisher and little tern. Other than that, dragonflies & damselflies, like the Red Scarlet and Common Bluetail damselfly, can also be found resting on the aquatic plants. For an immersive experience, you can walk right up to the edge of these ponds to observe the wildlife for yourself.
Sengkang Riverside Park was also awarded the ABC Waters Certification (that stands for Active, Beautiful, and Clean Waters) as an excellent example of how the protection of our water resources can be creatively integrated with urban planning in a sustainable manner.
Just nearby and over Sungei Punggol, you can also find Singapore's largest man-made wetland, the Sengkang Floating Wetland. Cross the bridge to get closer to the floating island of aquatic plants or sit on the seats shaped like orange slices on the bridge for a breather.
Another interesting feature of Sengkang Riverside Park is also the cluster of edible fruit trees planted there. In the aptly named Mango Hilltop, Citrus Grove, and Pineapple Valley, you can find common fruits like star fruit, chiku, pineapple and dragon fruits. But no picking!