SPEECH BY MR S ISWARAN, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION, AT THE SENTOSA boardwalk groundbreaking CEREMONY, 28 july 2009 at 10.25am at SENTOSA gateway (causeway-bridge walkway)

Dr Loo Choon Yong, Chairman, Sentosa Development Corporation;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Introduction

It is my pleasure to join all of you today to lay the ground for the Sentosa Boardwalk. When it opens next year, visitors will have yet another mode of entry into Sentosa from which to choose – whether by cable-car, by rail on the Sentosa Express, on the island buses, self-driving through the Sentosa Gateway, or on foot via the new Sentosa Boardwalk.

South-East Asia’s largest thematic walkway

The Boardwalk promises visitors a whole new experience. The 620 metre-long boardwalk, linking VivoCity Promenade and Sentosa, features five garden themes depicting different landscapes of Singapore. This ‘Boardwalk in the Garden’ will, I am told, be South-East Asia’s largest thematic walkway.Visitors can take in views of the scenic waterfront as they stroll on the boardwalk. They can also make use of the canopy-covered travellators for their journey to the island.At night, the boardwalk will be illuminated to enhance the precinct and visitors’ experience.

This seamless connection is an integral part of Sentosa’s overall traffic management strategy to improve accessibility to and from the mainland.

A Significant Milestone Development

Today’s groundbreaking of the boardwalk is yet another significant milestone for Sentosa which has come a long way from a sleepy fishing village to become Asia’s playground.

Indeed, Sentosa has become a bustling premier leisure and lifestyle resort destination for visitors. More than six million people visited the island last year, a nine-fold increase since its opening in 1972. With a wide array of attractions and leisure activities, and a growing community at Sentosa Cove, the island will continue to buzz with vibrancy.

Conclusion 

I wish Sentosa success with this Boardwalk project that will certainly give visitors to the island a memorable experience.

Thank you.