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Sunday, October 10, 2021

Play Areas, Butterfly Garden, Dog Run and more at Bukit Gombak Park, Singapore

New park alert!

I was so happy when I heard that Bukit Gombak park had opened to visitors. The area is not far from where we live and before the pandemic, we would frequent Home Team NS T-play which is in the same neighbourhood. Another nature park in the vicinity adds to the list of weekend outdoor activities to keep the kids occupied which is always a good thing. What's even better is that Whisk & Paddle has opened an outlet that sits right at the entrance of the park so I foresee yummy waffles & desserts in our near future 😊

Bukit Gombak Park is located along Bukit Batok West Avenue 5, opposite Bukit Batok Driving Centre. It is a 10-15 min walk from the Bukit Gombak MRT station. The main entrance is situated along Bukit Batok West Avenue 5. There are two approaches to the park – one from the HDB blocks at around block 394 and another from the Pavilion Park private estate which allow residents in the area easy access to the park.

The 4.8-hectare park is located on a hill and is part of a nature corridor connecting the Central Nature Park Network and the Tengah Forest Corridor in western Singapore. The park was created to provide surrounding residents with greater accessibility to green spaces and recreational facilities for families.

With more than 1,500 trees, flowering plants, an inclined 400m-looped hill trek, butterfly garden, dog run, two areas with allotment gardens and elevated plots, a fitness area and two play areas for children, there is something for everybody.

It was a super bright Saturday and the sun was beating down on us relentlessly. The twins and I went up the inclined 400m-looped hill trek which included a flight of 108 steps, providing a panoramic view of the surrounding forest and greenery.

I wanted to check out the butterfly garden and it turned out to be quite a picturesque spot indeed. Situated at the highest point of the park at 45 metres above sea level, this garden is home to butterfly-attracting plants and over 20 species of butterflies. We spotted lots of butterflies but unfortunately, I possess the stealth of a wild elephant so I wasn't able to get any close-up butterfly shots.

My kids who are obsessed with canines caught sight of the dog run and made a beeline for it. The 480-square metre dog run which is the first in the Bukit Gombak area is a fenced area situated on a hill with a sloped terrain for dogs to run unleashed. There are also benches for owners to rest.

We watched the dogs frolicking about for a good 20 minutes.

Bukit Gombak Park also has two areas with allotment gardens and elevated plots. To cater to the increasing interest in gardening, there are 120 gardening plots for members of the community to grow fruits and vegetables in a plot of their own. Those with green thumbs can apply for one of these and unleash their gardening prowess.

A highlight of the Bukit Gombak Park for us were the outdoor play areas. There are two of them. The first one you will encounter, opens up with a small outdoor fitness corner followed by a green slide built into the slope flanked by a short flight of steps and a rock climbing wall. There are also a series of wooden obstacles and stepping stones that kids can navigate. These, along with a pair of swings, are located just next to the slide.

As I have experienced many times before, I find it absolutely maddening when 6-year old's have to wait in plain sight for more than 15 minutes in the blistering heat for the swings that are being used by fully grown ADULTS. What is the deal with that seriously 😒

The quaint Pavilion Park features a terrace playground with two embankment slides, climbing arches and swinging saddles. This is a larger play area and is more fun so don't miss it.

Like I said earlier, there is also a Whisk & Paddle café, which serves up brunch fare, mains and their signature pastries. We would have loved to stop by for a bite but we were put off by the serpentine line in front of the café. Maybe next time.

Whether you are a fitness enthusiast, parent of young children, dog owner, nature enthusiast or photographer, you will find something of interest at Bukit Gombak park.

With the addition of Bukit Gombak Park, there is yet another green space for the residents of Singapore to enjoy. As Singapore transforms into a City in Nature, these parks will allow the community to appreciate greenery and come together to contribute towards a sustainable environment.

The only downside of this park is that there aren't a lot of shady areas (at least not just yet).