New therapeutic garden features wheelchair obstacle course, more

A new therapeutic garden, which features the Republic’s first outdoor boccia court, opened at Punggol Park on Dec 12.

Designed to cater to users including seniors and wheelchair users, the 2,000 sq m garden features the first outdoor wheelchair obstacle course located within parks under the National Parks Board (NParks).

The garden also houses the first inclusive agility course in a therapeutic garden that can be used for physiotherapy and recreational purposes.

Therapeutic gardens help people interact with nature to improve their well-being, including those with dementia or special needs.

Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah, who was at the opening of the garden on Dec 12, said therapeutic gardens are curated to foster meaningful interactions with nature, incorporating features that can enhance physical and mental well-being.

“Studies have shown that exposure to nature and gardening can reduce stress and improve mental health,” she said in a statement on Dec 12.

“We will continue to enhance our parks and gardens to provide more accessible and inclusive nature-based experiences for Singaporeans of all ages and abilities to enjoy.”

The new garden brings the number of therapeutic gardens in Singapore to 16. By 2030, there will be 30 therapeutic gardens scattered across the island. The first was developed in HortPark in 2016.

The garden is split into two zones – the active zone where visitors can exercise and the passive zone where people can relax.

In between the two zones stands a majestic 12m-tall rain tree planted more than 30 years ago, around which the garden was designed.

The garden is also filled with palm trees like the miniature date palm and colourful flora like scarlet milkweed, which attracts butterflies.

At the heart of the active zone lies the first outdoor boccia court in Singapore. The court allows users to try the Paralympic sport and doubles up as a multi-purpose court.

Boccia, which means “to bowl” in Italian, is played by wheelchair users with motor-skill impairment. The aim of the game is to bowl balls as close as possible to a white target ball known as the jack.

Originally designed to be played by people with cerebral palsy, the sport has now expanded to include athletes with disabilities affecting their motor skills.

National youth boccia player Aloysius Gan, 18, played the sport outdoors for the first time at the opening on Dec 12.

His mother, Ms Eve Cher, 44, said that playing boccia outdoors can help to increase the awareness of the sport, which is usually played indoors here.

Not only can Aloysius play in an open air environment with birds chirping in the background, it is also more convenient for them to use the court, which is close to their home in Punggol, she added.

Meanwhile, the wheelchair obstacle course – designed with advice from the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) – provides wheelchair users a space to improve their mobility control and strengthen their upper body and core muscles.

Caregivers can remain close by to help the wheelchair users at the course, which is flanked by a safety guiding lane.

Right beside the wheelchair obstacle course is the inclusive agility course, which is suitable for everyone, including children. It also provides a space for users such as stroke patients to train their agility and movement.

It has four features such as the agility ladders and agility hurdles, which can help users improve leg strength and balance.

Ms Theresa Goh, pathway and performance manager at SDSC, told The Straits Times that the garden gives wheelchair users another place for them to gather and she hopes that there will be more of such spaces in future.

“The outdoor obstacle course is fun... it’s something that we don’t get to use elsewhere,” said Ms Goh, who is a wheelchair user, adding that this can also encourage outdoor play among wheelchair users.

Over at the passive zone, there are three meditation decks where people can unwind through activities like yoga.

Visitors can also scan a QR code at each meditation deck and tune into a relaxing curated playlist by NParks on music platform Spotify.

Such decks will be useful for Ms Vinita Yadav, who lives nearby, as she meditates daily.

The 50-year-old housewife, who goes to the park almost every day, said: “The garden gives me a calming effect. This will be the new addition to my walks.”