Last weekend, Leo Sia (Form 5Sc, 1978) dropped by this little island, while on his way to yet another island. We went for some dim sum, after which I drove him to a lesser known Singapore attraction - The Marina Barrage.
The Marina Barrage was opened in November 2008. It is essentially a dam built at the mouth of the Marina Bay. An award-winning project, costing about S$230m, it turns the Marina Bay and Kallang Basin into a new freshwater reservoir, at the same time providing a mechanism for flood control as well as becoming a new lifestyle park. More information on the Marina Barrage can be found here and also here.
There was a small visitors centre in the building, which showcased the story of Singapore's long time struggles with water - from getting enough to supply its people (and we all know about the thorny issues over the water (dis)agreements with Malaysia), the creation of NEWwater, the clean up of the Singapore River, and the development of various reservoir systems on the island.
There was also a scale model of the area within the centre ...
... as well as some nifty "take a picture and send a e-postcard" devices along the corridors ...
They have made the roof of the building into a nice landscaped garden, with a nice view of the city skyline.
One could say the Marina Barrage is another of Singapore's initiatives towards creating a greener or more environmentally sustainable society. And since tomorrow (April 22) has been designated Earth Day, I guess that's a good place to end this posting.
