PONGGOL WAS RUSTIC; NOT SO ANYMORE

Cascading waters beautify the environs of Ponggol (also Punggol) Waterway Park.
One of several bridges criss-crossing the waterway.
Some of the latest HDB flats dotting the Ponggol skyline.
This image is befuddled by cascading waters. The most prominent structure in the park which appears fudged above.


I would remember Ponggol for only one thing! At the end of Ponggol Road was a bus terminal and a few ramshackle buildings offering seafood, although they were more famous for their crabs. Nearby was a jetty for boat trips to P Ubin. It was very rustic then as the few seafood restaurants existing then suddenly popped up from nowhere when a road trip ended at Ponggol Road. With progress and development, the seafood joints have been moved out. Along Ponggol Road there are now tall blocks of HDB flats. In place of the rustic seafood restaurants at Ponggol End, there now stands the Ponggol Promenade on both sides of which are walking tracks to encourage residents living there to exercise. The jetty for boat rides to P Ubin, synonymous with Outward Bound School, is still there.
HDB flats in Ponggol and Sengkang were built simultaneously to meet housing needs for Singaporeans. Both estates sit astride the Tampines Expressway which leads to and from Changi Airport. At one point in time, Ponggol residents lamented that the resale values of their flats were significantly lower than those for flats in Sengkang. That was when plans for Ponggol 21 had yet been brought to fruition. Government initiatives apparently are afoot now for Ponggol 21 to become reality. Recently, the Ponggol Promenade and Ponggol Waterway Park were opened. A project for condominium living called "Watertown" by a private developer has been aggressively promoted. This project is developed around the Waterway Park. A huge green lung has also been created as the Park Connector links the Ponggol Waterway to the Promenade and Ponggol Park. Two years down the road, a stand-alone park will be opened in Coney Island nearby.
For now, I don't read feedback lamenting the difference in flat pricing between Ponggol and Sengkang. With Ponggol 21 being brought to fruition, who knows? Maybe the prices in Ponggol will run away from those in Sengkang!