Adding to the existing network of natural recreation areas, NParks announced the reopening of the revamped Rifle Range Nature Park at the southern tip of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
Spanning 66 hectares, the nature park comprises 7km of trails and boardwalks. There, you can also find a 31m-high vantage deck overlooking a refurbished quarry wetland.
Source: NParks on Facebook
Recreational offerings aside, the new park also serves as a buffer for Bukit Timah Nature reserve, shielding it from the effects of nearby developments and providing complementary habitats for its rich biodiversity.
On Saturday (12 Nov), the revamped Rifle Range Nature Park officially opened to members of the public.
Source: Facebook
Prior to its development in 2018, the park was described by The Straits Times (ST) as “a network of kampung trails skirting an abandoned quarry”.
After four years of development, the park now boasts 7km of trails and boardwalks for visitors to explore — the most extensive of all nature parks in the Central Nature Park Network.
Source: NParks on Facebook
Sin Seng Quarry, an abandoned mine at the site of the new park, has also been restored into a freshwater habitat.
Source: NParks on Facebook
The main attraction at the park is the Colugo Deck — a vantage deck 31 metres above the ground. Coming from the base of the Quarry Wetland, visitors can take a hike along the Colugo Trail to reach the deck.
Image courtesy of NParks
Shaped like a colugo, the observation deck rewards hikers with an unobstructed view of the park as well as the restored wetlands below.
Image courtesy of NParks
To serve the 300 species of wildlife that call the site home, the park features installations aimed at enhancing ecological connectivity.
These aerial rope bridges, for instance, help animals living in trees cross safely between Rifle Range Nature Park and the nearby Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
Source: NParksSG on YouTube
To support the growing population of Horsfield’s Flying Squirrel, NParks has also installed nesting habitats where they can seek refuge.
Down below, a culvert serves as an underground passageway for small mammals to cross Rifle Range Road safely.
Source: NParksSG on YouTube
There are also plans to install a Roadway Animal Detection System with Advance Waring Signs along Rifle Range Road to warn motorists about the presence of animals and to drive with caution.
Visitors can get to Rifle Range Nature Park via Beauty World Centre and the Rail Corridor.
A section of the park is connected directly to an overhead bridge which leads to Beauty World Centre, and by extension, Beauty World MRT Station.
Here’s a visual guide, courtesy of NParks.
If you’d like to explore it for yourself, here’s how to get there:
Rifle Range Nature Park
Address: Rifle Range Road
Opening hours: 7am-7pm daily
Nearest MRT: Beauty World Station
The reopening of the revamped park is surely great news for avid hikers.
While the recent wet weather may not be ideal for outdoor activities, you can always bookmark the location for future visits.
Know someone who would love to visit the park? Tag them in the comments so they can plan their next hike there.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from NParks on Facebook.
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