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Playful Spaces, Joyful Places
As part of the Recreation Master Plan, more inclusive, accessible and diverse recreational options are planned islandwide.
Last updated 26 June 2025
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More recreational spaces to meet different interests
Planning spaces where our communities can unwind, stay active and enjoy quality time with loved ones has always been integral to Singapore’s land use planning. As new recreational spaces continue to be injected across the island, 8 in 10 households will live just a 10-minute walk away from tranquil green spaces, sports and wellness facilities, and lively social spaces for community bonding.
To optimise our natural and built assets, three strategies will be adopted to support a multitude of recreational options across the island and in our neighbourhoods, making recreation more inclusive for all.
An island of green, blue and fun
Singapore will be connected by an extensive network of green and blue spaces and new recreational nodes, offering areas of fun and respite.
Everyday play-ces
Sports, arts, heritage and places to unwind will be woven into our everyday spaces and integrated near homes.
Involving community in play
Inclusive and endearing recreational spaces will be shaped from the ground up, and more will be welcomed to step forward to create new play spaces within neighbourhoods.
An island of green, blue and fun
Singapore may be small, but we are big on recreational options!
A variety of recreational nodes and trails offering differentiated experiences are available islandwide. Our green and blue spaces will be further activated and neighbourhoods connected via a comprehensive cycling and Park Connector Network for more to enjoy the great outdoors.
Our coast and waterbodies
The island’s coastline offers endless possibilities for fun and relaxation. The three waterbodies of the Central Area – Marina Bay, Marina Channel and Kallang Basin – welcome new recreational opportunities, while the new Punggol Regional Sport Centre along My Waterway@Punggol will include a water sports centre.
Go all around
The 150-kilometre Round Island Route was first conceptualised in 2011. Half of it has been completed, and agencies are working to finish the remaining stretches by the 2030s.
Discover your Recreation Archetypes!
Zen master
Nature lovers who advocate for parks, green spaces and outdoor activities.
Culture vulture
Community, arts and heritage enthusiasts who appreciate creative spaces, community events and cultural activities islandwide.
Active warrior
Sporty individuals who promote accessibility to sports and active lifestyles.
Chill pill
Retail and dining consumers who enjoy shopping and eating out to bond with family and friends.
In 2022, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) conducted a “Recreation Experience and Preference Survey” to understand Singaporeans’ recreational preferences. The results showed that eating out is our favourite pastime!
Take the quiz to discover your archetype and the recreation spots in Singapore that match your vibe!
Everyday play-ces
Bringing sports, wellness, arts and culture closer to homes.
A sporting nation
The Sport Facilities Master Plan (SFMP) by Sport Singapore (SportSG) aims to provide Singaporeans with convenient access to relevant and affordable public sport facilities. This supports active lifestyles and community well-being so that all can enjoy sports as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Over the past five years,
3 sport facilities have been renovated.
7 new sport facilities have been built.
Residents in Ang Mo Kio, Queenstown, Hougang, Punggol, Yishun, and Toa Payoh can look forward to new or renovated sport facilities within the next five years. Additional amenities will also be brought closer to homes as part of new Sport-in-Precinct initiatives.
Just a tap away
Digital technologies can empower Singaporeans to lead healthier and more active lifestyles. MyActiveSG+ is a web-based platform that simplifies searching and booking of sport facilities and exercise classes, while Healthy365 rewards users for staying active.
Sport-in-Precinct (SIP)
SIP facilities are built in housing estates across the island to make sports more accessible for residents of different ages and abilities.
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Emerging sports
Pickleball is now part of Pesta Sukan, a national sports festival for promoting community spirit and sports excellence. SportSG has also added pickleball courts to sports centres and Dual-Use Scheme (DUS) facilities islandwide.
Living well with nature
Immersion in therapeutic landscapes and going for nature walks allow people of all ages to enhance their physical and mental wellness.
The National Parks Board (NParks) is working with various agencies to introduce:
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12 more therapeutic gardens across Singapore to achieve a total of 30 by 2030.
Hands-on planting zone in a therapeutic garden at West Coast Park.
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Additional contemplative landscapes in our parks and gardens to enhance mental health.
Contemplative landscape at Rower’s Bay Park.
More nature playgardens within parks.
Nature playgarden at the east section of Tampines Boulevard Park.
More allotment gardens to the existing 3,300 plots across 57 sites. New community gardens under the Community-in-Bloom programme to foster a gardening culture among the residents in our green spaces. Since 2005, NParks has facilitated the set-up of >2,000 community gardening groups in housing estates, schools, and organisations.
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Neighbourhoods of discoveries
Singapore’s built heritage tells stories of neighbourhoods and communities across generations. The National Heritage Board’s Heritage Activation Nodes (HANs) work with the community to celebrate the unique stories and identities of our cherished places. Three HANs have been launched so far:
Katong-Joo Chiat offers guided walking trails and tours around the area led by a HAN Heritage Champion.
Clementi’s traditional and local businesses were featured in a documentary series by a team of Ngee Ann Polytechnic Students. Engagement booths encouraging intergenerational conversations and play were set up at a Heritage Village in Clementi Town Centre as part of the HAN @ Clementi Launch Festival in 2024.
Punggol is home to the latest HAN network. Since April 2025, residents have been working together to shape and present initiatives that highlight this neighbourhood’s transformation.
Arts for all
The SG Arts Plan (2023–2027) by the National Arts Council (NAC) envisions a community connected through shared arts and cultural experiences.
More art performances, workshops and activities will be introduced in familiar places to build social connections and strengthen national identity.
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Paper Tanjak Workshop as part of ArtsEverywhere@CDC by NADI Singapura at Kampung Admiralty
Additional spaces will be created for the arts within the community through the Poems on the MRT initiative, arts will be brought closer to the heartland with ArtsEverywhere@CDC.
A more playful Punggol
Giant pencils, fluttering insects and a larger-than-life crocodile – these are the three winning installations recently introduced along Punggol Waterway. Come play with the designs and learn how they were inspired by the rich heritage of Punggol!
Transforming underutilised spaces
Play can happen anywhere! Rather than being confined to formal spaces, various agencies have incorporated it into our everyday environment to unlock the potential of underutilised spaces:
Below flyovers and viaducts
These “overlooked spaces” beneath our transport infrastructure have come alive through the collaboration of various agencies. They now host sports, arts and community uses!
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School sport facilities
As part of the Dual-Use Scheme (DUS), fields and indoor halls in Ministry of Education schools are available for public use after school hours.
ActiveSG manages over 230 such facilities, among them are 45 free-to-play fields.
Multi-storey car parks (MSCP)
The rooftops of MSCPs have been adapted for art installations, gardens and sporting activities! The Housing & Development Board also adopts a ground-up approach to transform underutilised MSCP top decks into community and allotment gardens as part of their Green Towns Programme.
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Have an idea of which MSCP you want to activate? Applications are open annually from March to April and September to October.
Open Spaces
Throughout the island are pockets of informal spaces for various recreational needs.
Involving community in play
The local community best understands what kind of play spaces appeal to them! Over the years, we have partnered with developers, residents and different stakeholders to activate recreational spaces and design more inclusive public spaces. There will continue to be avenues for Singaporeans to work with one another to shape their own play spaces.
Creating more inclusive and accessible play spaces
Besides designing recreational spaces for people of all ages and abilities, these spaces are also intended to bring diverse groups together to interact and have fun.
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Enlivening public spaces
Many multi-functional public spaces for events, sports, arts and everyday interaction have popped up across Singapore. These “urban living rooms”, accessible to the public 24/7, result from URA’s Privately-Owned Public Space (POPS) design guidelines introduced in 2017. The guidelines encourage developers and building owners to provide well-designed public spaces within private developments. There are 28 POPS today, and more are on the way.
Reimagining state properties
State-owned properties hold untapped potential to become vibrant public spaces. Through strategic partnerships, business owners, developers and designers can collaborate to bid for state buildings and spaces, and reimagine them for interim uses.
New Bahru (Former Nan Chiau High School).
Bringing life to places
Apply to the Lively Places Fund
Step 1
Have an idea
Step 2
Gather your community
Step 3
Apply to the fund
Step 4
Implement together
Step 5
Enjoy and maintain
URA and HDB collaborate to encourage residents to initiate community-driven placemaking projects with the Lively Places Fund. Residents can work together to activate public spaces in their neighbourhoods, forging bonds and fostering a stronger sense of community. Get inspired by some recently completed and upcoming projects and turn your ideas into reality with neighbours and friends.
Injecting a sense of delight into the public realm
There are many ways to create delightful public spaces across Singapore. By adding imaginative artworks and images on construction hoardings, our sidewalks and public spaces can be enlivened as art galleries in the city!
