Are you an Ang Mo Kio resident feeling a little sian in your neighbourhood? Perhaps you’re BTO-ing in Ang Mo Kio and regretting your decision after realising it’s a bit drab.
Goody Feed has good news for you: Ang Mo Kio will see the complete opening of a new Town Centre in 2027.
New Ang Mo Kio Town Centre Set to be Fully Ready By 2027
On Saturday (23 September), a series of plans to rejuvenate Ang Mo Kio was announced at the Ang Mo Kio Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) exhibition in AMK Hub.
These plans were constructed taking into account feedback from a Housing Board survey and focus group discussions, so don’t worry, they’re not suibian de.
Among other rejuvenation plans, Ang Mo Kio residents will welcome a new Town Centre set to be fully ready by 2027. This was announced by Henry Kwek, adviser to Keban Baru Single Member Constituency (SMC) Grassroots Organisations (GROs).
For the benefit of all those west-siders who have never ventured beyond to the better side of Singapore, here’s what the Ang Mo Kio Town Centre currently looks like.
And this is an artist’s impression of what the new Town Centre will look like:
Wah. Glow up sia. Macam watching your annoying younger cousin grow up.
The plan to revamp Ang Mo Kio Town Centre will be carried out in two phases—the first of which was already announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in August 2022.
Ah, you see? Don’t read the news somemore.
The first phase, expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2024, includes the addition of a sheltered canopy connecting the pedestrian mall to AMK Hub, shaded seating for the nua ones among us, and more ramps for wheelchair users and the elderly.
The second phase, expected to be completed by 2027, includes other projects geared towards making the Town Centre more “vibey”, as Gen Zs call it.
This includes the addition of a play corridor designed as a mini road circuit for the young ones to spend their evenings after school, the development of community spaces with facilities for the young and old, and new shop spaces so you can bring your ah ma shopping.
So, something for everyone lah.
Increased Connectivity Between AMK Town Centre & Other Spaces
Aside from the sheltered canopy connecting the Town Centre’s pedestrian mall to AMK Hub, the ROH plan also has other projects to improve connectivity in AMK.
Are you finding it sian to walk to the parks and town gardens in AMK? Well, wait till 2027—you’ll be able to enjoy some greenery on your way to even more greenery.
A new recreational trail, dubbed the “Garden Loop”, will connect the AMK Town Centre to AMK’s town gardens and the nearby Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.
Imagine how fresh the air will be—a mini Gardens By The Bay in the heartlands.
AMK residents can look forward to pocket parks and fitness corners along the Garden Loop, so your walks (or runs, if you actually exercise) won’t be as dull.
AMK residents aren’t the only ones benefitting from these plans to increase connectivity. Bishan residents will too.
AMK and Bishan residents can look forward to a linear park connecting the two neighbourhoods, which passes along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, Yio Chu Kang MRT station, and Bishan Road.
Throw away your EZ-Link card lah. Don’t need it already.
Of course, there’s also the much-raved-about Cross Island Line bringing to the neighbourhood a new AMK interchange and underground Teck Ghee Station, which is currently being built.
Drivers, there’s something for you too. The North-South Corridor (NSC), running along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 and linking to the city, will ensure you spend less time on the road and more time zuo bo-ing.
A Greener AMK
If the Garden Loop and Bishan-AMK linear park aren’t enough greenery for you, fret not. Those are far from the only plans to make AMK greener.
Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West is set to be enhanced with a new nature play garden and a therapeutic garden. This is in addition to the dog run that just opened in the town garden.
Across the neighbourhood, multi-tiered plantings will also be built along roadsides so you can go home and tell your mother that you followed her “How to Improve your Eyesight” advice and looked at “green stuff” today.
What about the other type of “green”? You know, the one that involves being more environmentally friendly?
We’re not even kidding now—there are plans for that too.
With the NSC being constructed along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6, cars will naturally be diverted to the NSC viaduct and tunnel instead. Then, what happens to Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6?
Well, it’ll be repurposed to include bus lanes, cycling trunk routes, pedestrian paths, and other green spaces.
Wah. Win liao lor.
New Active Ageing Amenities
And with any town rejuvenation plan, of course, you have to think about senior citizens. This is especially so for Ang Mo Kio, where nearly 40% of residents are 60 and above.
So, what does the ROH plan have in store?
That depends on what problems the ROH plan has to tackle regarding active ageing.
First, we have the standard: an active lifestyle. For this, seniors may look forward to more therapeutic gardens, fitness trails and corners, and exercise equipment to sweat it out after a long day playing mahjong.
These amenities also kill two birds with one stone—seniors can mingle with their kakis in these shared spaces, tackling concerns about seniors’ social interactions.
Next up: safety and accessibility. Quite aptly, one such solution is named “Friendly Streets”.
“Friendly Streets” aims to make access to the AMK Town Centre and the nearby Teck Ghee Court Neighbourhood Centre safer by incorporating traffic-calming measures so seniors may have ease of mind crossing roads.
There’ll even be quicker green man activation and longer green man durations at traffic lights—more time to cross the road.
To top it all off, this initiative is inclusive as well. “Friendly Streets” takes into account the needs of wheelchair users and families with prams alongside those of seniors. The raised zebra crossings will be one such measure that tackles the needs of all three groups.
It seems like the ROH plan is already OP enough, but apparently, the planners think otherwise.
Among other initiatives, the AMK Heritage Trail will be revamped to feature architectural icons such as Clover Block.
Selected void deck walls in AMK will also be decked out with art installations soon.
Feeling like moving to AMK after hearing about what’s in store for the neighbourhood?
You’ll be glad to hear that you’ll probably have a chance to BTO in the area—nearly 1,800 new flats will be completed in the coming years.
West siders, don’t be jealous lah.