If you remember the NS Square (which, by the way, is a circle) and you’re wondering where on earth it is, you’re not alone.
Today (22 March), Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen took to Facebook to announce that this year’s National Day Parade (NDP) will still be held at The Float @ Marina Bay.
Previously, it was announced that The Float @ Marina Bay would be redeveloped into the NS Cir—I mean, Square, but the plans to do so have been postponed for a year according to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).
Oh, and if the name wasn’t obvious enough, the NS Square was proposed as an area to commemorate Singapore’s mandatory National Service (NS).
Dr Ng mentioned that the delay in plans for the NS Square will allow us to hold this year’s NDP at the floating platform.
“Look forward to combined air, land and sea components for NDP 2022 and larger crowds for both participants and spectators,” he added.
This year will mark the first time that NDP has had “larger crowds” since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as NDP was held on a smaller scale in 2020 and 2021 due to the various COVID-19 restrictions.
Development of the NS Square
Back in 2007, The Float @ Marina Bay was built to act as a temporary venue to hold various large-scale events while the National Stadium was under reconstruction.
Yup, it was meant to be temporary.
Afterwards, in 2017, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled the plan to reconstruct the area and turn it into the NS Square that we’ve been hearing about. After its construction, it will remain a permanent venue and be the primary venue for our national NDPs.
The NS Square will include an NS-themed gallery, community sports facilities and a new public waterfront promenade when construction works are complete.
A consultant team led by WOHA Architects was awarded the contract to redevelop it in 2020, and well, we all know what happened in 2020: their plans were soon halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation and its impact on the construction sector, works have been rescheduled to start in March 2023, and are expected to be completed by end-2026,” MINDEF clarified in a media release.
MINDEF also highlighted that they will reveal more details about the NS Square and its construction plans in the future.
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Featured Image: Jordan Tan / shutterstock.com