 |
| Source: Jane's Walk website. |
Get a group of colleagues together to explore Singapore the first weekend of May with Jane's Walk, a global movement of free, citizen-led walking tours inspired by Jane Jacobs. The walks are designed to get people to tell stories about their communities, explore their cities, and connect with neighbours.
"Jane Jacobs who was a champion of walkability, thriving neighborhoods and involving the local communities in the changing landscape of city life would be proud! She taught that understanding a city requires observation, questioning and discovery and we're excited to do just that weekend of May 1-3." said Mai Tatoy, City Organiser for Jane's Walk in Singapore.
"From four walks to 21 walks in three years, Singaporeans are celebrating their walkable city in a big way."
This year's walks will be held from May 1 to 3 and range from walks that beginners can do all the way to 'high level'. There is even a jog, three for dog lovers and one labelled a ' twilight ramble'. The routes and duration are clearly marked online, with handy tips such as parking availability and how to identify participants.
Burmese Roads Along Balestier (May 3, 4pm) is a family-friendly 1.5-hour walk that welcomes bicycles, for example. Walk Leader Yan Oak, a "Burmese guy who has been here since the 90s", and Corrie Tan, an arts writer in Singapore, will share what Moulmein - the third largest city in Myanmar, Akyab - a port in Western Myanmar - and Rangoon, a jewel in the crown of the British Empire, have to do with a Burmese traditional medicine man who came to settle in Singapore more than a hundred years ago.
A Jog Through Green Urban Spaces - Tanjong Rhu to Gardens by the Bay (May 1, 5pm) also allows bicycles. This slow jog of 4 to 5km is expected to introduce participants to park connectors, which the organisers say are unique to Singapore.
For a cooler experience, An Evening Stroll into the Past starts at 6.30pm on May 2. This dusk-to-dark stroll from Bukit Brown Cemetery to Thomson Road will include titbits about pioneers of Singapore. Dogs are welcome.
The other evening walk is labelled De Opium Hill Twilight Ramble (May 1, 4.30pm). This will involve a steep hill (Bukit Chandu) as well as torches or headlamps for a climb in the dark. The walk will include a taste of the Canopy Walkway and a visit to the Reflections of Bukit Chandu.
If your group requires something simpler, consider Tiong Bahru Charm on May 2 at 5pm, which notes that baby strollers are welcome. Walk Leader Isabel Servando, a "writer, believer, empath, learned extrovert (though no one will take my word for it), bargain hunter, volunteer teacher and constant diet cheater", will show a side of old Singapore that still exists, even though gentrification is occurring.
Other walks that share a slice of history will cover Queenstown, the area around Fullerton Hotel, Little India, Bishan, the Bras Basah neighbourhood, Geylang, Geylang Serai and Joo Chiat, and Clemenceau Avenue. Find out more about each Singapore walk here and register here.
Read our blog post about last year's Jane's Walk in Singapore here.
