Come mid-august, the only bicycle/inline skates rental
shop in Bishan Park will be closing its doors. (Yahoo! …
Over the last nine years, if you wanted to cycle or skate at
Bishan
Park, you could simply rent a pair of wheels from a shop
within the park.
After doing business for nearly a decade, the only rental shop
at one of the most popular parks in Singapore will be closing its
doors from next month.
Yahoo! Singapore has learnt that the National Parks
Board is not renewing Skateline's lease at the park. The
business also runs the private skating rink at Bishan Park 2.
According to a notice, Skateline said the premise will function
as a NParks office and the rink will be converted into a
multi-purpose open area on 15 August 2011. Permission to use the
open area will be subjected to NParks' approval.
Skateline will be closing its Bishan Park outlet after
its lease was not renewed by NParks. (Yahoo! photo)
Business at Skateline was only just picking up, after a lull
during the upgrading of the park. However, heavy construction can
still be seen across the road at Bishan Park 1.
On average, Skateline sees about 450 skaters a week and the
numbers could go up to twice that during the school holidays. On
weekends, its 45 bicycles are fully rented out.
Operations director Xavier Chong said while the company is
unable to rent out bicycles and inline skates, it intends to
continue holding inline skating lessons in the park.
Skateline also teaches at East Coast Park and has outlets in
other locations.
When contacted, an NParks spokesperson said, NParks wants to
introduce more community spaces and amenities into the park for all
to enjoy.
This is in line with the upgrading project, which was launched
in 2009, to increase the green and blue spaces in Bishan Park.
Among the improvements, the concrete canal will be converted into a
natural meandering river. It is expected to be completed by this
year.
The skating rink will be converted into a multi purpose
court. (Yahoo! photo)
Some park-goers and skaters said they were surprised and sad to
see the skating rink go.
"We look forward to coming here every week as a whole family,"
said teacher Jo Ko, 36. Three of her four daughters take inline
skating lessons every Friday night.
"I like this rink because it's safe and enclosed," said Ko, who
hopes NParks will use the "bustling" area for similar activities
and park-goers will be able to rent bicycles and skates. There will
be less reason to come to Bishan Park otherwise, she noted.
If the rink is converted into a multi-purpose court, would the
flooring be damaged, or would it be suitable for other activities,
she wondered.
Freestyle skaters Wei Jing and Chris Wong, who are part of a
group of eight to 10 skaters who practice at the rink weekly, have
been skating there for the last two years.
"It is one of the best places to skate. The floor is even and a
lot my friends are here," said 26-year-old Wei Jing.
Wong, a 24-year-old student, said, it is the biggest rink he's
seen and it is "very hard" to find a dedicated space for freestyle
skating in Singapore.
"The first question was, where do we go next? … I hope they
(NParks) understand there's a very huge community of skaters over
here. I hope they will find a solution for us."
However, some other park-goers felt a multi-purpose court would
serve a wider group of people.
Alyosius Chia, 22, who often exercises at Bishan Park, said,
"It's good that they are changing it to a multi-purpose court
because at least now, more people can use it for other
purposes."
Constance Neo, 23, who lives in Bishan, said most residents
should have bicycles they can use at the park but it "might be
inconvenient for visitors to the park who come with the impression
it will have a bike rental service".
