COMMUNITY GARDENS AS VIABLE ALTERNATIVES TO OTHER COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN PUBLIC OPEN SPACES

Abstract

Community gardens first started in Mayfair Park Estate under the Community in Bloom (CIB) Initiative. This initiative was launched by the National Parks Board (NParks) in May 2005 to foster a gardening culture among the people in Singapore and to transform public open spaces to potentially useful green spaces. The dissertation sought to determine the level of awareness among residents in public housing estates, with regards to community gardens in their neighbourhood. Subsequently, community gardens as successful public open spaces would be analysed. After which, residents’ level of preference for community gardens over the other present-day community facilities such as hard court, fitness corner, playground, would be examined too. These were undertaken with the aim of establishing the feasibility of multi-functional community gardens as a viable alternative to other present-day community facilities in public housing estates in Singapore The methodology included 200 survey respondents from four housing estate with community garden, and interviews with a gardener and a representative from NParks. Several findings and recommendations were presented, in hope of exploring large-scale implementation of community gardens into future public housing typologies. Findings showed that residents were aware of the benefits and shortcomings of community gardens, and that the gardens were successful public open spaces in limited ways. Residents were also supportive of multi-functional community gardens, but were unwilling to be deprived of the variety of community facilities in their neighbourhood. Thereafter, recommendations were proposed in accordance to the findings discussed. Education and outreach activities are important in the short run to ensure that interest in community gardens do not plateau over time. In the long run, multi-functionality can then be explored further in order to maximise usage of open spaces in public areas.