PEDESTRIANS' PERCEPTION OF GREENERY ALONG ORCHARD ROAD

Abstract

Singapore is renowned worldwide for her beautiful Garden City image. Since the introduction of the Garden City campaign in 1960s, no road has been left unlined with trees and no vacant land within the city has been left unplanted with shrubs. When one starts to travel along the streets of Singapore, he will definitely get to see the wayside trees and shrubs along the streets. The trees of our Garden City are an integral and vital component of our landscape, contributing much to the vibrancy, beauty, amenity and quality of life in our otherwise harsh urban environment. In Singapore, the National Parks Board (NParks) is the authority responsible for the provision and maintenance of greenery. The aim of NParks is to make Singapore a city within a garden. Greenery provides us with lots of benefits like improving the aesthetic view of the area, providing shade for pedestrians and vehicles, purifying the air; reduce noise pollution and so on. However, some problems may also be posed by the provision of greenery too. Being the main commercial belt in Singapore, Orchard Road is chosen to be the case study of this research. In this study, the aim is to find out more about the benefits and problems attributed by the greenery that is provided along this stretch of road. What do the pedestrians think and feel about the greenery that is provided for them? Have they even noticed the presence of this greenery before? As the main stake holders of Orchard Road, the locals are chosen for the conduct of this study. We aim to find out the perceptions of the local pedestrians on the greenery along Orchard Road. A survey was conducted in this research and an interview was also done with the relevant authority, the National Parks Board.