Big Splash, Singapore
1°17′50″N 103°53′59″E / 1.297152°N 103.899695°E / 1.297152; 103.899695
Big Splash was a former waterpark located at East Coast Park in Singapore that operated between 1977 and 2006. It was later redeveloped into a dining and recreation area named Playground @ Big Splash, which opened in 2008. The site was demolished in 2017.
History
Big Splash was built in 1977 by Singapore Aquatic Sports Pte Ltd (owned by Goldhill Properties) on a 2.8-hectare site of the reclaimed land in the new East Coast Park. It was a project of the Parks and Recreation Department of the Ministry of National Development, and built at the cost of S$6 million.
The waterpark featured an 85-metre long water slide, said at the time to be the longest and highest in the world. There were several other pools, including a wave-pool and a 200 m long flow-pool, as well as facilities such as an open-air theatre, a restaurant and food kiosks, and an arcade.[1]
The park opened on 23 July 1977 at 8 a.m. All 5 of the pools in the complex were filled with sea water and had a sand bottom to create the impression of a beach. The largest pool (at the base of the 85-metre slide) was reported to be able to accommodate 1,380 people. Admission fees were $1.50 for adults and $1.00 for children for the first two hours on weekdays, with a subsequent fee of $0.50 for every subsequent two hours; on weekends the admission fees were $2.00 for adults and $1.50 for children for the first two hours and $1 and $0.50 respectively for every subsequent two hours.[1] The air-conditioned restaurant was said to have pioneered the 'tank to table' concept of serving seafood.[2]
From 1986 until at least 2002, Big Splash was owned by Potential Investments Pte Ltd.[2]
Although Big Splash was initially very popular, over the decades it declined and became less attractive. In 2002, it was closed for a four-month facelift, reopening with new facilities such as a dive school and a bicycle kiosk.[2] In 2006 it closed for major redevelopment. When it reopened as Playground @ Big Splash in March 2008, the water slides and pools were gone and the entire compound had been redeveloped into a dining and lifestyle destination.[3] It was home to a range of dining options, from fast food outlets and casual cafes to upmarket restaurants and bars, as well as an inline skating school, mini-golf course, gym and other amenities.[4]
In July 2016 it was announced that Playground @ Big Splash will close in October 2016. The last day of operations was 21 October 2016. The site lease had expired and was returned to the government for redevelopment.[5] Its structures was later demolished in 2017 while its iconic tower was preserved for upcoming future recreational developments.[6]
In March 2021, the Coastal PlayGrove was completed on the former site of Big Splash and was officially opened on 28 March 2021.[7]
External links
- Official website
- Big Splash on Facebook
References
- ^ a b Yeo, Joseph (17 July 1977). "$6 million splash..." The Straits Times. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ a b c Lee, Ching Wern (30 November 2002). "Big Splash 2". TODAY. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ Ansar, Asif (7 March 2008). "Remaking a big splash". TODAY. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ "Big Splash > About Us". The Seafood International Market & Restaurant Pte Ltd. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
- ^ hermes (24 July 2016). "Bye bye, Big Splash: 40-year-old landmark will disappear for good in October". The Straits Times. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- ^ hermesauto (29 July 2017). "East Coast Park to be upgraded with more open spaces and amenities". The Straits Times. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- ^ "Former Big Splash site opens as 4.5-hectare Coastal PlayGrove with tallest outdoor play area in S'pore". mothership.sg. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- v
- t
- e
- Coastal PlayGrove
- Sentosa
- Imbiah Lookout
- Resorts World Sentosa
- Universal Studios Singapore
- Adventure Cove Waterpark
- NTUC Downtown East
- Wild Wild Wet
- Buona Vista Battery
- Fort Canning Hill
- Fort Siloso
- Fort Tanjong Katong
- Johore Battery
- Pasir Panjang Pillbox
- Bukit Batok Memorial
- Caldwell House
- CHIJMES Hall
- Civilian War Memorial
- Early Founders Memorial Stone
- Former Indian National Army Monument
- Founders' Memorial
- Japanese Cemetery Park
- Kranji War Memorial
- Lim Bo Seng Memorial
- Old Tao Nan School
- Raffles's Landing Site
- SGH War Memorial
- Tan Kim Seng Fountain
- The Cenotaph
- ArtScience Museum
- Asian Civilisations Museum
- Baba House
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
- Changi Chapel and Museum
- Chinese Heritage Centre
- Former Ford Factory
- Fort Siloso
- Images of Singapore
- Indian Heritage Centre
- Madame Tussauds Singapore
- Malay Heritage Centre
- National Gallery Singapore
- National Museum of Singapore
- Peranakan Museum
- Reflections at Bukit Chandu
- Science Centre Singapore
- Singapore Art Museum
- Singapore Philatelic Museum
- Singapore Discovery Centre
- Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
- The Battle Box
- Alkaff Gardens
- Beauty World Market
- Big Splash
- CN-West Leisure Park
- Escape Theme Park
- Fantasy Island
- Gay World Amusement Park
- Great World Amusement Park
- Jurong Bird Park
- Malay Village
- New World Amusement Park
- Punggol Zoo
- Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris
- Tang Dynasty City
- The Maritime Experiential Museum
- Ultimate Magic
- Underwater World
- Van Kleef Aquarium
- Volcanoland
- Wonderland Amusement Park