Colours Of Nature: The Green Corridor

There is a vast meadow near our old house where we used to hang out over the weekends. It is a pasture where we could take long leisurely walks without seeing any cars or smelling their noxious fumes. A colossal verdure where we can observe the little things that make nature so wondrous. We were able to observe at close range the simplest beauties like an eagle soaring low over the meadow, verdant patches of lalang, and dense morning mist rising over the dewy, wet grass awakening from a night of slumber.

Recently, we went back to our little emerald playground, and we were devastated to see a proliferation of bulldozers, trucks and other horrible machines meant to annihilate the primary forest, undergrowth and the enduring greenery in that entire area. I think the government just cannot bear to see a large piece of unspoiled natural beauty gone to "waste", and prefers building sterile shopping malls and pricey condominiums instead. It is inexplicably saddening. 

We should really be teaching our children - who will be the next generation of leaders in this urban nation - the value of nature, the huge benefits of leaving forests unkempt and growing at their own pace (instead of terribly boring cultivated parks), and the power of heritage in this young children. Otherwise, there is no way for our children's children and other generations beyond to truly understand this fledgling country if everything is all about economic success and air-conditioned leisure. 

I am blessed to have parents who used to bring us to parks and beaches for picnics and outings. My brother and I grew to appreciate nature a lot - even until now. I am also very happy to have a husband who loves the heat of Singapore as much as I, who always refrain from going into boring, air-conditioned malls to spend a free afternoon. 

Some time back, my husband and brother made plans for a cycling trip along the Green Corridor. I would love to join them one day, maybe trekking behind them with the Bees. Here is a guest feature by my brother who wrote briefly about the sights and scenes from their dawn cycling adventure. I thought it was a very poignant post about grasping at the last vestiges of our memories. In the end, my hubby and brother cycled for a good 6 hours throughout the breathtaking Green Corridor! 

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The Green Corridor (The old railway track)

Text and photography by my brother

As I cycled on the old train track along Ghim Moh, I took a moment to look up at the block of flats that my eldest uncle once stayed.

Every first day of Lunar New Year, all my relatives would congregate there. I still remember vividly during my childhood days, my sister and cousins would rush to the windows and catch a glimpse of the passing train. As it whistled by in a hurry, it brought us smiles.

Today, the block of flats stood silently cordoned away from the public, awaiting its final destiny.

Further down, Tanglin Halt comes into sight. It is here that my mum spent many of her growing years in. Once again, the block of flats had met with the same fate as those in Ghim Moh - en-bloc.

Queensway is just round the corner. There are news that it is up for sale. Will the Mecca of sports shoes meet the same fate as Ghim Moh and Tanglin Halt?

Ironically, in this day and age, nothing can withstand urbanisation. A stretch of dirt path filled with rich memories - and yet, its fate is in peril.

What other sacrifices do we need to make in the relentless pursuit of economic growth in Singapore? Have we all lost our soul and innocence in the process?