Abstract
As with the rest of the world, Singapore’s population is ageing fast. With medical advances, lifespan has been increasing. Older Singaporeans are not just living longer; they are enjoying more years in good health than global average. Singapore’s older population is estimated to double to 1 in 4 persons by 2030. Recognising the opportunities that population ageing presents, Singapore planners are seeking to foster an age-friendly city and remake its neighbourhoods into “the best place for Singaporeans to grow old in and a model for successful ageing”. This aspiration is offering up opportunities to reinvigorate placemaking and collaborative planning with older individuals. The majority – 82% of Singapore’s resident population lives in high-rise high-density public housing, the result of large-scale public housing development since 1960. In providing affordable housing, the public housing estates based on the new town development model provide a wide range of recreational, social and community amenities including the ubiquitous neighbourhood park for residents’ convenience. Using qualitative data from focus group discussion and community design workshop with older Singaporeans (aged 55 and older), this paper explores opportunities for collaborative planning with older individuals in community space development. It speaks to the challenge of population ageing and the implications for community space planning. In particular, it asks what do older adults want in their community park? How do we create community parks that support healthy ageing? It will discuss the lived experiences and perceived place-based needs and aspirations of older residents for their neighbourhood park. The discussion highlights the basic urban planning principle that people come first and demonstrates how older adults can become active placemakers in their community.
