Changi Beach Park

Changi Beach Park (Chinese: 樟宜海滨公园, Malay: Taman Pantai Changi, Tamil: சாங்கி கடலோர பூங்கா ) is a beach park located at the northern tip of Changi in the eastern region of Singapore.

Changi Beach Park
Changi Beach
Changi Beach Park
Location in Singapore
TypeBeach
LocationChangi, Singapore
Coordinates
Area28 hectares
Managed byNational Parks Board
StatusOpen

The 28-hectare beach park is one of the oldest coastal parks in Singapore, retaining the "kampung" or village atmosphere of the 1960s and '70s. The park is approximately 3.3 km long with stretches of sandy beaches between Changi Point and Changi Ferry Road.

History

Changi Beach served as one of the killing grounds of Sook Ching massacre for the Japanese Imperial Army during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore of the Second World War, where 66 Chinese male civilians were killed on the beach by the Japanese Hojo Kempei on 20 February 1942.

The war monument plaque was erected at the Changi Beach Park (near Camp Site 2) in the eastern part of Singapore. The inscription on the monument plaque reads:

66 male civilians were killed by Japanese Hojo Kempei (auxiliary military police) firing at the water's edge on this stretch of Changi Beach on 20 February 1942. They were among tens of thousands who lost their lives during the Japanese Sook Ching operation to purge suspected anti-Japanese civilians among Singapore's Chinese population between 18 February and 4 March 1942. Tanah Merah Besar Beach, a few hundred metres south (now part of Singapore Changi Airport runway) was one of the most heavily-used killing grounds where well over a thousand Chinese men and youths lost their lives.
— National Heritage Board.[1]

Present

Changi Beach Park is popular among locals as a hangout for overnight family picnics, especially on weekends. Some individuals enjoy fishing, watching landing airplanes, jogging and watching the sunrise or sunset here. Sunrise can be viewed from the SAF Changi Ferry Terminal on the eastern end of the park and sunsets can be viewed from Changi Point. Barbecue parties, camping and watersports are some common activities. In addition, food lovers visit Changi Beach for seafood at the nearby The Seagrill, or for different food options at Changi Village. This beach is also rumored to be haunted by the spirits of those who died there in the Sook Ching Massacre.

Facilities
  • Barbecue pits, Fitness corner/ stations & Fitness equipment/ exercise station
  • Playground
  • Restroom / Toilets with or without shower facilities

Seahorse Monitoring Project

Since May 2009, the National Biodiversity Centre, together with volunteers from National Parks Board and nature groups such as Wild Singapore and TeamSeaGrass, initiated a project to monitor identified populations of Seahorse (Hippocampus kuda) and Pipefish (Syngnathoides biaculeatus) in several locations including Changi Beach for conservation management purposes. The data gathered will help to estimate the population size, growth rate of individuals and track their movements in their natural habitats.

See also

References
  1. Modder, "Changi Beach Massacre", p. 69.
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