Alexandra Canal

This is a typical "canal" in Singapore. Long ago, I believe this was part of a river stream but the old government decided to concretise everything and all the rivers and streams ended up as big concrete drains or longkangs. 

Today, after realising that going the way of the longkang was no good, the authorities decided that it was time to beautify up the longkang and came up with the ABC water campaign! ie Active, Beautiful and Clean Water.

This is the Alexandra Canal which leads into the Singapore River. Under the Active Beautiful Clean Water program, the canal has been spruced up and looks beautiful. Too bad the water flowing into it is still just as dirty.

Now there are plants growing over it

Even some sort of sedimentation system

And the masterpiece of the Alexandra Park Canal - this water feature where children can play in

There is also a path along both banks of the canal which leads all the way to the Singapore River and up to Queenstown on the other end.

There are some critics who claimed the government is wasting tax payers on this ABC program but hey I rather have these beautiful places rather than an ugly concrete drain!