No more wheels for rent at Bishan Park

Over the last nine years, if you wanted to cycle or skate at Bishan Park, you could simply rent a pair of wheels from a shop within the park.

After doing business for nearly a decade, the only rental shop at one of the most popular parks in Singapore will be closing its doors from next month.

Yahoo! Singapore has learnt that the National Parks Board is not renewing Skateline's lease at the park. The business also runs the private skating rink at Bishan Park 2.

According to a notice, Skateline said the premise will function as a NParks office and the rink will be converted into a multi-purpose open area on 15 August 2011. Permission to use the open area will be subjected to NParks' approval.

Business at Skateline was only just picking up, after a lull during the upgrading of the park. However, heavy construction can still be seen across the road at Bishan Park 1.

On average, Skateline sees about 450 skaters a week and the numbers could go up to twice that during the school holidays. On weekends, its 45 bicycles are fully rented out.

Operations director Xavier Chong said while the company is unable to rent out bicycles and inline skates, it intends to continue holding inline skating lessons in the park.

Skateline also teaches at East Coast Park and has outlets in other locations.

When contacted, an NParks spokesperson said, NParks wants to introduce more community spaces and amenities into the park for all to enjoy.

This is in line with the upgrading project, which was launched in 2009, to increase the green and blue spaces in Bishan Park. Among the improvements, the concrete canal will be converted into a natural meandering river. It is expected to be completed by this year.

Some park-goers and skaters said they were surprised and sad to see the skating rink go.

"We look forward to coming here every week as a whole family," said teacher Jo Ko, 36. Three of her four daughters take inline skating lessons every Friday night.

"I like this rink because it's safe and enclosed," said Ko, who hopes NParks will use the "bustling" area for similar activities and park-goers will be able to rent bicycles and skates. There will be less reason to come to Bishan Park otherwise, she noted.

If the rink is converted into a multi-purpose court, would the flooring be damaged, or would it be suitable for other activities, she wondered.

Freestyle skaters Wei Jing and Chris Wong, who are part of a group of eight to 10 skaters who practice at the rink weekly, have been skating there for the last two years.

"It is one of the best places to skate. The floor is even and a lot my friends are here," said 26-year-old Wei Jing.

Wong, a 24-year-old student, said, it is the biggest rink he's seen and it is "very hard" to find a dedicated space for freestyle skating in Singapore.

"The first question was, where do we go next? … I hope they (NParks) understand there's a very huge community of skaters over here. I hope they will find a solution for us."

However, some other park-goers felt a multi-purpose court would serve a wider group of people.

Alyosius Chia, 22, who often exercises at Bishan Park, said, "It's good that they are changing it to a multi-purpose court because at least now, more people can use it for other purposes."

Constance Neo, 23, who lives in Bishan, said most residents should have bicycles they can use at the park but it "might be inconvenient for visitors to the park who come with the impression it will have a bike rental service".

For NParks' latest clarification on the changes to Bishan Park, click here.