Camping sites, barbecue pits to reopen as part of streamlined COVID-19 measures

SINGAPORE: Camping sites and barbecue pits are set to reopen as part of Singapore's streamlined COVID-19 safe management measures. 

The camping sites and barbecue pits managed by the National Parks Board (NParks) will be reopened from Mar 18, the statutory board said in a joint media advisory with the Housing & Development Board (HDB), Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Building and Construction Authority (BCA) on Friday (Mar 11).

Barbecue pits in HDB’s housing estates and private condominiums will also be reopened on the same day, as well as those managed by SLA.

SLA will reopen its camping sites on Mar 29, said the authorities.

BOOKING CAMPING SITES AND BARBECUE PITS

Those who wish to camp or use the barbecue pits in the gardens and parks managed by NParks can apply for camping permits and book the pits via the AXS system starting from Mar 15 at 10am.

Tents used for camping must be at least 5m apart to allow for safe distancing, the authorities said in the media advisory.

“The number of campers should also be kept at five persons per camping permit, which is the permitted group size,” they added.

The group size for each barbecue pit also stands at five, the authorities said, adding that the permit for the pit is valid from 12pm to 10.30pm of the booked date.

The authorities also advised those heading to the parks to check for latest updates on visitor numbers before arriving.

“We hope all park visitors will be socially responsible and keep our green spaces safe for everyone,” they added.

Besides NParks, SLA also manages camping sites, which are located on Lazarus Island and Pulau Hantu Besar. Those who wish to visit the holiday accommodation Eagle Lodge in St John’s Island can apply for a permit at the website from Mar 15 at 10am for stays from Mar 29 onwards.

Barbecue pits are located on Kusu Island, St John’s Island and Pulau Hantu Besar and are free for public use on a first come, first served basis.

Residents who wish to book barbecue pits in their housing estates and private condominiums can approach their respective town councils and condo management for more information, the authorities said.

Members of the public will need to adhere to safe management measures including checking in with their TraceTogether app or token.

They will also have to observe measures such as mask-wearing except when engaging in strenuous exercises, eating, drinking or taking medication, as well as maintaining a safe distance of at least 1m from other visitors when unmasked, said the authorities, adding that there should be no intermingling between groups.

On Friday, the co-chair of the multi-ministry task force Gan Kim Yong announced that Singapore will implement streamlined COVID-19 measures as the Omicron wave has peaked.

The measures, covering areas such as safe distancing, the number of household visitors allowed and event capacity limits, were announced last month, but had to be postponed due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The streamlined rules will focus on five areas - group sizes, mask-wearing, workplace requirements, safe distancing and capacity limits.