Congratulations to Our 8 National Day Contest Winners
Congratulations to Our 8 National Day Contest Winners 8 lucky winners have won a CCK Town limited edition gift pack for showing off their SG spirit and colours at home or around their estate. Here are their winning photos. Wearing their love for Singapore on their block. Photo by Tan Le En (CCK estate) Little Arunkumar Tulasi saluting the nation. Photo by Dhivya Chockalingam (Hong Kah North) Sunshine Villas – all decked out for National Day. Photo by Susan Choo (Bukit Gombak) Happy 58th National Day, Singapore! Photo by Jasmine Sim Mui Eng (Chua Chu Kang estate) Valerie Koh (far right) with her friends. Photo by Valerie Koh (Hong Kah North) Showing off her love for the nation. Photo by Lua Su Yean (Brickland) Love for the nation crosses generations. Photo by Lim Chwee Lian (Chua Chu Kang estate) Little Engels shows us it’s never too young to show your love for Singapore. Photo by Engel’s mother (Keat Hong) National Day may be over but you can still celebrate your love for SG by hanging your flag till 30 September. Beyond the National Day period, the national flag and its image can now be used on attire for non-commercial purposes all year round. We may also get more opportunities to fly the national flag from our homes other than National Day under the recent change of rules governing the use of Singapore’s national symbols, such as the flag, crest and anthem. The new National Symbols Act and its Regulations allow for wider use of some symbols for citizens to express their national pride and solidarity. Back
Learn from CCK Town’s Newly Crowned Eco-Warriors
Learn from CCK Town’s Newly Crowned Eco-Warriors Congratulations to Eleen Koay (Brickland), Ting Siew Khim (CCK estate) and Ng Chee Wee (Bukit Gombak) for coming out tops in CCK Town’s latest eco contest! For her upcycling effort, Eleen won the top prize of an HP Envy 6020 All-printer. Siew Khim’s suggestions show us that old is still gold when it comes to water-saving efforts the traditional way and was awarded the second prize, an HP Deskjet 2722e printer. Chee Wee took home the consolation prize of an HP Pavilion Wayfarer Backpack for his idea which helps one get fit and conserve electricity. Let’s find out more from the three of them on how to reduce, reduce and recycle. Reuse, Recycle & Upcycle as Eleen did Having a carpenter father and a seamstress mother meant Eleen grew up watching her parents tinker with things. Naturally, she picked up their hands-on habit. Thus, when she noticed that her sofa was beginning to break down earlier this year, inspiration struck. “The springs in the sofa were broken but the leather was still in very good condition. At the same time, I noticed that our dining chairs were looking quite worn and needed replacement,” the 33-year-old research engineer said. She thought, why not use the leather, cushions and padding from the sofa to give her dining chairs a new lease of life? She bounced the idea off her parents, who gamely said: “Sure, that sounds workable!” So, one weekend before Chinese New Year, Eleen, her husband and her parents stripped off the worn cloth seats from the dining chairs, took apart the sofa and got to work cutting up the cushions and leather of the sofa to make new dining seats. By the end of the day, Eleen had six beautiful dining chairs. She even got a set of baby pillows and bolsters made from the leftover stuffing for her two children. “The wood in the sofa was not of very good quality, otherwise, we would have made small cupboards or side tables with them. If I had the equipment to work with metal, maybe we could have done something with the sofa’s metal frame too,” she added. “There are lots of possibilities when it comes to upcycling. It’s just a matter of how creative you want to be.” For example, her sister once made a side table out of her old car tyres. In her family, when something is broken, the first thing they will try to do is to see if it can be fixed. If it can’t, they will think about whether they can make something else out of it. “I think it is wasteful to just throw things away because everything is so expensive,” she said. ‘Reduce’ as Siew Khim did For Siew Khim, living sustainably is as natural as breathing. As someone who follows the news, she understood the threat of global warming is real. “Every one of us can play a small part,” she said. The need to conserve resources is especially acute in a small country like Singapore which does not have natural resources, she added. Her contribution is to conserve water and electricity wherever possible. For example, she grew up collecting water in a pail and showering with a water scoop and continues to do so even now at age 55. She also uses a mug for brushing her teeth instead of leaving the water running. She uses LED lights at home, turns off electrical appliances when not in use, and recycles all the plastic packaging to use as trash bags. She also recycles batteries and other IT gadgets into e-waste bins. Her effort to reduce the use of water and electricity helps her to keep her utility bills for her 4-room flat around $50 to $60 a month. She encourages her neighbours to live more sustainably too by offering to take their items for recycling to the correct recycling points. Reduce as Chee Wee did Application engineer Chee Wee, 35, is a sustainability advocate at work, and he brings the practice home as well. He said: “I’ll always try to see what are the easy and doable tasks that can be done frequently to make an eco-difference.” For instance, instead of using the lift, he takes the stairs when going up or down two or three storeys. Since lifts consume the most electricity when in motion, he explained that by not using the lift, he is helping to reduce the use of electricity while getting some exercise at the same time. “Climbing the stairs reduces electricity use, is very easy to do, makes an impact and the bonus is, you get a healthier you,” he quipped. He also tries to conserve resources in other everyday tasks such as reusing water from the washing of vegetables. “Such mindful practices will go a long way. We just need to get started somewhere,” he added. Congratulations to all our eco-winners! Their ideas and actions show us how we can make the 3Rs of reduce, reduce and recycle part of our daily life. Let’s all get sustainable to create a greener future for all! Back
SG Clean Day on Sunday, 30 July 2023
SG Clean Day on Sunday, 30 July 2023 It’s time to take action against litter! You can make a difference! In support of SG Clean Day on Sunday, 30 July 2023, you may want to gather your family, friends and neighbours to conduct litter-picking activities in your neighbourhood together. We would also like to take this opportunity to remind all residents to bin the trash and keep the environment litter-free. Together, let’s create a cleaner and safer Chua Chu Kang Town for all! Back
Shine this National Day! Fly Our SG Flag High
Shine this National Day! Fly Our SG Flag High Residents Aadon & Aadelynn proudly showing off our SG flag Let’s paint CCK Town red & white! Show the nation how much we love SG by flying our SG flag this National Day! To celebrate National Day, our national flag can be put up at home from 1 July to 30 September 2023. Before you fly yours, make sure that the flag is in good condition. It should not be torn, tattered or showing signs of age. Ensure it is facing the right direction too when you look at it. Look here if you need to refer to the full guidelines on the use and display of our national flag. Send us a photo of your estate all dressed up to celebrate our nation’s 58th birthday and this limited edition CCK Town gift pack could be yours! 8 lucky winners will receive this gift pack consisting of a reusable lunchbox, thermos flask, travel adaptor and a recyclable shopping bag. Send your entry by 9 Aug! Email your entry to corpcomms@ccktc.org.sg See Terms & Conditions here. CCK Town wishes all Singaporeans a fantastic 58th National Day. Let’s move Onward as One, CCK Town residents! Last year’s winners, the Neos, donned the patriotic colours of our flag. Another winner, Vivian Ong (right) posing with her relative, showed off her NDP fun pack stash. Back
$uper $aving Tips for a Greener Earth & Happier Wallet
$uper $aving Tips for a Greener Earth & Happier Wallet Power Up Your $avings Hacks to Cut Your Water Bill Recycle Today & Save More for Tomorrow In this new three-parter series, we bring you tips on how to save Mother Earth (and some money) by recycling & conserving water and energy. Use less resources now to leave more for future generations! Take Part in Our Latest Eco-Contest Snap a photo and share with us how you save money & the environment through recycling or by conserving water or energy. The most clever, useful or creative ways win a prize! 3 prizes are up for grabs. First prize is a HP Envy 6020 All-printer Second prize is a HP Deskjet 2722e printer Consolation prize is a HP Pavilion Wayfarer Backpack Send your photo to corpcomms@ccktc.org.sg with your full name, address, mobile number and email. Accompany your photo entry with a line or more (no word limit!) to tell us how you saved $ and the environment too. For example, you can show us how you use your Bloobox or set up your home recycling corner or snap a picture of the water-saving nozzle on your taps. Send as many entries or photos as you wish! Contest closes on 23 July 2023! See Terms & Conditions here. Power Up Your $savings Did you know you can save $40 to $120 every year by using more energy-efficient fridges, LED lights and water heaters? Adopt these tips to conserve energy and save $$. The more ticks the merrier your $avings Aircon – Save $300 a year on your power bills with a 5-tick aircon instead of a 2-tick one. Fridge – Switch from a 2-tick refrigerator to one with 4 ticks and save $59 a year. Water heater – Save an additional $124 a year by remembering to turn off your storage water heater quickly after use. Switch to a gas water heater and save an additional $190 compared to an electric water storage heater, or $110 compared to an electric instant water heater. Clever ways to cool and $ave! Save $386* a year by cooling down your room using the aircon and switching to the fan after a while. Or rely on fans to cool your home and save $441 a year! Did you know the energy used by one aircon can power 11 fans? Use your climate vouchers Switch to energy-saving appliances now to shave off those bills. Households (1-, 2- and 3-HDB roomers) can use vouchers provided under the Climate-Friendly Household Programme from NEA and PUB to buy different energy-efficient appliances. Claim and use your climate vouchers before they expire on 31 December 2023. Get more power $aving tips from the National Environment Agency here. *All calculations are based on electricity cost of $0.299 per kWh of electricity. Hacks to Cut Your Water Bill Water is one of Singapore’s most precious resources, so we need to make every drop count. In this second of our three-part series, we share some hacks to save water and cut the water bill. Did you know that if you can reduce your water usage from the average of 140 litres per person per day to 130 litres per person* per day, you could shave at least 7% off your water bill? Simply remember W-A-T-E-R ! *PUB’s Make Every Drop Count W is for washing clothes on a full load About 15% of our daily water usage in a household is used for washing clothes. So why not start the washer only when you have a full load? You can save up to 40 litres of water every day, or 288 litres of water every week. Using a more water-efficient washing machine can gain further savings. A washer that is rated four ticks can save up to 27 litres of water per wash, compared to a three-tick washer. So, look out for those ticks to save, when you buy a washing machine. A is for always using half flush where possible Did you know that flushing the toilet bowl accounts for 17% of our daily water consumption? Using a half-flush instead of a full flush each time saves you 1.5 litres of water per flush. T is for turning off the shower when soaping Showering is the biggest water guzzler in our homes, sucking up almost a third of the water used daily. By just turning off the shower when soaping, you can save up to 27 litres of water each day. You can double your savings by getting a water-efficient shower head which reduces water flow without sacrificing performance. If you haven’t done so, request for your free PUB water-saving kit here. The kit consists of a set of thimbles that help to regulate flow rates from your taps and showerheads. Also, make sure you fix leaks whenever you spot them because just losing a drop of water a second can amount to 4 litres of water wasted every day. E is for ensuring the tap is off when brushing teeth Did you know the bathroom tap that we use for handwashing and brushing teeth guzzles up to 12% of the water used every day? Just keeping the tap off when you are brushing your teeth will save you up to 23 litres of water every day. That can fill up 153 mugs for rinsing your mouth. R is for rinsing vegetables in a container Extending these habits to the kitchen, which accounts for 16% of our daily water usage, will save you another 33 litres of water every day. Simply use a container to rinse fruits and vegetables instead of washing them under running water. If you have plants at home, you can also reuse the water used for washing and rinsing rice, fruits and vegetables to water your plants. And by washing dishes in a filled sink instead of letting the tap run, you save a further 28 litres! This translates into 15.5 kettles of water. Every little drop counts. By taking the above
Our Top Cleaners in CCK Town
Our Top Cleaners in CCK Town Thank you, cleaners, for your Hard Work! Kudos to all residents who supported the Appreciate Our Cleaners 2023 awards with your outpouring of accolades and recognition of our cleaners’ efforts. Congratulations to our 13 well-deserving estate cleaners who have won the 2023 Top 10 Cleaners of CCK award, as well as the 3 new categories for the Most Hardworking Cleaner, the Most Caring Cleaner and My Favourite Cleaner. Residents who nominated the cleaners share why they deserve to win: Our Top 10 Cleaners of CCK Town Robin Mohammad (Bukit Gombak) Resident Marianne Pereira said: “Mr Robin takes pride in his work and has been exemplary in giving us his immediate attention whenever the need arose. “One incident stood out for me. Some workers from the undertakers had broken a large carpark stone slab accidentally when setting up the awning at Block 507. They did not do anything about the damage, oblivious that it might cause a fractured leg or two if any resident tripped over it. “Realising the danger, I called Mr Robin for help. He turned up in a matter of minutes even though he was in another area. He knew where to find another stone slab and was able to use it to close the gaping hole neatly. “Nobody noticed or thanked him for his effort. I am grateful to Mr Robin for fixing this problem even though it was not his job to do so.” Peh Cheng Swee (Keat Hong) Resident Chui Shoong Hee said: “Mr Peh Cheng Swee is friendly and so hardworking that he is already hard at work when I head out for my daily morning walk at 6.45am. I think he works 7 days a week (including on public holidays!) because even on the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya public holidays, he can be spotted clearing away the bulky items that had been discarded around the blue recycling bin on the eve of these festive occasions. “He once saw me trying to move a big old sofa from my home for bulky disposal pick-up and volunteered to help.“ Ali Md Eman (Keat Hong) Mr Ali Md Eman (in red and grey uniform) with Aisha’s husband, Sufi (left), and their children Sara, Sofia and Umar (right). Resident Aisha said: “Mr Ali never fails to greet my family whenever we bump into him, and no matter what assistance we need, from moving heavy furniture to disposing of big items, he will always be there to assist too. “Rain or shine, Ali can be found carrying out his duties at our block whenever we see him. This really strikes a chord with my children as they can see that he works very hard to earn a living in Singapore. They really love him and respect him a lot. “We hope he can win this and be rewarded. Even if he doesn’t, we would like to present him with a small token of our appreciation too!” Bepari Rejaul (Hong Kah North) Resident Ong Chee Eng said: “Mr Bepari Rejaul is very hardworking and he keeps my block super clean. I remember that once, my neighbour spilt plant soil on the corridor floor at night. And the next morning when I left my home, I saw that the mess was gone and cleaned up by Mr Bepari. “I really appreciate his effort and whenever I meet him during the monthly block washing, I would treat him to some biscuits and drink as a token of my appreciation.” Hamsah bin Talib (CCK estate) Resident Nurul Aizat Binte Zainuddin said: “Mr Hamsah makes my day by greeting me whenever I see him. One day, when I was gardening at the community garden and he gave me some tips and advice on gardening.” Lee Chee Wai (Brickland) Resident Lim Wei Qiang, Nicholas said: “Thank you, Uncle Lee, for always being there to clean our neighbourhood in the wee hours of the morning. We appreciate all the efforts that you put in to keep our block clean.” Miah Alamin (CCK estate) Resident Sim Li Li said: “Mr Miah is a very hardworking and friendly cleaner. Anytime you ask him for help, he will be sure to help. “There was once I sought his help to move a spoilt washing machine from my home. He just said ‘okay’ and followed me to give me a hand. “I always see him driving his truck around the estate till very late, moving the bulky items that had been improperly thrown downstairs.” Ng Teng Siak (Brickland) Resident Hong Chang Bin said: “Uncle Ng will always greet us ‘good morning’. Once, he offered to help me fix the brakes of my children’s bicycle. He is so warm and kind.” Tan Kin Chiok (CCK estate) Resident Hani Ng Binte Yusof Abdullah said: “Uncle Tan is a very friendly and hardworking person. He will start work as early as 5am by sweeping our estate, level by level. He makes sure all the corridors are clean.” Uddin Main (Hong Kah North) Mr Uddin Main (in grey polo tee) with Azfar Ijaz, Azmina and Arunkumar Tulasi (from left to right) . Resident Dhivya Chockalingam said: “Mr Uddin always has a smile on his face and does his job well in a quiet manner. “During the monthly block cleaning, he even takes care of our plants by ensuring that they are protected from the cleaning jet spray and puts our shoes into the shoe racks before washing the floor… He has become my daughter’s favourite cleaner.” To honour cleaners who go the extra mile, above and beyond their regular cleaning duties, three new award categories have been introduced his year. Here are the winners: The Most Caring Cleaner Husain Arif (Hong Kah North) Resident Vanessa Kong said: “Mr Husain is always hard at work, yet he has a cheerful attitude and always takes time to greet residents with a smile. My son is especially happy to spot him and say hello in the mornings! “A few months ago, there was a fire in one of the units in our block. It was already late in the evening when we returned
New Sports Facilities for Brickland Residents
New Sports Facilitates for Brickland Residents Artist’s impression of the new fitness corner. Artist’s impression of the sheltered basketball court and children’s adventure playground Artist’s impression of the sheltered basketball court and children’s adventure playground Come 2025, Brickland residents will have more places to get fit and healthy. A new covered basketball court with spectator seats, 2 new fitness corners and an adventure-themed playground will be built opposite Blk 810A, Choa Chu Kang Ave 7 & Keat Hong Garden. This is located at the intersection of Choa Chu Kang Ave 7 and Keat Hong Link. The new facility, estimated to cost up to $2.5 million, is funded by Sports SG, under its Sport-in-Precinct (SIP) initiative to bring sporting spaces and facilities closer to Singaporeans. The SIP is a part of SportSG’s Sports Facilities Master Plan under Vision 2030 to encourage Singaporeans to adopt sports as a way of life. The development was announced in April 2023 by National Development Minister Desmond Lim during his visit to Brickland. Chua Chu Kang Town Council will be calling a tender for the sporting facility’s construction, which will be built as an inclusive space that caters to residents of all ages and abilities. For a young estate, Brickland MP Don Wee said facilities like these can play an important role in giving residents a chance to meet and bond over sports, thereby fostering a deeper sense of community. Back
No More Mess! Special Recycling Bins for Junk Mail
No More Mess! Special Recycling Bins for Junk Mail Conveniently located near letterboxes, these new recycling bins make it easy for you to get rid of junk mail neatly while being green at the same time. 70 such bins are now deployed at HDB blocks in CCK Town. Brainchild of Keat Hong resident Keat Hong resident Sutarsan (left) taking Mr Zhulkarnain through how he came up with such an idea for a flyer recycling bin. This initiative is Keat Hong resident Mr Sutarsan’s green idea. Tired of the daily mess and eyesore of unwanted ads littering the floor, he came up with the suggestion of having a dedicated bin next to letterboxes for residents to dispose of junk mail which could then be recycled. This not only helps to keep his block litter-free but also educates neighbours about recycling. With this idea in mind, he approached CCK Town Council and his estate’s Residents’ Network. His flyer recycling bin idea was then piloted in 2 blocks in Keat Hong — with great success. Green resident initiative supports eco-town Subsequently, the Town Council rolled out the flyer recycling bins to other parts of the town as part of its eco-town drive. The bins were launched by MPs Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahman (Keat Hong) and Don Wee (Brickland) at Block 483B, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5 on 12 March 2023 (see picture below). Kids from PCK Sparkletots and Greenery Childcare Centre joined in the fun by decorating the bins with stickers printed with compliments by HP and labels contributed by Avery Dennison. Keat Hong MP, Mr Zhulkarnain, said he was very proud of how this resident-led initiative has grown and that many more residents are now benefitting from this simple, yet brilliant idea. Mr Wee, who is also CCK Town’s Sustainability Champion, said: “The 3Rs’ of reuse, reduce and recycle form key thrusts of Singapore’s zero waste and recycling efforts. “This successful effort shows that residents can make a sustainable difference with their ideas for our green town!” Back
Tie a Ribbon of Thanks & Nominate Your Cleaner!
Tie a Ribbon of Thanks & Nominate Your Cleaner! A Simple Ribbon to Say Thank You PCF schooler, Arushie, was among the residents who put up a Ribbon of Thanks to show their appreciation of our estate cleaners’ work. PCF schooler, Arushie, was among the residents who put up a Ribbon of Thanks to show their appreciation of our estate cleaners’ work. PCF schooler, Arushie, was among the residents who put up a Ribbon of Thanks to show their appreciation of our estate cleaners’ work. Little Kelly Lee Zhi Shan’s ribbon is sweetly accompanied by a hand-written note too! This year, as part of Appreciate Our Cleaners 2023, CCK Town Council is encouraging all residents to tie a ribbon on their main door/gate to express their appreciation to our estate cleaners from now till 1 May 2023. Unleash your creativity! The ribbon can be made of any material or be in any colour. To make it sufficiently visible from a short distance, the tied ribbon should be at least 15cm in width. A pretty ribbon at CCK Town Council’s office’s main door. For some families, such as Chloe’s, putting up the ribbon is a parent-child learning and bonding opportunity. Snap a photo of your Ribbon of Thanks and send it to corpcomms@ccktc.org.sg to make it part of the first-ever digital wall of appreciation for CCK cleaners! Remember to include your name, contact details and estate. Nominate Your Cleaner Now! In addition, we’ve extended the chance to nominate your favourite cleaner or the most deserving cleaner in your estate to 1 May 2023. For those of you who missed out earlier, grab this opportunity to show your estate cleaners you appreciate their work and service! Besides the annual Top 10 Cleaners of CCK Town awards, we have introduced 3 new awards this year. They are: The Most Caring Cleaner, The Most Hardworking Cleaner, and My Favourite Cleaner This means 13 cleaners (and residents) will get rewarded this year! Win a $60 NTUC FairPrice voucher for your nominated cleaner(s) and a $20 NTUC FairPrice voucher for yourself. Simply pen your words of appreciation for the cleaner or share a heart-warming encounter with him/her. Tell us why he/she should win. (Psst, there is no word limit!) The names of your estate cleaners are displayed on the notice boards at your blocks. Send in your entries via: Google form or Email to corpcomms@ccktc.org.sg See Terms & Conditions here. Tie a ribbon of thanks & nominate your cleaner now! Back
Discovering CCK Town: Green Spots for a Better Life
Discovering CCK Town: Green Spots for a Better Life Green Spots for Great R&R Nature Therapy in Your Backyard Step Up with Nature! Blessed with abundant scenery, CCK Town has some of the country’s best parks. Head out for some relaxing nature therapy to breathe in the fresh air and bask in the greenery. In this 3-parter series, we will explore some of the fun trails you can enjoy in our beautiful green town. Green Spots for Great R&R Nature helps us bond better with one another and the world at large. Research has shown that residents who live in estates with more greenery around them spend more time socialising with one another and enjoy a better quality of life. So, in this finale of our 3-parter series on how to benefit from the lush greenery in CCK Town, we take you to green spots where you can spend quality time relaxing and bonding with your loved ones. Check these out for some much-needed R&R (rest & relaxation)! Community gardens Community gardens are great places to get some Vitamin D in the sunshine, pick up a new hobby and get to know your neighbours. Even for those without green thumbs, just bring along your favourite drink and a ‘kaki’ (meaning friend in Malay) or two, and have a good time nurturing your friendship amid blossoming plants. Explore the rooftop community garden in West Ridges at Block 440, Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 (above) or admire the colourful edible fruits and vegetables (see below) growing at Block 489, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5 in Sunshine Gardens. BBQ in the great outdoors Enjoy a meal with great company among lush greenery. With no more pandemic restrictions, it’s time to bring back those barbeque parties with your clan. Grill your favourite meats and more at this BBQ pit at Teck Whye Garden (above) near Block 132, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1. Places to bond with your fur-babies Hey, fur-parents, Bukit Gombak Park has a dog run with a gentle slope (pictured below). There, you can let your four-legged fur kids race around unleashed while you sit back to relax and catch up with fellow dog lovers. (Photo credit: NParks) With plentiful green spots, you can rest & relax with family & friends in CCK Town. Be sure to check them out this weekend! Nature Therapy in Your Backyard Sometimes, the best things in life are free! In this 2nd of our 3-parter series, we reveal some of the glories of Nature your neighbours have discovered in various parts of CCK Town. Brickland All it takes, sometimes, to enjoy the wonders of nature is for you to just gaze out of your window! This beautiful fluffy formation (see below) called altocumulus clouds was spotted over Choa Chu Kang Grove by Keat Hong resident Jonathan Woo. 188 endangered trees were planted here 3 years ago as part of the One Million Trees movement. The trees included pometia pinnata (nickname island lychee) and sandoricum koetjape which bears ball-shaped yellow or brownish fruits that resemble the langsat and mangosteen. Research has shown that spending time in nature or even looking at nature can help to improve one’s emotional and physical well-being. It can reduce blood pressure, muscle tension and production of stress hormones. Bukit Gombak Little Guilin in Bukit Batok Town Park is a popular relaxing and photo spot for residents. Linger for a while longer and you may spot a red dragonfly taking a breather on a terrapin’s back like Hong Kah North resident Foong Thai Kwong did. Chua Chu Kang Keeping your eyes peeled when taking a stroll in Choa Chu Kang Park may bring surprises. Hong Kah North resident Janet Tan found this little critter (below) carrying a leaf. Keat Hong Birds, crocodiles, mudskippers and other animals are regular sightings at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. However, if you are as lucky as Bukit Gombak resident Myron Tay, maybe, you can spot an otter (or two) catching forty winks (pictured below). Hong Kah North These amazing glow-in-the-dark mushrooms (pictured below) had been spotted by photography enthusiasts in Bukit Batok Hillside Park. CCK resident Bryan Goh braved the dark one day to capture these beauties. Nature’s best trails Did you know by participating in the National Steps Challenge, you can earn rewards such as shopping vouchers while staying fit? To stay active and healthy, everyone is encouraged to clock at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity and 5,000 steps daily under the revised Singapore Physical Activity Guidelines. Why not hit some of these trails below to clock your steps (and earn your rewards) while enjoying our beautiful parks? Keat Hong: Kranji Marshes Get a workout by heading out along New Tiew Woods to look for woodpeckers and monitor lizards or ascend Raptor Tower for a panoramic view of Kranji Marshes and Kranji Reservoir. Panorama of Kranji Marshes and Kranji Reservoir from Raptor Tower. Photo by Yong Kuo Hoong Raptor Tower (Photo credit: NParks) Hong Kah North: Park near Block 461C, Bukit Batok West Avenue 6 For those who need to ease themselves into a more active lifestyle, take a stroll around this small park near Block 461C at Bukit Batok West Avenue 6. Ease yourself into the National Steps Challenge with a stroll around this flat park. Photo by CCKTC. Choa Chu Kang estate: Choa Chu Kang Park Take a stroll in the forested area bordering Choa Chu Kang Park and find yourself among the remnants of the old fruit tree plantations. Go bird-spotting and see if you can locate the small stream in the park. Check out the forested areas around the playground. Photo by Guo Shun. Brickland: Keat Hong Garden A brisk walk around Keat Hong Garden will net you 1,500 steps. An easy and relaxing path with no elevation which is perfect for residents just embarking on their National Steps Challenge for the first time. Take a brisk walk around Keat Hong Garden. Photo by CCKTC. Bukit Gombak: Bukit Gombak