All You Need to Know about the NEW Marine Cove at East Coast Park - including the Massive Children's Playground!

After 4 years of closure, Marine Cove at East Coast Park officially opens TODAY once again! And this time, it sports several brand new amenities for families - including a massive children's playground.

The great news is visitors to Marine Cove will be able to look forward to MORE open spaces with vistas of the sea, improved connectivity, family-friendly facilities and dining options.

But make no mistake, there can only be ONE main highlight in the eyes of a child.

THIS.

The colourful 3,500sqm children’s playground boasts a range of play equipment suitable for children of varying ages. Located close to the beach, it was designed to integrate with the surrounding greenery and the beach setting within East Coast Park.

And it is ALL FREE for everyone!

TOWER

The 8m high tower is a focal point of the playground. Located in the centre of the playground, it is a three-storey tower modelled after a lighthouse. Suitable for older children aged five to twelve years old, it consists of many play elements including three slides of different levels, a rope bridge and climbing net courses.

The great thing about the tower is it is entirely sealed at the top - there is no other way down except via the three slides. Kids climb up the tower through a funnel net in the middle.

Of the three slides, the most fun (and fastest) has got to be the family slide which comes in a wider version for parents to slide down together with their kids!

UPDATE: A reader has shared that the metal slides can get pretty hot in the day, so do check before letting your kids go on them.

The tower also acts as the central connection to the various play zones as it is connected to slides and rope bridge.

PLAY AREA FOR TODDLERS

For kids aged two to five years, they can also join in the fun at a gated toddler play area.

The play area comes with a huge running space, mini crawling tunnel, fun mirrors and spinning optical illusions.

Did you know that this is the FIRST playground in the history of East Coast Park?

Frankly, I am absolutely impressed with the playground. Not only is it HUGE with plenty of spaces for kids to run amok, there are many different types of play equipment to keep them occupied.

INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND

But MORE IMPORTANTLY, the outdoor playground also comprises inclusive elements to encourage children of different abilities to play together. Like this accessible swing seat which is equipped with a safety harness for security.

Kids who have a weaker lower body half can try the rolling panel, where they can lie on their backs and use their hands to grab onto the semi-circle bars and pull themselves from one end to the other.

For kids who can be easily stressed with large crowds or need a quiet time on their own, there are two 'timeout' pods at the playground which offer them a brief respite and their own temporary private space.

The playground is also designed to be as wheelchair-friendly as possible. Some of the play equipment have flat and wide open spaces which makes it easier for kids on wheelchairs to join in the fun too.

Even at the climbing structures, sensory and percussion panels have been added to the sides of the structure so that every single child, able-bodied or not, can play together.

The inclusive play equipment is designed with a range of motion, such as spinning, rocking and swinging to improve muscle control.

In addition, there are also play equipment that incorporate technology into the fun of play.

Can you tell that I love this Children's Playground already?

OPEN-ENDED PLAY AREAS

But there's MORE! A nice touch to the area is the inclusion of several play areas which offer open-ended play - areas that leave the rules of play entirely up to the kids' imagination.

A Wavy Platform

A Maze-like  Mini Play Area

Lumps in the ground that will definitely encourage kids to jump from one to another

An Artificial Grass Area for kids who are allergic to real grass

Adequate seating areas are also located around the playground for families to rest while the children enjoy the playground.

Family-friendly facilities include a new standalone public toilet facility which incorporates toilets, sinks and shower facilities tailored to young children.

How cute are these kid-sized toilet bowls???

Famished after all the play? Families can choose from a host of family-friendly F&B establishments with dining concepts ranging from local favourites to Western café food, all located in the previously SuperBowl building.

The five dining outlets, which will open from 2 July 2016, include the following:

Babalicious

Babalicious is a family friendly restaurant which serves authentic Peranakan Cuisine together with Hainanese chicken rice (served by Tong Fong Fatt). Babalicious has a specially designed kid’s corner to complement the outdoor playground at Marine Cove. Families with young kids can have a peaceful meal while their kids keep themselves busy.

Hill Street Coffee Shop

Diners will be brought back to the early days of coffee shop culture where they will find themselves surrounded by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, strong flavours of Kaya and the hustle and bustle of a coffee shop in the golden era. Kids will love the Central Fire Station murals that line the walls of the eatery, and the fire station-themed environment!

McDonald’s

Ah, the iconic McDonald's that hold a special place in hearts of those who had fond memories of the one at the old Marine Cove. One of the largest McDonald’s stores in Singapore, the new Marine Cove restaurant sports a unique look and feel that reflects its distinct beachside location, and features a salad bar, a dessert bar and a trio of premium burgers.

But more than just a restaurant, McDonald's Marine Cove also boasts family-friendly features - Google Cardboard viewers which allow patrons to experience virtual reality in a simple and fun way, Wireless Charging Stations, Pram Parking and a Shadow Wall which transforms kids' shadows into McDonaldland characters such as Ronald, Grimace and Birdie!

My Briyani House

My Briyani House is a Halal certified restaurant, specialising in local Indian-Muslim food such as prata, goreng, thosai, nasi briyani and its signature curry fishhead. The outlet at Marine Cove has included a fresh concept which features a children’s corner. The design caters to a more family theme where parents can dine with their children while enjoying the comfort of having their meals at the children’s corner.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Well, nothing much to be said about the oldest and largest specialty coffee and tea retailer in the United States except that... this flagship store is the largest outlet in Singapore! Parents can get their caffeine fix while their kids keep themselves busy at the kids' corner.

To complement its beach setting, more open spaces and vistas have been created at Marine Cove to provide visitors with a clear view of the sea. Park users can look forward to soaking in the beach view while enjoying the facilities and dining in the area.

In addition, the redeveloped Marine Cove boasts a well-connected network of footpaths that provides park users dining at the F&B establishments with better connections to the children’s playground and rest of the park.  The footpaths are also designed to be wheelchair-friendly and accessible for parents with baby strollers.

To increase accessibility, a new linkway has been built to connect the dining outlets with the nearby underpass to Marine Terrace. The two car parks at Marine Cove, C2 and C3, have also been reconfigured and the number of parking lots increased to better serve park users who drive to East Coast Park.

Layout of Marine Cove at East Coast Park (Photo Credit: NParks)

How to get to Marine Cove

Marine Cove is located at East Coast Park Area C and is accessible via East Coast Park Service Road. It is a 5-minute walk from the underpass linking Marine Terrace to car park C3.

Car park C2 has 331 parking lots, 36 motorcycle lots and 4 handicapped lots while  Car park C3 has 99 parking lots, 24 motorcycle lots and 2 handicapped lots.