Come October 3 from 3:30pm to 9:30pm, a section of the Joo Chiat Road will turn into a car-free pedestrian fair, with lots of activities and exhibits for the public.
Goh Pei Ming, Member of Parliament for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, said this initiative will celebrate the vibrancy of Marine Parade.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on September 2 that it will close the section between Dunman Road and East Coast Road to traffic that Saturday to mark World Car-Free Day, which falls a few weeks earlier on September 22. LTA plans to host exhibits and activities along the stretch.
Mr Goh, who is also Senior Minister of State for Social and Family Development, and Home Affairs, told Petir that the initiative offers more than just a car-free day—it’s an opportunity to bring the community together and experience Joo Chiat in a different way.
The idea originated from a conversation with his predecessor, Minister Tan See Leng. He felt that the Katong-Joo Chiat neighbourhood had a similar energy to Jonker Street in Malacca, itself a lively melting pot of history, culture, and modern attractions. Mr Tan had wanted to recreate that same excitement and energy in Joo Chiat.
“Walking along Joo Chiat Road today, you’ll see many Instagram-worthy cafes, youth-centric shops, gyms, and activities. It maintains a rich overlay of culture, heritage, and art,” Mr Goh said.
“The idea was simple: close the street and allow shops to expand onto the road, run our own farmers market and arts market, and let residents celebrate what they’re proud of—whether music or dance. It’s an exciting concept.”
Working with grassroots organisations and community partners like Katong Culture and the Katong-Joo Chiat Business Association, the area around Joo Chiat Community Club will come alive with cooking and baking activities, art activities, a children’s activity area, and live performances.
They will also promote healthy lifestyle sports activities along the closed section of road and showcase the F&B businesses there.
Mr Goh acknowledged the challenges his team must overcome with the partial road closure on a weekend, including traffic diversions and rerouting of a bus service.
“We will engage the community to ensure everyone knows our plans and can make alternative arrangements well in advance,” he explained.
“We want to see how the community receives the car-free day. If the response is positive, we’ll have more confidence to organise similar activities in the future.”
