unveiled plans to turn the area

#getgoing2025 The Istana Park is a park in Singapore, located in the Museum Planning Area within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district. The park is bounded by Orchard Road, Penang Road, Penang Lane and Buyong Road. The park is a landmark situated in front of the Presidential Residence, the Istana. It has an area of 13,000 square metres. The Istana Park serves as a gateway to Singapore's Civic District Trail, which aims to educate visitors of the rich history of Singapore. On 20 February 1992, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development, Lee Yiok Seng, unveiled plans to turn the area in front of the Istana to a landscaped park to mark the entrance to the Civic District. Two proposals were considered but the chosen design consisted of a water feature and planting beds. The park was designed by Ren Matsui Landscape Design and the Public Works Department provided architectural and engineering design. The Istana Park was completed in late 1995 and officially opened on 6 September 1996 by National Development Minister Lim Hng Kiang. On 7 October 2017, the Istana Heritage Gallery, located inside the park, was opened by President Tony Tan.