Mitsukoshi Garden in Jurong
In Singapore’s never-ending summer, there’s nothing quite like a trip to the water park to cool off. While Easties have Wild Wild Wet and those down south have Adventure Cove, Westies have mostly had to make do with humbler swimming complexes like Jurong East Swimming Complex.
But rewind the clock almost 50 years back, and things looked very different. Before water parks became a weekend staple, Jurong was home to Mitsukoshi Garden, an ambitious water park that once had Westies flocking there to make a splash.
Singapore’s 2nd water park
Image credit: Malick Maleto Giggsy via Facebook
Mitsukoshi Garden opened its doors in April 1979, after a little over 2 years of construction. As the west-side counterpart to the iconic Big Splash in the east, it was often dubbed the “Big Splash of the West”.
You might be wondering, “Doesn’t the name sound awfully Japanese for a local water park?” You’re not alone – the park was named after Mitsukoshi Limited, the Japanese company that built it together with the Jurong Water Sports Complex.
Affordable entry fees
Image credit: Simone Lam via Facebook
While a trip to the water park these days might feel a tad pricey, this wasn’t much of a problem back in the old days – you could get all-day entry to Mitsukoshi Garden from just $1.
Image credit: Roots
This wasn’t the only entertainment spot in the area – in fact, Mitsukoshi Garden was built right next to the Jurong Drive-In Cinema, so you could sit back and enjoy a movie after a day of cooling down in the water park.
7 pools to splash around in
Image credit: National Museum of Singapore via Facebook
While it wasn’t as big as Big Splash, Mitsukoshi Garden was by no means a small water park, boasting 7 pools for visitors to enjoy.
Image credit: Rais Ismail via Facebook
The slider pool was definitely the most eye-catching of the lot, with 5 colourful slides marking the tallest point of the park. It was also the best spot to race with friends and find out who can slide down the fastest.
Screenshot from: Facebook
Of course, stunts weren’t out of the question for daredevils, though they probably should have had a “professionals only – do not imitate” warning with them. And with stricter safety rules imposed these days, attempting to mess around wouldn’t fly anymore in our current water parks.
Image credit: Totoi Puyung Toi Az via Facebook
If you wanted to max out on leisure points instead, you probably would’ve found yourself in the lazy river. Aptly known as the flow pool, you could just hop onto a float and go with the flow – no swimming required.
Image credit: Simone Lam via Facebook
While there weren’t any Trifecta-level surfing pools, you could still catch some waves at the wave pool. This was perfect for visitors who wanted to swim in the ocean, but without the journey to the edge of the island or the saltiness in the water.
Image credit: Simone Lam via Facebook
And of course, the little ones weren’t left out, as there were not 1, but 2 kids’ pools. In case parents just wanted to watch from afar, they could take a breather on the lounge chairs around the pool.
Image credit: NLB
Head over to the other side of the complex, and you would’ve found more serious swimmers. With a 10m deep diving pool and an Olympic-sized pool, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see swimmers training deep into the evening.
More than just a water park
Image credit: NLB
If you thought the pools were all Mitsukoshi Garden had to offer, you would be sorely mistaken. The complex was home to a whole host of facilities, including 4 tennis courts, a golf green, fashion boutiques, and, in true Japanese fashion, even a tatami room.
Screenshot from: Facebook
And of course, we have to mention the Japanese restaurant, which introduced Singaporeans to delicious Japanese dishes.
That said, not just anyone could enjoy the entire complex – you would have had to get the Mitsukoshi Silver Club membership for full access, which would’ve set you back anywhere from $200 to $2,500.
Closed down & rebranded to CN-West Leisure Park
Image credit: Krisgage Explorations via Facebook
After a short few years in operation – 4 to be exact – Mitsukoshi Garden shuttered in June 1983, and was sold to West Overseas, another Japanese company. They revamped the complex before reopening its doors in September that year, this time as CN-West Leisure Park.
In the 3 months it was closed, many new facilities were added, including 7 squash courts and a Western restaurant. Visitors could also continue to cool down in their 3 swimming pools. Unfortunately, CN-West was also rather short-lived, with the leisure park closing down around 1988.
Mitsukoshi Garden was a memorable place to beat the heat
The park may have been short-lived, but the memories formed at Mitsukoshi Garden definitely aren’t. While we can’t get the park back, we can at least still dive deep into its history and the fun moments made there. But in the meantime, a trip to Wild Wild Wet sure doesn’t sound too bad.
Learn more about our local history:
Cover image adapted from: National Museum of Singapore & Rais Ismail via Facebook