Excerpt from Prime Minister's National Day Rally 2009:
The centrepiece of our city is a new Marina Bay. Last time I told you about it, it was a gleam in our artist's imaginations and impressions. Now we can see a new skyline taking shape. This is the existing buildings but if you go around the Bay, the Sail is here, NTUC Building is here with a U, the banking and financial centre is taking shape and if you turn round a bit more, this is what you would have seen - the IRs - already reaching the top and getting joined up.
I will show you how the Bay will look soon but rather than showing you more photographs, let me take you on a sail by and fly around starting on the Singapore River.
Here we are going down the Singapore River, under Anderson Bridge and the Esplanade Bridge into the Bay. So you can see the IR and all round. And you fly out, the Grandstand, the floating platform, Flyer, coming out to the Marina Barrage down here. And next to that you have the Gardens by the Bay including the cool houses which will be interesting features. Trees, you see the instant trees have all arrived. And up to the top of the IRs where they have the Sky Park with a splendour view, I'm getting dizzy looking at this. That's Art Science Museum and this is the Double Helix Bridge which you could have seen from the parade the other day. Along the bridge and you can take a view.
The IRs, you don't have to go in to gamble, you can enjoy yourself outside on the Event Plaza. They'll have mist-ers to keep you cool, fountains to amuse you, fountains there. And you go across the Bay and we will have here between the BFC and the Sail a green chunk with a promontory where you can have a party.
And some of these things are built. One on the Bund is already in Clifford Pier, this is a floating restaurant, this is One Fullerton, the Merlion is still there, the Durian and you come back to the Promenade and you enjoy the sunset, courtesy of URA.
