theme park at the East Coast Recreation Centre, were announced in July 1995. To accommodate E-zone, the East Coast Recreation Centre underwent a significant revamp in 1996. The lagoon was turned into a fish and crab-catching area, which opened in November 1996. In April 1997, camping permits were made available to the public, with camping permitted at three designated camp sites within the park. The 2000s and onward By the start of the 2000s, the park's popularity had waned considerably from its heyday in the 1970s and 80s. To rejuvenate the park, major upgrading plans were put in place in 2003. These included expanding the park by , connecting it with Marina South, renovation of the food centre, and introducing more food and beverage outlets. A mini-golf range, Lilliputt, was also opened that year. To cope with increasing demand, more facilities were added to the park in the following years. These included the Bougainvillea Garden and the $2 million Cable Ski Park Ski360 which was located at the East Coast Lagoon. Moreover, in November 2005, a $160 million revamp of the park was announced. In 2008, after a $6 million revamp, the Big Splash water park was reopened as Playground @ Big Splash, which was marketed as a 'lifestyle destination'. Camping within the park also gained popularity at this time, with 12,000 campers as of 2008. NParks implemented a stricter permit-to-camp system as a result. In 2012, Marine Cove was closed for redevelopment. That same year, the National Parks Board (NParks) announced plans to connect the park with the Bay East Garden, with completion by 2014. This was done to improve safety for cyclists and to improve access. After eight years, the Ski360 cable ski park closed in November 2014. Additional closures followed, with several restaurants at the East Coast Seafood Centre making way for a lawn in 2015, and Raintree Cove, consisting of 10 establishments, closing in 2017. New facilities were opened at the sites of closed attractions, with Parkland Green, a development with retail outlets and a lawn for picnickers, opening in 2014 at the former location of Parkland Golf Driving Range. After a two-year redevelopment, Marine Cove was reopened in 2016, with NParks touting its facilities as family-friendly. Marine Cove then became the most popular in the park, attracting large crowds. With concerns over overcrowding at Marine Cove, NParks announced redevelopment plans at the former Raintree Cove,