Ever since the Poképocalypse made landfall in Singapore, no district has been hit harder by the massively viral phenomenon than Hougang Avenue 10 — the Mecca for local Pokémon Go devotees.
You want rare, powerful Pokémon in your collection? Hougang Avenue 10 is the place to be, with the likes of Gyarados, Snorlax and more spotted regularly in the vicinity. Plus, there’s the fact that the area plays host to three Pokéstops with virtually permanent Lures installed, so more critters actively appear in the district.
As you can imagine, it’s a proper catastrophe for the people who actually live in the area. The massive crowd in the neighbourhood inevitably caused issues like players hogging parking spaces meant for residents, while dozens dashing recklessly across roads to catch ’em all. Not to mention the noise, the casual trespassing, and the colossal amounts of litter left behind by players.
Pokémon Go has become such a prevailing predicament in the municipality that it prompted police to step up patrols there, The Straits Times reported. Advisories have been put up in Hougang Avenue 10, urging trainers to practise proper road safety and avoid littering or trespassing on private property.
Littering Pokémon Go players (Bug-type, because litterbug… amirite) have been an especially major issue not restricted to just Hougang. A report by The New Paper found that another popular hotspot — Yishun Park — has been hard hit by the Poképocalypse as well. Rubbish left behind by over 400 players has been filling up 70 big bags every night, and cleaners were even told to install four new bins next to existing ones.
As for Hougang, the Town Council has arranged for cleaners to sweep and clear the bins in the hotspot more frequently. A group of actual responsible players, who dub themselves Pokemon Go North-East Singapore (PGNES), have at least taken it on themselves to clear up the mess left behind — bless their hearts.
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