Vegetables Grown in Potong Pasir

So much has changed from the old Potong Pasir days. was said to have good soil for growing vegetables. Gone are the vegetable farms that were strewn across the land. But did you know that farmers had tilled the Potong Pasir land since the 1850s. The land had also produced the country's best vegetables. Vegetables that once fed 50 percent of Singapore's population. That was how important home-grown vegetables were to us, Singaporeans.

 

[Art] Singapore's $50 note: A work of Art

Do you realise that many of us have been carrying around works of art in our wallets and purses and yet not know it? Well, I came to realise this truth only after visiting the National Gallery Singapore.

Opened in 2015, the gallery is located within the Old Supreme Court building and the City Hall. The gallery houses the largest collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian art collection.

Now let's get back to the crux of the matter - our $50 note.

If you were to take a look at the reverse side of the Singapore $50 note, you will see two very distinct work of art. One is of gibbons by artist Chen Wen Hsi, and the other are of people in the market with hanging dried fishes by Cheong Soo Pieng. Both of these paintings are now housed in the National Gallery Museum.

Chen Wen Hsi's Gibbons. Picture source: arthop.co (1)

Cheong Soo Pieng's Drying Salted Fish. Picture source: Straits Times (2)

References

1. Hong, G. April 1, 2015. Lee Kuan Yew: The man and his art. http://www.arthop.co/blog/lee-kuan-yew-man-and-his-art

2. Ong, S. F. November 30, 2015. 7 things to know about Singapore pioneer artist Cheong Soo Pieng. The Straits Times. http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/7-things-to-know-about-singapore-pioneer-artist-cheong-soo-pieng

[Singapore Movies] Kallang Roar! Only at the National Stadium

Singapore's National Stadium - taken in 2010

The chant rang out loud amongst the Singapore soccer players of the 70s. It was a shout of intent; A shout of believe.

"Untuk Bangsa Dan Negara", Uncle Choo Seng Quee with his voiced raised. That was quickly followed up by the players shouting with conviction - "MAJULAH"!

Singapore soccer players fought tooth and nail for just one reason - National Pride. The phrase "Untuk Bangsa Dan Negara" as translated in English means "For the people and country". Not only was it meant to bring together soccer players of different races and religions, it was also reflective of how a young Singapore was at that point in time and their aspiration of wanting to fight together, regardless of race, language or religion.

Kallang Roar: The Movie

The movie - Kallang Roar - brought back wonderful memories of yesteryear. Those time where stood together as one to cheer on our soccer team. Part of the location was filmed in the old National Stadium, which has since been demolished and replaced with a spanking new stadium. Led by veteran actor Lim Kay Siu who took the role Singapore's most successful and controversial coach,  Uncle Choo Seng Quee, the movie cast its focus on Singapore's soccer glorious days of the 70s.

Worth a watch to know the history. 

The National Stadium

Here're more photos of the stadium that I took in 2010 before it was torn down.

Both tears of joy and sadness were shed here

People of all walks of life going through the gates to watch their soccer stars

A view from inside the ticketing booth

[Singapore Islands] Pulau Blakang Mati: Mt. Imbiah Battery

Mr Peter Stubbs Sharing About the Gun Placement

Give me a storyteller and I'd be totally engaged. So when Mr Peter Stubbs came forward to lead the tour, I can sense his strong passion of military matters at Sentosa formerly known as Pulau Blakang Mati. He had dedicated large amount of time to explore the area and is also the author of the Fort Siloso website. http://www.fortsiloso.com/guns/bl/bl.htm

Mounting of Mt. Imbiah's 9.2-inch guns

Peter walked with us to the top of Mt. Imbiah (Or previously spelt as Mt Imbeah). From there, he brought to life what life was like for the British gunners. Peter also dispelled the mistruth that the guns were pointed the wrong way and how the 6-inch guns were used against the Japanese forces, though Mount Imbiah saw no bombings by the Japanese while the sister sites at Fort Siloso and Mount Serapong were battered by Japanese fighter bombers.

The holding area where the ammunition were stored

We saw the gun placement as well as the magazine tunnels under the gun placement where the explosive shells were kept. The cylindrical-shaped marks have now been etched into the ground.

Walking Through the Dark and Narrow Tunnel

3 Interesting Facts about Mt. Imbiah

1. Mt. Imbiah was spelt as Mt. Imbeah till the late 1970s. 1
2. The gun at Mt. Imbiah was regularly fired as part of the British Forces practice run since the 1920s. 2
3.  Mt. Imbiah was known as Point 202, Blakang Mati Island 3


References 

1. Siloso's Big Bang. August 12, 1979. The Straits Times. P14.
2. Untitled. February 15, 1913. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. P6.
3. Untitled. June 4, 1924. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. P12.

[Singapore Islands] History of Singapore's Coney Island

Welcome to Coney Island

1930s

The island was bought over by the Haw Par brothers - Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, who built a beach villa on the island.  (22) "The 600 sq m building is the only known villa remaining from the Aw family. It has a central hall and an open verandah that surrounds the house. A separate single-storey 100 sq m house was a service block. Its architect was likely to be Ho Kwong Yew, a leading architect of the Modern Movement in Singapore during the 1930s."(23)

1937
A tender was published in the newspaper seeking for companies to bid for the erection of a bangalow on Haw Par Island (Pulo Serangoon). (29) 

1947
The villa fell into disrepair during the Japanese Occupation and a auction notice was placed in the newspaper for the sale of the island and its building. (22) (25) (30)

1950
Previously named Haw Par Island, Indian businessman Ghulam Mahmood bought over the island from Mr Aw Boon Haw and called it "Singapore's Coney Island". He had planned to spend $100,000 to turn it into a resort. The resort would include a dance hall, bar and restaurant. (24) (25)

1951

Advertisement in the newspaper (27)

The owner did try to get the resort off the ground. There was a launch every 1/2 hour and arriving on the island, visitors would be entertained by singers and also, the Coney Island Band. (26) (27)


1955
"Pleasure isle for sale" - headlined a 1955 The Straits Times article. It was said that the owner, Mr Tarlok Singh, had intended to sell this 32-acre island (12.8 hectares) located off Punggol. At that point of sale, there was "a building with a dance floor and several seaside cabins." The island also had its own electric power plant. (1) By then, the island was already deserted. (28) Though Singaporeans would head to the island for picnics, the idea of having a Coney Island similar to what was in New York failed to take off.


1971
In 1971, it was said that a Thai owner of Coney island was looking to sell off the freehold island for S$1 million. By then, the island was already a hot spot for swimming and water-skiing. Visitors could visit the island by taking a 30-minute boat ride via the Punggol Jetty. The article had also mentioned that there were remains of old army barracks. Hmm, so who built those army barracks? (2)

In the same year, there were talks about damming the sea to build a mega reservoir so as to meet Singapore's growing water needs. (3) The damming of the sea did not happen, but a more palatable damming of the river - Sungei Serangoon was completed in 2011 - 40 years after the idea of such a reservoir was first discussed. (4) Sungei Serangoon has an entire history on its own which I plan to cover in another post.

1972
Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) then purchased the island in 1972 and laid out its plan of wanting to develop the island into a recreational resort. The statutory board had also hoped to expand the island through a S$14.5 million reclamation work that started in March 1974. (5) With this reclamation, the plan was to increase the size of the island to 154 acres (54 hectares). (6) (7) It is said that the island would be linked by a bridge to the mainland. (8)

1976
Alas, it was not all about white sandy beaches. In 1976, the island had faced with issues such as pollution from the pig farms in Punggol that had afflicted the island till the late 80s. (9) (10) Oil-slick waters was also a perennial issue. (9) 

1982
In 1982, the complaint was about a pack of mongrels that were left on the island by owners to fend for themselves. (11)

1987
In 1987, PSA released the rights of the island to Singapore Housing Development Board. The plan was to reclaim the Punggol foreshore and with that, the island will be joined to the mainland. (12)

1994
In 1994, boatman Lu Song Fa opined that Coney Island has remained pretty much the same as it was decades ago. He was the only boatman operating the service to Coney Island. At one time, there were as many as 14 boats that took visitors to the island. These were beach goers and anglers. (14) The water off the island was also good for water-skiing.

1995
More concrete plans for the island came about in 1995 when the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) talked about land reclamation of the island. The plan was similar to the previous suggestion of land reclamation. However, there would be a river that separates Punggol and Coney Island. There were further plans of building either private or public housing on both banks. (13)

2008
Work on the island started in earnest in 2008. The decision was to build a coastal promenade and also a rustic park. (15)

2012
The final decision, lauded as a victory for nature lovers, was made by NParks to turn into Singapore's ninth nature park. (16) Nature lovers have been calling for the island to be preserved in its natural state as migratory birds such as the blue-throated bee-eater and jerdon's baza would usually make this little island their temporary home. (18) However, this is only the immediate plans as suggested by NParks. In the future, it is said that there will also be other developments, other than it just being a nature park. This will include a housing estate on the island itself. (17) (19)

2015
The 50ha island was officially opened by Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure, Mr Khaw Boon Wan on October 10, 2015. There are five beaches and two bridges that are linked to the eastern and western ends of Punggol Promenade and Pasir Ris Coast Industrial Park 6. The park is opened from 7am to 7pm. (20)

The park cost S$3million and took a total of 15 months to complete. There's a 2km stretch of shoreline and 2.4km path that stretches from the eastern to western bridge. Interestingly, there is no electricity or piped water on the island. So in comes solar power and harvested rain water. (22)


References:

1. Pleasure isle for sale. September 8, 1955. The Straits Times. P5.
2. It's yours if you have a million to spare. August 31, 1971. New Nation. P1.
3. Water. August 31, 1971. New Nation. P1.
4. PUB. Local Catchment Water. Accessed on November 11, 2015.  http://www.pub.gov.sg/water/Pages/LocalCatchment.aspx
5. Reclamation of foreshore. March 9, 1974. The Straits Times. P22.
6. Pulau Coney di-beli oleh pehak PSA. November 21, 1972. Berita Harian. P10.
7. Big Coney Isle Plan. January 4, 1974. New Nation. P3.
8. Beach of the future. September 11, 1974. New Nation. P3.
9. PSA plan for resort islands hit by pollution. December 25, 1976. The Straits Times. P6.
10. De Silva, G. July 29, 1989. Keep Pulau Seletar as it is - a 'hideaway' island. The Straits Times.
11. Unwanted dogs left to starve on the island. November 10, 1982. The Straits Times. P12.
12. Coney Island to be swallowed up. April 16, 1987. The Straits Times. P13.
13. Low, M. November 8, 1995. URA to sell Changi land for resort use, reclaim 110ha off Punggol. The Straits Times.
14. Tan, W. June 23, 1998. A last look at Coney Island. The Straits Times.
15. Development plan takes shape in Punggol. May 17, 2008. Channel News Asia.
16.Toh, K. February 19, 2012. Coney island set to become nature park. The Straits Times.
17. Nature park amid various projects. February 26, 2012. The Straits Times. 
18. Rustic nature park for Coney Island. November 20, 2012. The Straits Times.
19. Wild greenery makes S'pore a global eco-city. May 1, 2013. The Straits Times.
20. Coney Island Park, Singapore's new nature destination, now open. October 10, 2015. The Straits Times.
21. New nature park opens on Coney Island. October 10, 2015. Channel News Asia.
22. Coney Island Park opens to the public. October 11, 2015. The Straits Times.   
23. Coney Island: A walk on the wild side. October 17, 2015. The Straits Times.
24. 'Coney Island' ready by the end of this year. August 11, 1950. The Singapore Free Press. P5.
25. Coney Island for S'pore. April 4, 1950. The Straits Times. P7.
26. Advertisement. April 26, 1951. The Singapore Free Press. P11.
27. Advertisement. March 21, 1951. The Singapore Free Press. P7.
28. She saved marooned monkey. February 20, 1955. The Straits Times. P5.
29. Advertisement. February 1, 1937. The Straits Times. P2.
30. Advertisements. July 9, 1947. The Straits Times. P2.

[Singapore Parks] Mount Emily Park

Signboard of Mount Emily Park

There are more than 300 parks and 4 nature reserves that come under the charge of Singapore's Statutory Board, NParks. Indeed, some parks are less well frequented than others. This can be due to their locality, its facilities or the variety of activities that are organised within the park.

Mount Emily Park is pretty much a quiet old dame of a park that offers nothing more than serenity. Surrounded by private housing, St. Margaret Primary School and the Istana grounds, the park sits on an elevation far beyond the noise of any vehicular movements. Even though the park itself is within the Central Business District.

Behind its quiet facade, the park grounds hold rich history of Singapore's past. Mount Emily was previously known as Bukit Rawa. 

Closer look at the Coat-of-Arms

One of the first structures that you will see at the park is this entrance shelter. Sited in the rock wall of this structure is an emblem of yesteryear. This emblem is a coat of arms granted to the Municipal Commission by the College of Heralds in April 1948. (1)  The colours featured on the coat-of-arms are largely intact and it's such a throwback to see this in person.

Singapore's Coat-of-Arms

It is said that this was the entrance to the former Mt. Emily Swimming Pool. This is where the part about it having a rich history begins.



Reservoir and Mount Emily Swimming Pool

Mt. Emily Reservoir (2)

Mt. Emily once held two service reservoirs that were constructed in the 1880s. But by the late 1920s, the service reservoir was no longer required. It's redundancy was brought upon by the building of the Fort Canning Service Reservoir, which the press claimed to be the largest enclosed reservoir in the East. (3)   

1954 Map from OneMap (4)

The reservoir was then converted into a swimming pool and it was officially opened by Mr R. J. Farrer, President of the Municipal Commissioners on January 10, 1931. (5) The total cost of converting the reservoir into a public swimming pool came up to $30,000. (6) To find out more about Mount Emily Swimming Pool, click here. (7)


Mount Emily Park

Panoramic view of the park

In the early 1900s, Mount Emily Park was seen as a popular retreat of those staying close by. There was a band that played in the afternoon. Parents and children would also spend time playing together. (6)  

Some of the oldest trees seen in the park

The girth of some of the trees there stood as testament of its glorious days. The age of these trees must have been more than 100 years old.

With such a rich history to this park, surely it must be made into a place of interest for local Singaporeans.



Last updated: August 19, 2015


References


1. Lim, J. November 7, 2014. A crestfallen ghost of the past. The Long and Winding Road. Accessed on August 16, 2015. https://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/tag/singapore-municipal-commission/ 

2. National Archive of Singapore. Accessed on August 16, 2015.  http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/ae41408a-1161-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad

3. The Singapore Free Press & Mercantile Advertiser. September 17, 1929. New Emily Park. P9.

4. OneMap. Accessed on August 16, 2015. http://www.onemap.sg/index.html

5. The Singapore Free Press & Mercantile Advertiser. January 1, 1931. Mount Emily. P20.

6. The Singapore Free Press & Mercantile Advertiser. January 12, 1931. A Big Splash. P20.

7. Mount Emily Swimming Pool. December 20, 2012. Accessed on August 16, 2015. http://rememberingsingapore.blogspot.sg/2012/12/mount-emily-swimming-pool.html

[Singapore Parks] Punggol Point: Watching the Sunrise

A Refurbished Punggol Point

Sunrise at 7:08am

Sunrise at 7:11am

Punngol Point Jetty

Interesting rock formation found along the beach

Puggol Beach taken from the look-out

The Look-Out Point

Fish Ponds Along the Promenade

Playground for the Kids

Visiting the Istana

Singapore crest at the gates of the Istana

Panoramic view of the lake

Sri Temasek

The frontage of the Istana

Entrance to the Istana

Well developed trees lined the road to the Istana

Standing Guard

[Nature] Sembawang Hot Spring

Piping Hot Water

Latest news and my views about the suggestion on developing the hot spring (9)

Whenever I hear of development, my mind reminds me of how fast Singapore is to making changes to things and how often it is for economic reasons. So when news came up about developing the Sembawang Hot Springs on April 18 2016, I really will like to ask for the government to not develop the place into a paid theme park or spa. The hot spring should be treated like any public park; free for public use.

I agree with Sembawang's Minister of Parliament (MP), Mr Ong Ye Kung, where he opined that the hot spring should not be commercialised. Fellow Sembawang MP Dr Lim Wee Kiak suggested that a shallow pool be built so that more people can enjoy the hot spring. I'd say, make it into a park that incorporate as much of its surrounding and nature as possible. 

Beitou Public Library

I remember walking along Taiwan's hot spring town - Xin Beitou. The municipal government took great care to ensure that structures built there were environmentally-friendly. Take the Beitou library for an example. The building built in 2006 using wood from managed forest. The inclusion of large windows into the building allows for natural light to be harnessed for its internal lighting. (10)

Lovely Beitou man-made river

Instead of letting the hot spring water flow into useless water holes, we can build a nice man-made river that allow for the water to flow. I always love the sound of flowing water. 

Taiwanese artist painting a portrait of the public library

This will give the place a lovely, tranquil feel. The public can relax, do their little exercises and even sit down to do their painting.

I'm also glad that there's a caretaker to this hot spring. Previously when I was there, there were a few people who were washing their clothes using the spring water. It was not just one or two pieces, but bucket-loads. I suspect that these people were doing this for commercial gains. It's terrible as they used soap powder to wash those clothing and as the water goes back into the ground, I'm just concerned that the ground water would be polluted. 

With a caretaker, I am sure that those few recalcitrant will be kept away.  


Updated: April 18, 2016


Spring water in Singapore? How can this be? Singapore is not known for natural structures or formations.

Well, indeed we have a hot spring in our own backyard along Sembawang Road.

The hot spring was first discovered by property owner Mr Seah Eng Keong in 1909, it was the talk of town. (8) Mr Seah then set up a company called Singapore Hot Spring Limited that bottled the water under the name "Zombun". The water was tested to be alkali in nature and the water was "compared very favourably to the best spa waters in Europe". (3)

During the discovery of the hot spring, the water temperature was measured at about 70 degrees celsius. (6)

Fraser and Neave (F&N) with its monetary might then came in to buy over the land in 1921 and continued bottling the spring water under the brand names "Seletaris" and "Zom". (8)

In the 1923, a newspaper reporter encouraged the public to visit the Seletar Springs and as part of that visit, they could also look out for wild animals such as wild boars and possible tiger sightings in the jungles of Mandai. (1)

In 1933, F&N pumped in money to rebuilt the plant and "Singa Water" was born in 1935. These bottled water were then exported. (8) By 1940, a well had already been built over the hot spring. (2)

During the Japanese Occupation, the bottling of water continued but was disrupted in 1944 after the Allied Forces bombed that area. The spring did not start flowing again until 1964.

Interestingly, there used to be two separate springs in that same area - one that has hot water and the other, cold water. The villagers in the surrounding kampongs used the spring water to bathe, wash their clothes and even boiled eggs. (5)


My Experience at the Hot Spring

I never knew how hot Singapore spring water could be until I experienced it myself. There were pails that one can use. Bathtubs even, for those who want a soak of their feet. So since I'd made my way to the hot spring, there's no way that I'd not try out the water.

However, I was ill prepared. Those seasoned campaigners had brought along their own towels. Their towels would then be soaked in the hot spring water before they proceeded to wipe themselves from head to toe.

I managed to find a pail lying around, one of many pails. I filled the pail with about 1/4 of water and seeing that steam was rising from the water, I waited a bit. A few minutes later, I placed my hands above the water and it felt the tingly feeling. I then proceeded to sprinkle the water on my feet. It was HOT!

It was only after about 30 minutes that the heat from the sprinkled water was more bearable. 

References

1. Seletar Springs. February 6, 1923. The Straits Times. P10.

2. "The Sorcerer" – First Full Rehearsal Of S.A.D.C. Opera. November 1, 1940. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). P5.

3. Our aerated water trade. January 2, 1932. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942). P23.

4. Koh, B. S. March 15, 1989. Land near 'hot spring' site may be redeveloped. The Straits Times. P17.

5. The Singapore Free Press. March 7, 1960. Precious water runs to waste. P7.

6. The Straits Times. August 17, 1909. Untitled. P6.

7. The Straits Times. September 19, 1941. Advertisements Column 1. P5.

8. The Straits Times. March 10, 1967, SEMANGAT AYER LIMITED. P2.

9.  Ong, J. April 18, 2016. Sembawang Hot Spring: Singapore's next theme park, spa or water-themed attraction. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sembawang-hot-spring/2704714.html

10. Great Taipei Travel. Travel King. Accessed on: April 18, 2016. https://www.travelking.com.tw/eng/tourguide/taipei/taipei-public-library-beitou-branch.html

[Special Post] Earthquake at Mount Kinabalu

Mount Kinabalu holds a special place in my heart. Though it was about 1,500km away, it was where I celebrated my 40th birthday with my loved one and family friends.

When news broke of the earthquake at Mount Kinabalu and that one of the key rock formations - The Donkey ears - has been destroyed, I felt the loss of all Sabahans.

Picture of the Donkey Ears rock formation

Then news started floating in about missing people and possibility of deaths. My guts wrenched and I felt pain. Pain because those who died were there to conquer a peak. Pain because lives were lost. It has hit even closer to home as of today, a 12-year old Singaporean had lost her life when the earthquake struck. Eight Singaporeans are still unaccounted for.

I whatsapp my guide to find out how is he doing and the reply I had received from him speaks volume. Just two words , "very sad". No further words were needed to express his pain.

The mountain lies in the no-earthquake zone. Really, nobody expected this. Neither did the parents of the young students whose children were there. 

I am a parent myself and I feel pained by this disaster, but I will never ever be able to feel the pain that they are feeling. I pray that they that peace beyond our understanding will transcend upon them.

My guide (with the red haversack), like all other guides, has always put us as his priority

For the guides, I've experienced first hand how they care for tourists. They are even willing to carry tourists on their backs up or down the mountain. They could have saved themselves but it is always in their nature to care for those around them. To these warriors, thank you so much. It's an honour to have walked beside you.

I've written in to Borneo Post to honour these guides. Hopefully, my email will reach the eyes of the Sabahan state government as well as the Malaysian government so that these guides are properly cared for.

I have been closely monitoring the situation at Mount Kinabalu and my thoughts go out to the people of Sabah and Malaysia. I am writing to ask that the government look into honouring the mountain guides for their bravery and for putting Malaysia on the world map.

I was a climber of Mount Kinabalu in 2013 and had the opportunity to experience the true care and concern showered upon us by our mountain guides. They moved quickly up and down the mountain slopes to ensure that we were safe. They carried large bags, and even people when the latter could no longer complete the climb. They were heroes to all who have climbed this mountain.

The local mountain guides had once again stood out as heroes in this recent unfortunate incident. These guides were there to cut out paths and laid lines to ensure that those caught in the earthquake could make their way down to safety. For those who were incapacitated, these guides carried them through the boulder-strewn path.

These mountain guides have indeed put their lives on the line. As such, the Malaysian government should consider honouring these heroes and also, help them through this difficult period where they will be effectively out of job for the next three weeks or more.

Lim Tua Tow Market and Teck Chye Terrace

This was a popular market and hawker centre in the 50s and 60s. The Lim Tua Tow market was sited on the left of the picture, while the shop houses along Teck Chye Terrace are on the right.

The place surrounding the market was rather filthy and complaints were made to the government in hope that something could be done. There was no proper refuse disposal and items that were unwanted were dumped into the side drains. (17)

 
Not only was the place laden with filth, gangs also ply the back lanes. (5)

The market was demolished in the 1980s due to road expansion. The shop houses on he right are still currently there.

Teck Chye Terrace (Postal Code: Singapore 19/ 1954; 5 1/2 milestone Upper Serangoon Road)

Ask anyone about what Teck Chye Terrace is about and they will tell you it's all about food. From the traditional porridge stalls to buffet styled steamboats, this stretch of shophouses have different eating places to whet your appetites. (26) More recently, this row of shophouses made news as "five adjoining two-storey shophouses" were sold at a whopping cost of S$14.63m. (12)

But what was this place like before the advent of these makan places?

One of the first mention of the road name Teck Chye Terrace was seen in a 1930 Straits Times article. Police raided 19 Lim Teck Chye Terrace, Paya Lebar Village and arrested 10 Chinese for gambling. (13). Other vice activities included taking "chandu" or opium. (16) 

Teck Chye Terrace was acquired by the government in 1931 and declared as a public street. (6) The owners of the freehold land was selling buildings No.1 to 17 - Odd numbers. This road was already present in 1929. (7) It was purchased by a Mr Lim Soo Sian for a princely price of $22,000. (14)

After the Japanese occupation, the Christian community from Paya Lebar Methodist Church pumped in money to build a children's playground close to Teck Chye Terrace, adding some joy to these younglings. The area where the playground was to be built was said to be "overgrown with weeds, banana plants, and bushes and is a dumping ground for scrap and timber". (15)

Adding to gang activities, the filthiness of the place and mosquitoes infestations, Teck Chye Terrace was not a place where families would want to make this place their home. (18)

Source: OneMap, 1954

In 1962, one of its residents named Teck Chye Terrace as "one of the filthiest roads in Singapore". The road was totally crowded with "more than 100 stalls illegally constructed obstruct road users". (8) There was even a call to move these stall holders into the existing market and vacant playground. (3)

Companies that used the buildings at Teck Chye Road include:-

a. Hong Huat Timber Merchant in 1974 at 41, Teck Chye Terrace(9)

b. There was a slew of retail and wholesale liquor and beer shop that applied for a joint licence under the Singapore Provision Shop Friendly Association in 1975. These provision shops included 3, 9, 21, 27, 31, 33, 37 Teck Chye Terrace. (19) (20) (21) (22)

c. Hong Lee Goldsmith at 13 Teck Chye Road (11) (23) from 1982-91. The shop was then named Tiara Creation Pte Ltd in 1991. (27)

d. the now defunct Serangoon Sewing Machine Co. at 33, Teck Chye Terrace (10) in 1982-89. The company went on to sell other electrical appliances such as coloured television, video recorder and hi-fi sets. (24) (25)


First written on May 13, 2014.

Updated on May 31, 2015.


References

1. Left photo: From the Lee Kip Lin Collection. All rights reserved. Lee Kip Lin and National Library Board, Singapore 2009

2. Right photo: Google Map. Retrieved on May 13, 2014.

3. The Straits Times. May 22, 1963. Filth and Dust. P8

4. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. March 16, 1932. P2.

5. The Straits Times. The gangs like the dark. October 11, 1955. P8.

6. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. Declining Property Value. August 17, 1932. P12.

7. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. September 28, 1929. Municipal Commission. P11.

8. The Straits Times. Top prize for squalor. July 21, 1962. P10.

9. The Straits Times. Advertisement. December 9, 1974. P25.

10. Singapore Monitor. November 21, 1984. P3.

11. The Straits Times. Advertisements. June 14, 1983. P23.

12. Rashiwala, K. March 5, 2015. Mortgagee sales lift number of auction properties in Jan-Feb. The Business Times. Retrieved on May 31, 2015. http://business.asiaone.com/news/mortgagee-sales-lift-number-auction-properties-jan-feb

13. The Straits Times. Caught Gambling. January 30, 1930. P17.

14. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. April 27, 1932. Property Sale. P7.

15. The Straits Times. April 2, 1948. Paya Lebar Plans Centre. P5.

16. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. January 13, 1938. Had two cards: opium smoker fined. P15.


17. The Straits Times. January 29, 1955. Even the city cleaners don't dally here. P12.

18. The Straits Times. August 26, 1957. Back lanes need watching. P6.

19. New Nation. January 8, 1975, Advertisements. P15.

20. New Nation. January 29, 1975, Advertisements. P16.

21. New Nation. February 6, 1975, Advertisements. P21.

22. The Straits Times. January 4, 1975. Advertisements. P18.

23. The Straits Times. November 20, 1982. Goldsmith jailed for cheating another goldsmith of $20,000. P8

24. The Straits Times. July 22, 1984. Advertisements. P6.

25. The Straits Times. August 25, 1985. Advertisements. P23.

26. The Straits Times. December 11, 2005. Mass Market it is. Retrieved on May 31, 2015.

27. The New Paper. June 6, 1991. Advertisements. P29.