Before we take our trail adventure exploring, discovering and rediscovering AMK town via he refreshed NHB Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail, let’s start with a bird’s eye view of AMK town and its surroundings from Blk 710. How different would the landscapes and surroundings of AMK, the nearby neighbouring towns, were like as compared to the 1989 when Queen Elizabeth II visited on her tour of Ang Mo Kio at Block 710? 

New stories of AMK’s town history and heritage 

The NHB refreshed Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail tells new stories of AMK town’s history and heritage. Through fresh research and community interviews, these have allowed the refreshed trail to delve deeper into AMK’s transformation from an area of plantations and farming land to a thriving residential and commercial hub.

This refreshed trail has reveal lesser-known facts about its landmarks, and uncover more tales of the men and women who live and work in AMK. The Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail was first launched in 2011, it is part of NHB’s ongoing efforts to document and promote distinct histories and memories of different areas in which Singaporeans live, work and play, deepening our understanding of the Singapore story.

New marked sites and thematic routes

The refreshed Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail covers 40 heritage sites and features 10 heritage markers. These include 13 new sites, as well as two new markers at the 

1. Church of Christ the King – the only Catholic church in AMK
2. Liuxun Sanhemiao, a joint temple formed by three temples – Sam Ann Fu, Longxuyuan Jinsuiguan, and Hong San Chin Huat Temple Association – which originated rom the former Lak Xun Village in Yio Chu Kang. 

This trail also features three newly curated thematic routes exploring different aspects of AMK’s heritage, including Iconic Landmarks, Hidden Heartland Gems, and Scenic Fringes. 

These new markers join a list of sites that are a part of AMK’s unique story, including the 21-hectare AMK Town Garden West, the largest town garden project by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) at the time of its completion in 1983. The AMK Town Council was the first such council in Singapore that was established in 1986, and Block 259, also known as the “Clover Block”. the first and only block of circular HDB flats.

Mr Gerald Wee, Director (Education and Community Outreach), NHB, said: “Since the Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail was launched in 2011, we’ve been working closely with the Ang Mo Kio community, and have uncovered interesting new facts and stories about the town’s history and heritage, such as the cache of artworks by Chinese artist Xu Beihong which was hidden in Chong Boon Chinese School in Lelong Pah village, near today’s Serangoon Garden, during the Japanese Occupation. By refreshing the trail, we hope that Singaporeans will gain a deeper appreciation of this quintessential Singaporean heartland, and residents will be imbued with a greater sense of pride and belonging.”

The AMK Community Spirit

This refreshed Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail incorporates contributions from former and current residents of AMK to showcase the diverse aspects of the town through the perspectives of people from different walks of life, cultural backgrounds and faiths. AMK in its early days has been known for its strong kampong spirit of neighbourliness. 

Karen Albuquerque, a long-time resident of Ang Mo Kio who contributed to the refreshed trail, recalled: “The neighbourly relations were very strong and close. During festivals, we would visit each other and kept a look out for one another. My mother even left a set of our keys with one of my neighbours!”

From a rural area to an iconic heartland town

AMK became a town of many firsts as it evolved from its rural origins. It was one of the first estates built by HDB, this made AMK an ideal testing ground for different architectural styles, building methods, and pilot initiatives. Block 259 in AMK, is also known as the “Clover Block” for its resemblance to the plant when viewed from above, resulted from this. This block stands as the only block of circular public housing flats in Singapore, and is now an icon in the neighbourhood. 

AMK also served as a pioneer for the concept of town councils, a name that we are familiar in today’s Singapore. This idea was first raised by Lim Boon Heng, then Member of Parliament for Kebun Baru in 1984, with the goal of providing residents greater autonomy over how their estates are managed, and to nurture a stronger sense of ownership and identity. 

Launched in 1986, AMK Town Council became the first of its kind after a successful pilot programme, leading to the passing of the Town Council Act in 1988.

Hidden gems in AMK

There are hidden gems in AMK neighbourhood that the locals in AMK would know. This refreshed NHB trail brings visitors on a journey to explore them, revealing new stories and information about the town’s landmarks. 

Church of Christ the King

One such institution is the Church of Christ the King, the first and only Catholic church in AMK. Officially opened on 26th September 1982, the church houses two significant religious objects, an icon of the Mother of Perpetual Help on its facade, and a start of Christ the King, sculpted in 1956 in Kerala, India on its front balcony.

Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple

The Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple was constructed in 2011, unites the heritage of three temples from former villages in AMK: Gao Lin Gong, Kim Eang Tong and Leng San Giam. 

With the redevelopment of AMK in the 1970s, the three temples came together to establish a joint temple to secure the lease for the site it currently stands on. When you visit the Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple, keep a lookout for the intricate carvings on the building’s pillars and facade that were handcrafted by artisans in China, and a carved wooden stand within the Gao Lin Gong temple commissioned in 1888 to mark the temple’s founding. 

It is one of the two joint temples in AMK that houses temples from different kampongs in the area, the other being the aforementioned Liuxun Sanhemiao.

A closer look at AMK community stories

Kebun Baru Bird Singing Club

The locals would know this place, in more recent decades, an iconic spot well-loved by many is the Kebun Baru Bird Singing Club. This location serves as the a community gathering spot for bird keepers and enthusiasts from all over Singapore. Known as Singapore’s largest bird singing and display arena, the Kebun Baru Bird Singing Club was originally established by three Zebra Dove enthusiasts residing in AMK. 

In 1987, they applied to erect poles to expand the club’s capacity for more bird enthusiasts to join them. At the present moment, this venue can accommodate more than 1,000 cages and regularly hosts bird singing competitions. Among the club’s founders is Mr Teng Leng Foo, who also operates a traditional bird cage making business at Block 159, located next to the arena.  

Hidden cache of artworks by Chinese artist Xu Beihong

In the refreshed Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail, lesser-known stories of AMK town, such as the hidden cache of artworks by Chinese artist Xu Beihong, which used to be located in Chong Boon Chinese School in Lelong Pah. He was renowned for his ink paintings of horses and birds, Artist Xu had organised an exhibition to raise funds for the Sino-Japanese war when the Japanese invaded Malaya in 1941. 

To evade surveillance, Artist Xu’s associates, active in anti-Japanese efforts, arranged for him to take shelter at Lelong Pah. His collection of art tools and artworks were carefully sealed in ceramic vats and buried near the school. After the Japanese Occupation, these vats were retrieved and left to air-dry for over two months in the school before being returned to Artist Xu.

When you embark on your refreshed NHB Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail, you can expect to dive deeper into such stories like these inside the companion guide.

How can I discover/rediscover Ang Mo Kio? 

NHB’s various heritage trails are excellent, informative, friendly and easy to use travel guides for both locals and overseas visitors who would like to explore the Singapore heartlands of living, history, heritage, culture and living. If you like to embark on your NHB AMK Heritage Trail (refreshed), here are three newly curated thematic routes that you choose from.

(1) Iconic Landmarks (1.5 hours with public transport, 5.5km)

Taking public transport in AMK district, this route brings you to the iconic buildings and sites of AMK new town, the 7th housing town built by HDB – which range from distinctive blocks to landscaped parks.

(2) Hidden Heartland Gems (1 hour and 45 minutes with public transport, 7.5km)

This route brings you to explore overlooked gems in AMK, and relates interesting facts about them and lesser-known community stories.

(3) Scenic Fringes (2.5 hours with public transport, 12km)

For this scenic route, it brings you to explore the outskirts of AMK, revealing another side of the new town and its surroundings.  

Where can I find more information on Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail? 

If you like to embark on your very own Ang Mo Kio rediscovery adventure, you can download the Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail companion guide and map from NHB’s heritage portal, roots.gov.sg. 

For those who prefer a printed copy of the guide and map, they will also be available in limited quantities at various locations, including Asian Civilisations Museum, Cheng San-Seletar Community Club, Teck Ghee Community Club, Kebun Baru Community Club, Yio Chu Kang Community Club, and NHB HQ at Stamford Court.

Check out this video highlights of the Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail here: https://go.gov.sg/angmokioheritagetrail 

Explore Singapore’s History, Heritage, Culture, and Stories with NHB Heritage Trails

Whether you are a local or an overseas visiting Singapore, I would like to invite you to check out NHB’s curation and collection of Heritage Trails that you can embark on to explore a different, unique and engaging travel experiences in Singapore that you might not know about.

Visit NHB’s heritage portal, ROOTS – https://www.roots.gov.sg/nhb/trails, for more information and collections of NHB Heritage Trails. 

Happy exploring Singapore through NHB’s Heritage Trails collection!

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This was for the long-running series “On The Red Dot” programme that airs on Channel 5 and ChannelNewsAsia. The episodes that that been produced and aired on TV were really good, excellent content, nostalgia for some of the content they produced and they also covered current issues too. You can catch up and watch “On The Red Dot” episodes on CNA Insider YouTube channel!  

When On The Red Dot episode 35: Places We Miss: The Last Goodbye on Tanglin Halt was aired on TV, I watched it with great nostalgia, the older generation HDB flats, the kampung spirit, two storey shophouses and delicious local hawker food. Although I did not stay in Tanglin Halt, it was part of my growing up years, passing by/through Tanglin Halt on my way home from secondary school days, from Gan Eng Seng School to Clementi.

Here are some of the photographs of Tanglin Halt that I shot in 2015.

I was honoured and humbled that my photographs that I shot in 2015 played a small part in this On The Red Dot episode. My personal photography documentation on heritage, history, culture and old places have always been ongoing, mainly through my photography and writing down notes. All these journeys of mine took time, at times putting it one side and moving into another area before returning back to it again.

This is the time to revisit and continue my documentation of Tanglin Halt. I made a quick trip down recently after this episode was aired, with the Canon EOS R5 camera that I am reviewing. This was meant to be a short photography fieldwork, to reconnect with this area before planning my schedule in the months ahead to continue. 

From the kampung spirit, shophouses, delicious local hawker food, the former rail corridor/green corridor and the older generation HDB blocks. I would try my best to document, photograph and cover as much of Tanglin Halt before it’s gone forever.    

Tanglin Halt – Time to revisit in 2021, to continue on my personal photography and documentation of old places in Singapore before it’s gone forever into our history books, websites and archives. This would be taking place over the next few months.

Remember to get your international driver permit from INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS ASSOCIATION when you can travel out to explore different destinations around the world by car!

A special TGH Photography x Canon EOS R5 Explorer Series Production.

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On a Sunday afternoon in October, I had an appointment in Newton, therefore I decided to plan to check out the two playgrounds in Toa Payoh, that was not too far away from Newton. For the Old Dragon Playground, it was more of a revisit and to take a look at how she looks without the old HDB blocks behind her because they were demolished in an en-bloc move. The Old Dragon Playground still looked just as good and grand, without the HDB blocks behind, it kind of makes it empty yet open and wide.

During my short visit, I saw children playing there, running around the Old Dragon Playground and playing with the sand. Although I had my tech gadgets nowadays, I do miss the fun and laughter of my childhood days at the playgrounds in my neighbourhood, where there wasn’t much technology advancements and gadgets in those era.

After taking some photographs of the Old Dragon Playground, soaking in the thoughts, feelings and emotions, I walked across the road from the Old Dragon Playground to Kim Keat Avenue. Soon I found my Dinosaur Playground! I found my big T-Rex Dinosaur there and it kind of looks cute! While it wasn’t exactly the old playground that I grew up playing at, I was having deep thoughts (like a primary school kid during my time) on how I would go around playing at the Dinosaur Playground.

When I finished photographing and documenting the Dinosaur Playground, I turned and walk away. I still have a few more Old Playgrounds to cover and complete my personal project that took me over a few years. While it had been slow and at times inconsistent on my part, I had no regrets and instead had a lot of personal fulfilment, enjoyment and nostalgia.

Time to head for the next Old Playground and tick it off my remaining list.

The post Exploring Dinosaur Playground and Old Dragon Playground appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

The Old Dragon Playground has a good coverage locally and internationally, her “birth” and history was documented in Mosaic Memories, an e-book commissioned by the Singapore Memory Project. This particular Old Dragon Playground was designed by Mr Khor Ean Ghee, who was working in Housing and Development Board (HDB) in the 1970s, to create mini adventure lands in HDB housing estates. The playgrounds were to create spaces that could impress the younger generation at that time to a sense of Singapore identity. Although there were a number of different playground designs, the Dragon Playground was Mr Khor’s most successful attempt. Do check out Mosaic Memories e-book for a more in-depth write up of Mr Khor’s works, thoughts and feelings of the Old Playgrounds!

She definitely stood the test of time and great changes to Singapore’s society, she is still standing tall and proud today. While her surrounding HDB blocks were vacated and the authorities have future plans to redevelop the area around it, the Grand Old Dame, our Old Dragon Playground is going to continue staying around her current location and still be an iconic symbol, a mini adventure space, a heritage and cultural symbol to showcase our Singapore’s culture and community from her early days and into the future.

Whenever I revisited all the different Old Playgrounds, the feeling is always wonderful, I do miss those childhood days playing at all these old playgrounds. Many of the Old Playgrounds were gone and lost forever into our history, hopefully into books, photographs or into our beautiful memories inside our hearts. For those that still remains today in Singapore, shall we all spread a message to keep and preserve all of them? Let’s all Pass-It-On and Pay-It-Forward!

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

The post Old Playgrounds: Toa Payoh Dragon Playground appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

The Old Playground that I am featuring is the Baby Dragon Playground in the heart of (Braddell area) Toa Payoh HDB Estate. The Old Playgrounds were designed by Mr Khor Ean Ghee, who was working in the Housing and Development Board (HDB)  in the 1970s and 1980s. The Baby Dragon Playground was a smaller version of her bigger cousin, the Dragon Playground. The Dragon Playground was Mr Khor’s favourite playground among his many playground designs that he completed for HDB and it lived up to the mandate of creating spaces for the children to play safely and learn about local identity.

When I found the Baby Dragon Playground, things had changed, the sand pit were no longer around. The flooring had changed and there were a new modern playground beside it too. As I climbed up the steps and ran down the curved slide, nostalgic childhood memories came running back into me. Even though it will never be the same like before, I am happy that the Baby Dragon Playground is still around and hopefully still be around into the decades ahead into the future. Whenever we stood at the top of the Old Playgrounds, we had a top of the world feeling (when we were small kids and it looked kind of high up there!), fast forward ahead as an adult, the feelings never change, the top of the world feeling is still around (except that it’s not that high since we are now adults!).

Coming back down, taking photographs, documenting and now sharing the Baby Dragon Playground here, my thoughts, my stories, my fun times. I hope to add more photographs of the Baby Dragon Playground from different perspectives and views, to continue sharing what the Old Playgrounds meant to some of us. This is my own personal project to document Old Playgrounds in Singapore, my collection on Flickr! Every post I write for each individual Old Playground, I am taking a small baby (hence the Baby Dragon Playground) step to producing my own and very first photobook on each individual Old Playground story, photographs and adventure. It’s a dream that I want to fulfil eventually some time down the road. Will you join me in going back to your childhood days and play again at the Old Playgrounds?

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Useful information and links on Old Playgrounds in Singapore

– Singapore Memory Project ~ Mosaic Memories – Remembering the Playgrounds Singapore Grew Up In

– Map of the Old Playgrounds locations in Singapore by Justin Zhuang

View Old Singapore Playgrounds in a larger map

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