My Queenstown: Tanglin Halt

While Meil Ling Street and Stirling Road were still hills, 10-storey flats were constructed at Tanglin Halt Road in 1962. The occupants of the flats were previously from kampungs. Although they were unable to speak in other communities' language, they remained cooperative, looked out for one day and greeted each other. The Kampung spirit did not diminish despite living in apartments which was separated by a concrete wall.

The Bird's Eye View of Tanglin Halt

"Chap Lau Chu" or Ten Storey flats

The building of the first HDB flats in Queenstown along Tanglin Halt Road did not go on without a hitch. Bureacratic red tapes and strong disapproval in acquiring graveyards had amassed unhappiness among Singaporeans. However, memories of cocoa aromas and metallic assemblage sonorous sounds in Tanglin Halt were symbols of the first industrialisation within a residential estate.

Blessed Sacrament Church which we have featured

The uniform row of ten-storey housing blocks spawned the precinct's colloquial name Tanglin Halt chap lau. It is also home to Church of Blessed Sacrament with an iconic blue slate roof and Sri Muneeswaran Temple, the biggest temple dedicated to Sri Muneeswaran in South East Asian.

Fast forward to 2009, the same rows of flats remain standing. Painted with sky blue and baby pink, they symbolise the advent of public housing in Singapore. Constant upgrading of the facilities enable lifts to stop in every floor along the block, compare to the past where lifts can only stop at certain levels to save costs. Flats, whether they are new or old, will always provide a roof over our heads. As time goes by, these block of flats may give way to new developments like those towering skyscrappers next to New Town Primary School. However, even as young Singaporeans, we must not forget the roots of our past.