Farewell MyQueenstown

Farewell MyQueenstown #7 - Farewell KTM Tracks

On 30 Jun 2011 | 6 Comments

Much has been written about KTM Tracks lately. A simple search on Google and Yahoo will bring you to numerous websites such as this and this. After all, this cantankerous relic was Singapore's brave new world in the early 20th century.  I have always been a believer of my secondary school's motto, "Rooted in Tradition, Equipped for the Future."

永别了!女皇镇!#7 一摊油条传三代

On 30 Apr 2011 | 1 Comments

一摊油条传三代 在玛格列熟食中心,“生活公市”说得上是个客至如云的摊子。这个小摊子,不售卖任何煮炒;摊子主人则一年三百六十五天,天天在摊内起个炉炸上一条条的油条。 “生活公市”摊主李马才先生(58岁)是这家油条摊的第三代。 祖父自中国南来便炸油条为业,后来其父亦继承了祖父的业务。“生活公市”自1969年起,正式迁入玛格列熟食中心营业。李先生从小便跟随父亲学手艺,在油锅边打转。 李先生的油条,以香脆爽口闻名。在80年代初,李先生每一日几乎可炸近200条油条。李家一家五人总要齐齐上阵来应付顾客的需要。 如今,虽然李先生的摊子已搬迁到亚历山大村熟食中心,但他对玛格列熟食中心仍然十分怀念。再见了,玛格列熟食中心!

Farewell MyQueenstown #6 - The Taste of Wanton Noodle Lingers...

On 24 Mar 2011 | 18 Comments

Mr. Phoon Hon Sun, 64, and his family started selling barbeque pork from a pushcart at the terminal for Hock Lee bus service no.9 some 53 years ago. The bus terminal was located next to Blocks 6B and 7 along Margaret Close, a cluster of flats which were demolished during the 1990s. A familiar sight no more Every afternoon, residents who lived in the seven

Home Sweet Home @ MyQueenstown

Home Sweet Home #15 - A New Day Has Come =)

On 24 Apr 2011 | 11 Comments

Last week, MyQueenstown team interviewed Mdm Chan about her life in Blk 15 Holland Drive. Under SERS, she was assigned a new apartment in the newly developed blocks just a stone throw sway. Today, we visit Hisham Suni, 38, who moved over from Blk 17 to his new apartment in Blk 18C Holland Drive. Hisham Suni and his son =) Hisham is delighted by his new ap

Home Sweet Home #14 - Farewell Holland Drive

On 17 Apr 2011 | 3 Comments

Blk 15, Holland Drive looked vacant and cold when MyQueenstown team visited this morning. The shop houses under the apartment block were all covered with card boards and all that was left were traces of glass panels, which could possibly be a beauty parlor in its place before. The lift was still working. Mdm Chan - a long time resident at Holland Drive A c

Home Sweet Home #13 - Commonwealth 10! Here I Come!

On 10 Apr 2011 | 3 Comments

The front door was wide open when MyQueenstown team visited Mr Lee, 78, at his apartment in Blk 74 Commonwealth Drive. Feeling curious, we knocked onto the door and was greeted by a sleepy looking Mr Lee. Mr Lee who lives alone at Block 74 Retired more than a decade ago, Mr Lee is living alone as he prefers being independent to tagging along with his chi

News@MyQueenstown

Response to Straits Times Forum: "Active Citizenry Needs Space to Find Its Feet"

On 26 Aug 2011 | 25 Comments

A week ago, Mr. Eric Tan, Director of the National Archives of Singapore, explained that the archives have generously acceded to our requests for photographs to be published in our website, upcoming book and newsletter. This was not the full story. Last year, we wrote in to the National Archives of Singapore, requesting them to sponsor photographs of the ol

MyQueenstown Celebrates: Consecration Ceremony at Sri Muneeswaran Temple!

On 10 Jul 2011 | 1 Comments

Tanglin Halt residents are wokened up by the vociferous wailing of nadaswaram and thavil ensemble at Sri Muneeswaran Temple this morning. More than 15,000 residents and devotees have gathered at the Southeast Asia's largest Hindu temple worshiping the Muneeswaran god to witness the consecration ceremony. A consecration ceremony is a festive occasion done on

女皇镇1周新闻快讯 - 第二十五期

On 08 Jul 2011 | 6 Comments

女皇弄组屋 同一垃圾糟 两年3纵火  女皇弄组屋走廊垃圾糟,三度起火,居民人心惶惶,警列恶作剧纵火处理。 位于女皇镇一带的女皇弄第21座组屋8楼的电梯口,今早7时15分左右发生大火。 一名住在事发地点附近的居民,惊见滚滚黑烟从该处冒出 最高74万5000元 最低40多万 女皇镇 四房转售价 相差近37万  在热门组屋区女皇镇里,有四房式组屋最近以74万5000元的最高价转售,但也有37万8000元。 组屋溢价回升之际,热门地点如女皇镇的组屋转售价也持续攀升。今年4月,一间位于女皇镇史达拉摩道(Strathmore Ave)的四房式高楼单位,以74万5000元售出。 最后一次乘搭火车北上  火车开动了!该各就各位了吧。经过女皇镇、武吉知马、武吉班让时看到铁路旁站着许

My Father and I

Former Tanglin Halt Industrial Estate

On 14 May 2011 | 2 Comments

The industrialisation programme took off in Queenstown when the Tanglin Halt Industrial Estate was established to generate employment in the neighbourhood. Initially, the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) planned a small industrial estate at Tanglin Halt to provide employment for the new residents. Measuring some 20 acres of land consisting of 38 factories

Queenstown Baptist Church

On 03 May 2011 | 1 Comments

The Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) set aside seven sites for religious use and advertised for religious organisations to ballot in the 1950s. Of the ten enquiries received, four withdrew, leaving six Christian organisations. These went on to build the first churches of Queenstown; Queenstown Baptist Church, Queenstown Lutheran Church, Faith Methodist Ch

Archipelago Brewery Company (Anchorpoint)

On 22 Apr 2011 | 3 Comments

Established in 1931 by German businessmen, Archipelago Brewery Company was the first commercial brewery in Singapore. It was located next to the Malayan Railway, which provided convenient transportation for exporting the beer in Tanjong Pagar. Archipelago Brewery Company One of the more popular beer produced at Archipelago Brewery Company was Anchor Beer.

Makan Shiok!

Snacks Attack #13 - Ah Luck Bean Curd

On 23 Dec 2010 | 2 Comments

Mr Chua, 25, runs Ah Luck Beancurd in Tanglin Halt market for more than 2 years. He is renting the stall from the original owner who has based his stall in the same area for more than 40 years. Ah Luck Bean Curd offers drinks and deserts such as soya bean drink, grass jelly and the residents' favorite soya bean curd (60 cents). A Delicious Bowl of Bean Curd

Snacks Attack #12 - Satay Mad in Tanglin Halt!

On 16 Dec 2010 | 7 Comments

 Ann, 46 runs the family food stall for over 10 years in Tanglin Halt hawker centre. Serving halal food for over a decade in the same place, Ann has integrated her dishes to suit the taste buds of Queenstown residents, especially the Malay community. The simple food stall offers snacks such as satay, otah and seafood dishes. As a family styled bus

Snacks Attack #11 - Almond & Peanut Paste!

On 09 Dec 2010 | 0 Comments

DessertStory, located in Anchorpoint basement one, has been serving residents tasty snacks and deserts for the past four years. Wendy, the supervisor of the cafe, introduced the various homemade desserts that they offer. A bowl of Almond Paste Hot desserts are mainly the favourite choice among Queenstown residents. Firstly, they have almond paste which is m

Random Thoughts @ MyQueenstown

Random Thoughts @ MyQueenstown #9 - 7 Funerals in 2 weeks

On 22 May 2011 | 0 Comments

7 funerals in 2 weeks. There is a flurry of "activity" these two weeks for correspondents from My Queenstown. We did not leave our traces in photographs as a mark of respect for the deceased. We did leave our sincere prayers and heartfelt condolences for those present. Quietly and fleetingly, we made our way to some of the funerals and understood that all o

Random Thoughts @ MyQueenstown #8 - Block 39A No More (The Removal of Block 39A Part I)

On 05 Apr 2011 | 8 Comments

On a Friday afternoon three weeks ago, several Bangladeshi workers, presumably from the Town Council, took their tool boxes to the lift lobby of Block 39A. In less than half an hour, they carried a metallic frame on their shoulders and placed it on a lorry parked in front of the apartment block. Farewell Block 39A The letterboxes The stretch of corrid

Random Thoughts @ MyQueenstown #7 - A New Coat of Paint

On 22 Mar 2011 | 1 Comments

The Point Blocks, along with 5 other blocks at Mei Ling Street were given a new coat of paint over the past week. The familiar combination of blue, yellow and orange was a thing of the past as these foreign workers toiled day and night, rain or shine to make Mei Ling Street "attractive again." White seems to be the "in" thing in Queenstown lately. Ten-store

Other Recent Articles

Cheaper, Better, Faster Transport?

By my queenstown on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 with 2 comments

In a Straits Times article published yesterday, the authorities announced that 68% of all commuters had saved on their fares based on the 24 million journeys made over a one-week period last month. That occurred after distance fares were introduced. The implementing of Distance Fares in early July are said to enable commuters, who made transfers in their journeys, reduce transports costs. It was argued that distance fares would enhance Singapore's "hub and spoke" transport system. MyQueenstown does not wish to question on validity of the analysis. However, we would find out whether residents in Queenstown had indeed benefit from distance fares.



Bus Stop Opposite Queenstown MRT Station


MyQueenstown Team had conducted a survey at a bus stop next to Commonwealth MRT, Queenstown MRT and Stirling View bus stop on three separate occasions earlier this week. Out of the 58 residents interview, 50 of them recorded the differences in fares while the remaining 8 of them did not "check whether their fares have increased or not."

In our modest survey, 34 or 68% respondents have told us that they experienced higher fares, ranging from 2 cents to over 20 cents per trip. 12 or 24% of the residents paid lower fees while the remaining 8% felt no difference in their transport fares. Why are there such a huge discrepancy in the percentage listed by the PTC above? Let's find out in detail about each individual trip taken by Queenstown residents.

Mr Lee works in Marsilling

Mr Lee, who stays in Commonwealth, takes the MRT to Marsilling every day for work. He spent more on transport fares.

One of our correspondent, Poh Ee, stays in Tanglin Halt and studies in Queenstown Secondary School. Like many Queenstown students from the neighbourhood school, they pay 2 cents more for their bus rides.

Carrie, 36, took a direct bus service 105 or 111 to Orchard every day from Queenstown MRT. She also pays 2 cents more.

Mrs Yee

Mrs Yee took a direct bus every day to work. She has to pay a slightly higher sum but she is unable to quote the figure.

From our survey listed above, 38 or 76% of the 50 respondents living,studying or working in Queenstown took a direct bus or MRT to their destinations. Only 12 or 24% requires a further transfer in their trips. 

Two reasons on why there is a huge proportion of residents taking direct public transport to their destinations are the close proximity of many districts in Queenstown to MRT stations and the availability of many bus services at popular bus stops far away from MRT Stations. For example, residents can hop onto bus service 123 to Orchard, 93 or 100 to Harbourfront, 147 to Little India and Chinatown, 198 to One-North (practically everywhere in Singapore) from the Stirling View bus stop. 

Bus Service 51 can take residents to Pasir Panjang, Stirling View, Strathmore, Clark Quay and Geylang

Before we get too carried away by the convenience of public transport in Queenstown, it must be noted that there is also a huge proportion of low income elderly persons living in Queenstown. In fact, Queenstown has one of the highest proportion of applicants for financial assistance in Singapore. According to the Public Transport Council, they had an "unenviable task of distributing it among the various commuter groups."  

So, why penalise Queenstown? These elderly persons need to visit nearby medical institutions such as Alexandra Hospital, National University Hospital or Queenstown Polyclinic for medical treatments. While the increase in transport fares may seem insignificant to some of us, these older folks or lower income families struggle to make ends meet. While MyQueenstown agrees that distance fare is a fairer way of charging transport fares, there is no assistance for these needy elderly persons in the horizon.

Distance fares may appear cheaper, better and faster for residents in other parts of Singapore. But certainly, not Queenstown!

POST COMMENT

2 comments:

Anonymous said...
August 20, 2010 at 1:13 AM

If travellings by public transports at Queenstown are more expensive as according to respondents to the survey, then travelling anywhere in Sin will be the same. Publi transports anywhere in Sin are provided by the same operators under the supervisions of the Land Transport Authority and Public Transport Council.

patriot

Louis said...
August 20, 2010 at 3:19 AM

@patriot

I agree with what the post is saying and i believe you don't understand. The post is trying to explain that Queenstwon respondents pay higher fares because most of them do not benefit from the transfer rebates because they have direct bus or MRT to their work place. And this was due to the fact that the MRT station are walking distance from our homes. I paid around 10 cents more every trip and I take a direct bus, 61 from tanglin halt to harbourfront.

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