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

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XXX Restricted Access @ MyQueenstown #3 - Former Queenstown Bowling Alley

By my queenstown on Sunday, October 10, 2010 with 5 comments

Queenstown Bowling Alley was officially opened in 1976. Situated at the heart of the estate which contained an emporium, 2 cinemas and other recreation facilities, it upped Queenstown's 'cool' factors by many notches. The 18-lane bowling alley was also a favourite among the young and the trendy in the estate as many residents would try their luck for strikes and turkeys.

Queenstown Bowling - the sign


When the "Queensway" and "Queenstown" cinemas ceased operations in 1999, the bowling alley and its "partner" Kentucky Fried Chicken hanged on for a couple of years before shutting their doors. The KFC closed in 2000 and the bowling alley followed them a few months later. A billiard and LAN gaming outlet took the place of the ground level cinema theatre. Unfortunately, diseconomies of scale had forced the billiard operator out of the building too.

Kentucky Fried Chicken Branch in Queenstown

Kentucky Fried Chicken was the first fastfood operator opening a branch in Queenstown and the only operator within "Queenstown central." Many residents believed that the fire, which broke out at Ridout Tea Garden or the Japanese Garden, was the main reason why it shifted to the second level of the Queenstown Bowling Alley.

Stairways leading to the KFC

The KFC branch at the cinema complex looked like any other branches in the 1980s and 1990s. The walls were plastered with many tiny tiles and the tables  was made of hard, concrete marble. It was not exactly a huge branch, but its location at the 2nd level of the complex allowed patrons a full view of the entire bowling alley.

Retrofitted seats at the KFC branch

Kentucky Fried Chicken, now known as KFC, had an old man known as Colonel Harland Sanders who was the founder. We are used to seeing "Chicky the chicken" as the mascot for the children today. In the 1980s, the old colonel statues stood outside its outlet. 

The Long "Sofa" Seats are popular among students

Customers get to see the full view of the bowling alley from the KFC

The KFC branch at Queenstown Japanese Garden was one of the first branches opened in Singapore, the first being the Somerset Road branch in 1977. Hence, the KFC branch did not open at the same time as the bowling alley. According to residents, it was launched at the cinema complex in 1980/1. Then, the KFC served rice and soup. They were accompanied with forks and spoons unlike the "finger lickin' good" motto they had today.

Internal Ventilation of the KFC

Bowlers and their friends could rest and enjoy a meal at the KFC by climbing this narrow flight of stairs. It was common for residents and patrons to sneak a fried chicken takeaway while waiting for their "turn" at the bowling alley.

A narrow flight of stairs connect the bowling alley to the KFC

Tenpin Bowling was initially confined to the private lanes of the American Club because it was a flourishing multimillion dollar industry which was popular among Americans. Singaporeans were provided with its first public bowling alley at Jackie's Bowl in 1965. As queues awaited outside the bowling alley, curious onlookers had "so much desire to get a touch of the new sport." That signalled the start of a bowling fever as bowling alleys sprouted all over the island. Queenstown caught the cold too.

The Bowling Alley Today

What's left of the bowling alley today are broken pieces of falling concrete and broken roof tiles. The corroded roofs of the complex enabled rainwater to splash into the compound. The rainwater was very much stagnated and it smelt awful to be in the complex. The gutters, the waxed wooden lanes, the scoring boards and the seats were removed totally.  

Book a Game!

Scoring boards and charts which was written manually in the 1970s, were replaced with monotonous electronic ones in the mid 1990s. And some residents remember fondly that there is a small chart indicating the rules of counting scores and the receptionist would give it to the patron when he or she asked for it.

Toilets at the Bowling Centre

Ticket of Queenstown Cinema contributed by reader, Audrey Chong

Noise and excitement used to fill the bowling centre when the pins were knocked over by the resin balls. What remained in this enclosed compound today was a disturbing echo as the correspondent flickered his camera and jotting down notes. 

Read also: 
Restricted Access @ MyQueenstown: Former Queenstown Cinema
Restricted Access @ MyQueenstown: Palace KTV

Have You Entered Alexandra Fire Station? Stay tuned for the two-part series next Sunday!

What are your memories of the bowling centre? Tell us at our facebook now!


POST COMMENT

5 comments:

Anonymous said...
October 11, 2010 at 9:38 AM

such a waste that they left this big space empty all these years. Had they tried, and with ample parking space & MRT nearby, it could have been another heartland hangout join / makan paradise.....

Keep up the good works guys.

Jimmy

Anonymous said...
April 29, 2012 at 2:01 AM

There was another staircase to the 2nd floor. Fond memories of my family and friends after our kfc meal together and then leaving by the door at the second floor, where there there was a small shop selling kacang puteh and snacks for movie-goers

anonymous said...
November 29, 2014 at 7:03 PM

Such a pity....they could have re-renovate the cinema halls, add some popular shops like h&m or uniqlo, Add a fairprice xtra (or giant) and an arcade. Revive and revamp the bowling centre and the kfc and turn in into a mini sized mega mall. They did with the Jurong East Entertainment centre and turned it into jcube. Why not queenstown cinema?

Isabelle Lim said...
May 18, 2015 at 1:53 PM

Can enter or not?? Is it closed to the public now?

mnuaim said...
August 30, 2022 at 6:04 PM

Good share! For anyone looking for more bowling alley options, I would like to recommend checking out the list made in this article review: https://hyperlocalnation.com/singapore_post/12-best-bowling-alleys-comparison-in-singapore/

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