My Queenstown 我爱女皇镇

My Heritage, My Community, My Aspirations

Showing posts with label Farewell. Show all posts

Farewell MyQueenstown #7 - Farewell KTM Tracks

Posted in Farewell , News in the Dump , recent | Thursday, June 30, 2011|By my queenstown

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." We must track our past to find out about our roots and our purpose for everything we do. Then will we be able to set our goals and directions clearly.

Riding on the train for one last time

The Tanglin district used to extend itself into the backyard of Queenstown at Margaret Drive as the meandering road which led to Orchard would end off somewhere in Alexandra. The Keretapi Tanah Melayu trains, which commenced operations in 1903, would stop at several points in Queenstown, including Archipelago Brewery Company, hereby the name Tanglin Halt. It must be difficult to explain this to our future generations when the trains cease operations tonight and the tracks are removed. History and heritage have always been a second fiddle to the aspirations and dreams of the youths in their pursue of development and material.

Queenstown starts from 3:40

The KTM tracks along Tanglin Halt have always been a part and parcel of Queenstown residents. Some would walk across the tracks from Wessex to Tanglin Halt for a meal at the hawker centre or as short card to the Commonwealth Station. Some would play along the tracks by placing stones on the rusty metal to be crushed by the zooming trains. Some used the chooing of the first train at 5.30am as their daily alarm clock. Some were merely gossiping about the latest suicide death at the track.

So many stories, so many memories. The trains and the tracks have added colour and diversity to our estate and everyone has their own story to tell. All good things come to an end.

In Living Memory of the KTM Trains chooing along Queenstown =)

Archived Stories about KTM Tracks in Queenstown:

Finding Our Roots... Tanglin Halt

When the story about the removal of KTM tracks first broke

Ghost Trail Along KTM Tracks

The Block next to KTM Tracks!

We play at the KTM Tracks

From Muniady Shrine to Sri Muneeswaran Temple

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永别了！女皇镇！#7 一摊油条传三代

Posted in Chinese , Farewell , recent | Saturday, April 30, 2011|By my queenstown

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

Posted in Farewell , recent | Thursday, March 24, 2011|By my queenstown

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 storey apartment flats at Margaret Close would holler their orders and lower a basket with money. Thereafter, Mr. Phoon’s father would place their food and change in the basket before the resident start winching his meal up. The empty plates of noodles were then left by the door for collection in the evening.

Mr. Phoon's father pushing a pushcart

When the cinemas opened in 1970, Mr. Phoon and his family peddled their trade under a makeshift tentage in front of the cinemas. Kerosene lamps were used to light the mini tentage. Mr Phoon had to pump in and out the kerosene into a funnel within the lamps. Furthermore, whenever he needed water to wash the utensils, both Mr. Phoon and his brother had to go to the washing point next to the "toilets" to fill up 3 or 4 buckets. After several warnings and fines from the environmental officers, he had no choice but to move into the hawker centre.

Mr. Phoon's sister at the inaugural Clean and Green Week

Mr Phoon's father and younger brother

Margaret Drive Hawker Centre was a repository of affections and memories for Mr. Phoon. On one hand, he met his lifelong companion, who was an avid moviegoer. His wife would visit the cinema every weekend and come to his wanton noodle stall afterwards for lunch. After several conversations, they get to know each other.

On the other hand, he lost his beloved mother and younger brother to a gruesome murder at the hawker centre in the mid-1970s. He mentioned briefly that the 'fried oyster' uncle was jealous that his wanton noodle was very popular and customers often had to "sit" on their tables. (In those days, there weren't seats at the hawker centre. Individual stallholders are required to bring their chairs and tables for the customers.)

In light of its imminent demise, Mr. Phoon was bereaved and disconsolate. He said, “I spent my whole life here. How I wish I can stay here forever.”

Editor's Note: Mr. Phoon tried to find a stall in beach road to continue his BBQ stall business. Unfortunately or fortunately, he was unable to get one. He has decided to retire.

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Farewell MyQueenstown #5 - Go Sports Skate Shop

Posted in Farewell , recent | Wednesday, February 23, 2011|By my queenstown

For the past 23 years, skateboarders had been flaunting their supreme techniques at the little porch in front of Go Sports shop at Block 6C, Margaret Drive.

We Sang, We Dance, We Skate at Margaret Drive!

The miniature skateboarding park had attracted youths from all walks of life and it would be impossible not to notice an avid surfer performing the “freestyle” movement or “slash grind” tricks at the self-made ramps.

A skateboarder performing tricks at the old Block 6B

Skateboarding was unpopular initially. In the early days, skateboarding was very underground, people treated skaters like gangsters, hooligans and trouble makers. According to Mr. Eddie Goh, 58, the owner of Go Sports, the patrolling police would “book” them every day because they were deemed to be rowdy and noisy.

Residents from all walks of life coming to Go Sports

The image of a skateboarder as a rebellious and non-conforming youth has faded in recent years. Eventually, they realised that the skaters are only doing a sport that they like and are not trouble makers. These surfers injected energy and enthusiasm into the ageing estate with their swift and delicate skills. Whenever a skateboarder roared past the concrete pavements along Margaret Drive, there would be stares and cheers from the amused crowd. The older residents don’t mind the skaters skating downstairs, they treat it like a sports event. They come down to sit by and watched the action. Some told Eddie that with the skaters around, they feel safer because any thieves or trouble maker have to contend with the ‘security guards’.Skateboarding had evolved into a subculture within the Queenstown community.

The DIY ramps in front of Go Sports

The ramps were built them to attract customers to the shop. As Go Sports! is located in a HDB estate, many skaters do not want to come because it is not "cool." However, when the ramps are being built, they come by eventually and make Margaret Drive their second home. The ramps were added piece by piece to avoid problems with HDB.

A skateboarding competition was held on 30 January as a final hurrah. Skateboarders from all over the island came to Margaret Drive and compete in different categories.

For so long, Go Sports have been my playground

The final skateboarding competition at Margaret Drive

See me fly!

I fly higher!

Every surfer was extremely disappointed to know that their favourite “haunting” ground had closed in mid-February 2011 A fortnight later, the ramps were removed and the porch was emptied. Some of them had gone to the skate park at Alexandra Canal Linear Park while the rest had decided to stop skating temporarily.

Go Sports had been a meeting point for teenagers in Queenstown

Eddie felt sad at demise of Go Sports too. He had built a rapport with his customers and accustomed to the kampung like surroundings in Margaret Drive. The miniature skateboarding park outside Go Sports differ from other locations because the children can chill, eat, play games like carom, scrabble, chess and street soccer.

Go Sports - A memorable place where residents of all ages tried skateboarding or skating for the first time

Special thanks to Eddie Goh and Amos Ng for the wonderful photographs.

This article is a preview to the brand new Queenstown newsletter to be out in March 2011.

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Farewell MyQueenstown #4 - Gillman Village

Posted in Farewell , Places , recent | Sunday, January 30, 2011|By my queenstown

The evening sunlight shimmers through the thick canopy for the last few times in this laid back enclave. Persistent honking from those impatient drivers and hurried foot steps of the city dwellers appear miles away. Sitting down on a wooden rattan chair and sipping over a cup of cappuccino in an aroma-filled pizza house seems to be a kind of pleasure while conversing with friends whom you haven't met in years. Nearby, the birds are humming a melody and the branches are swaying gracefully with the wind. Escaping the concrete jungle and everything stressful, I felt so welcomed yet emotional. Welcomed because of the friendly and sincere people. Emotional because I have to say goodbye - to another place at the outskirts of Queenstown.

Farewell Gillman Village

Gillman Village, located at Lock road, is a quaint hub of restaurants, pubs and furniture shops frequented by office workers and expatriate families. Formerly known as the Gillman Barracks, it used to house the British army and later, some units of the Singapore Armed Forces. For those who crave the old world charm of Singapore's colonial history without any makeover in the mould of Rochester Park or Dempsey, Gillman is definitely the place to go after work in the evening or at night. -From Tonight@MyQueenstown

Gillman Barracks in 1957

Gillman Village in 2010

The Corridors of 'Fragipani' Building

The same Corridor today

By the end of February, this laidback enclave will be emptied out. The 4.5 ha plot of state land has been earmarked by the Economic Development Board (EDB) for redevelopment into a permier location for art and creative business. In its heydays, Gillman Village was home to 14 tenants operating an eclectic mix of bars and restaurants. For the workers, residents and frequent patrons to the rustic village, nothing seems to go right.

The rustic old town charm of Gillman Village

Mr Chow, 66, has worked in Gilman Village as a Valet Warden for over 3 years. He enjoys the quiet working environment with a touch of rustic feel with the forestry surroundings. He describes Gilman Village as a ' Kampong style' getaway from the urban concrete jungle, even though the place is situated that close to town.

Mr Chow - a valet warden at the Village

Mr Chow even remembered the first batch of National Service enlistees being recruited in this former army barracks during 1949. On the closure of Gilman Village during end of February 2011, Mr Chow expressed a tinge of sadness as he had known the place since when he was a child.

Gates locked

Roads Blocked

The fire's burning... for a little while more

Life's a puzzle.

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Farewell MyQueenstown #3 - Queenstown Poh Piah

Posted in Farewell , recent | Saturday, January 22, 2011|By my queenstown

For the past 45 years, Mr Lim Tiam Choo's savoury handmade poh piah had tickled the taste buds of many Queenstown residents. Many of us had spent hours queuing up for that elusive combination of that soft and tender poh piah skin wrapping around a thick layer of piping hot mangguang (turnip). Whether rain or shine, Mr Lim would prepare every dish of poh piah earnestly, as if he was making them for the very first time. It's unfortunate to know that he would not be around to make pohpiahs anymore.

Queenstown Poh Piah at Tah Chung Emporium

Mr Lim lived in an attap house in a kampung at Thomson during his childhood days. When he was 20, he decided to set up a small business and borrowed $60 from his relatives and friends. His mom supported him by lending her skills in making poh piah. He rented a trishaw for 50 cents a day and rode them to Tanglin Halt and Margaret Drive. Each poh piah cost 10 cents then. He could sell about 100 poh piahs and earn about $10 each day.

Between 1968 and 1973, he would station his growing pohpiah business at Commonwealth Crescent. New blocks were built at that district and there were many residents patronising his stall. Every evening, he would light a lamp hooked to his trishaw and drove it to places with crowd. His freedom of movement was eventually curtailed by an itinerant hawker act enforced in 1968. He was fined $15 for contravening the act by the NEA officers. Hence, he moved to the Queenstown Shopping Centre (a.k.a. basement of Tah Chung Emporium) in 1973.

Poh Piah Skin at the former Wet Market

In the 1980s, Queenstown was the epicentre of youth and energy. Residents from all over the island would flock to her cinemas, bowling alleys and emporium. Mr Lim's Queenstown Poh Piah was undoubtedly a key attraction in the coffee shop at the basement of Tah Chung Emporium. He started learning techniques of making his own poh piah skin from a Thai friend in 1988. When Queenstown Shopping Centre was demolished in 2000, Mr Lim shifted his famous poh piah stall to Commonwealth Avenue Cooked Food Centre.

Mr Lim has three sons. One of whom expressed a keen interest in making Poh Pia skin. During his semester breaks in his school days, he would help out at his father's stall and learn the tricks in making poh piah skin. Hence, Mr Lim helped him out by preparing the ingredients and renting a stall at the Wet Market.

Mr Lim's greatest satisfaction in his past 45 years was to bring up his children and support his family with his "fruits of labour." At 70 years of age, he felt tired and thought that it was a good time for him to retire.

Editor's Note: Although Mr Lim told us that he did not feel sad at the prospect of retiring, tears swell up in his eyes as he recall all the wonderful experiences he had at Margaret Drive. All good things come to an end... =)

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