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Aquestionofheritage,whatsworthsavingin
Singapore?
Determinedcampaignersbattletosaveanartyoldschool
ByElaineEe(/author/elaineeemeyers)

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11November,2011

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ThehistoricclocktowerofMethodistGirls'School,aspotfilledwithmemories.

Inarapidlychangingworld,thesubjectofheritagecangiverisetomuchdramaandstrong
emotions.
EvenmoresoinSingapore,whichhasembracedarelentlessdrivetodevelopandmodernizefor
thelast45years.Littlehasstoodinthewayofdevelopment.
MoreonCNNGo:Gallery:TheendofthelineforSingapore'sTanjongPagarrailwaystation
(http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/visit/gallerylasttrainstopsingaporestanjongpagarrailwaystation148041)

Wehavebidgoodbyetoourkampongsandthecommunitiesthatwentwiththemwehavesaid
farewelltoourstreethawkersandthefoodheritagetheyembodiedwehaveseencountlessold
streetsandbuildingstoonumeroustocountandgenerictonamegetswallowedupbyurban
planningandthenwealsowatchedthingswethoughthadbecomepricelesslandmarksofthecity
falltorubble.

RazingdownSingaporespast
ThefamiliarredbrickNationalLibraryatStamfordRoad
wenttheNationalStadiumhasgone,andtheyhavebeen
manyothers.
Witheachclangofthepiledriverwevefeltatuginour
hearts,assomethingthatheldmemoriesandmeaning
bitesthedust.
MoreonCNNGo:Singapore'sTanjongPagar
railwaystationtobecomeaneventsvenue?
(http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/visit/singaporestanjongpagarrailway
stationbecomeeventvenue449885)

SittingontheMethodistGirls'School
premisesislocalartshavenOldSchool.

Notalldevelopmentisbadofcourse,andsomeofitis
absolutelynecessaryforprogress.Wegetabetter
standardofliving,betterhealthandhygiene,astronger
economyandareabletoparticipatemeaningfullyinthe

modernworld.
Andourheritagehasnotbeindiscriminatelydestroyedeither.
Monumentshavebeengazetted,importantbuildingshavebeenpreservedandusedsensitively,

Monumentshavebeengazetted,importantbuildingshavebeenpreservedandusedsensitively,
wholeareashavebeenconservedandbuildingswitharchitecturalvaluearesingledoutfor
preservation.
Infact,theUrbanRedevelopmentAuthorityhasconservedmorethan7,000buildingsin
Singapore.
Butitneedstobesaidthatwhilesomeofthesebuildingshavebeenusedwellschoolsturned
intomuseumssomeothershavenotbeenaswellprotected.
Cheappubshousedinbeautifulshophouses,oranoldhistoricalresidencetackedincongruously
toacondoasaclubhouse.
Andconservationisoftenpiecemeal,leavingusclingingontofacadeswhiletherestofabuilding
getshackedoff.

SaveOldSchool
Inrecentmonths,thetopicofheritageandconservationarosewithvigorinthenewsagain.
Thislatestchordofconcernanddissatisfactionwasleadbytheremovaloftheoldtraintracks
betweenSingaporeandMalaysia,thentheexhumationofsomeofSingaporesoldestgravesat
BukitBrownCemeteryandtheconversionofthatlandrichnotjustinhistoricalheritagebut,with
itslushjungle,alsonaturalheritagetomakewayformoreroads.
Andnow,thepossibledestructionofOldSchool(http://www.oldschool.sg/)theformerpremisesofthe
MethodistGirlsSchool(http://www.mgs.sch.edu.sg/)whichdatesfromthe1920sat11MountSophia
forthebuildingofresidentialproperties,mostlikelycondominiums.
FiveofthesixbuildingsthatcompriseOldSchoolare
currentlyslatedfordemolitionwhenthepremiseslease
runsoutinJune2012withonlytheformerchemistrylab,
theOlsonBuilding,markedforconservation.
Intheadmittedlyambitioushopeofblockingthis,two
formerMethodistGirlsSchoolalumnihavegotten
togethertoform"SaveOldSchool."

Fightingforheritage

TheduofightingtosaveOldSchoolandan
importantsliceofSingapore'shistory.

CarolThamandLimLiHsienstartedtheircampaignon
FacebookatthebeginningofOctober,andwithinweeks
theirpagegeneratedmorethan4,000likes.

WehavealsohadafirstroundofmeetingswithMinistry
ofNationalDevelopmentandtheConservationDivisionof
theUrbanRedevelopmentAuthority,andtheresanothermeetingwithNationalHeritageBoard,
saysTham.
Peoplearestartingtolobbyforuswithincertain
authorities.Withmoremediabuildup,eventsareweare
planning,tieinswitheventsthatarehappeninginOld
School,liketheindiemusicfestivalUpToTheSkyFestival,
andpetitions,weareseeingthiscampaigngaintraction.
Webasicallywanttoconserveasmuchofthesiteas
possible,saysThambecauseasinglebuildingreally
doesnotheritagemake.
Heritageisalsotheenvironmentandthesetting.Andwe
arearguingforchangeofusebecauseconservationhas
tobeviableforeverybody.
TheOlsenBuilding,oneofthefewwhichis
safefornow.

Havingasinglebuildingwithinaresidentialcomplex
servesnopublicpurpose.Singaporeansandpeoplefrom
overseasneedtobeabletoappreciatethatbuiltheritage,

andseewhatSingaporeusedtobe.

Whyitisworthsaving
Forobviousreasons,itwouldmakegoodsenseforOldSchooltoremaintheartsenclavethatitis.
IfOldSchoolgoes,saysMabelTayfromOldSchoolmanagement,artistsandmusiciansare
goingtoloseaspacewheretheycangoandcreate,workandcurate.
[The]spacethatweofferisforfree.Noonehasdoneanythinglikethat,noteventhe
government.Inaddition,wealsoraisemoneyforartscharities.Andweareselfsustaining.
Weoperatewithoutgovernmentfundingandbrokeevensometimeearly2010.
Dotheythinktheycansucceedretainingthispieceofheritage?
TheresanunderlyingfeelinginSingaporethatwerelosingtoomuchofourheritage,says
Tham,whetheritsOldSchool,orthetraintracksorBukitBrown.

Tham,whetheritsOldSchool,orthetraintracksorBukitBrown.
PeoplearefeelingtheurgentneedtokeepmoreofourheritageandIdontthinkthisfeelingwill
subside.
ButitstooearlytotellifSaveOldSchoolwillsucceed,saysThamquietly.Anditwillbetough.
TofindoutmoreandsupportSaveOldSchool,gotowww.facebook.com/saveoldschool
(http://www.facebook.com/saveoldschool)

ElaineEewritesaboutSingapore,thecityshelivesin,coveringthearts,
events,personalitiesandsocialissues.HerstorieshaveappearedinTime
(/author/elaineeemeyers) OutSingapore,TatlerHomes,Food&TravelandJetstarAsia.Shesalso
aneditoratpublichouse.sg,aSingaporecommunitydrivenwebsiterunbysociallyconscious
denizens.Whenshesnotatherlaptop,shepractisesBikramyoga,spendstimewithherthree
kidsandmakesitapointtokeeptryingsomethingnew.
ReadmoreaboutElaineEe(/author/elaineeemeyers)

Tags:
HERITAGEBUILDINGS(/TAGS/HERITAGEBUILDINGS),

SOCIALISSUESINSINGAPORE(/TAGS/SOCIALISSUESSINGAPORE)

, OLDSCHOOL(/TAGS/OLDSCHOOL)

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