a question of heritage, what's worth saving in singapore_ _ cnn travel.pdf
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Aquestionofheritage,whatsworthsavinginSingapore?DeterminedcampaignersbattletosaveanartyoldschoolByElaineEe(/author/elaineeemeyers) 11November,2011
AsiaPacific(http://travel.cnn.com/asia) | Singapore,Republicof(http://travel.cnn.com/singaporerepublic) | Singapore(http://travel.cnn.com/singapore)
SittingontheMethodistGirls'SchoolpremisesislocalartshavenOldSchool.
ThehistoricclocktowerofMethodistGirls'School,aspotfilledwithmemories.
Inarapidlychangingworld,thesubjectofheritagecangiverisetomuchdramaandstrongemotions.
EvenmoresoinSingapore,whichhasembracedarelentlessdrivetodevelopandmodernizeforthelast45years.Littlehasstoodinthewayofdevelopment.
MoreonCNNGo:Gallery:TheendofthelineforSingapore'sTanjongPagarrailwaystation(http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/visit/gallerylasttrainstopsingaporestanjongpagarrailwaystation148041)
Wehavebidgoodbyetoourkampongsandthecommunitiesthatwentwiththemwehavesaidfarewelltoourstreethawkersandthefoodheritagetheyembodiedwehaveseencountlessoldstreetsandbuildingstoonumeroustocountandgenerictonamegetswallowedupbyurbanplanningandthenwealsowatchedthingswethoughthadbecomepricelesslandmarksofthecityfalltorubble.
RazingdownSingaporespast
ThefamiliarredbrickNationalLibraryatStamfordRoadwenttheNationalStadiumhasgone,andtheyhavebeenmanyothers.
Witheachclangofthepiledriverwevefeltatuginourhearts,assomethingthatheldmemoriesandmeaningbitesthedust.
MoreonCNNGo:Singapore'sTanjongPagarrailwaystationtobecomeaneventsvenue?(http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/visit/singaporestanjongpagarrailwaystationbecomeeventvenue449885)
Notalldevelopmentisbadofcourse,andsomeofitisabsolutelynecessaryforprogress.Wegetabetterstandardofliving,betterhealthandhygiene,astrongereconomyandareabletoparticipatemeaningfullyinthe
modernworld.
Andourheritagehasnotbeindiscriminatelydestroyedeither.
Monumentshavebeengazetted,importantbuildingshavebeenpreservedandusedsensitively,
13peoplelikethis.Bethefirstofyourfriends.Like Share 1 Tweet 2
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TheduofightingtosaveOldSchoolandanimportantsliceofSingapore'shistory.
TheOlsenBuilding,oneofthefewwhichissafefornow.
Monumentshavebeengazetted,importantbuildingshavebeenpreservedandusedsensitively,wholeareashavebeenconservedandbuildingswitharchitecturalvaluearesingledoutfor
preservation.
Infact,theUrbanRedevelopmentAuthorityhasconservedmorethan7,000buildingsinSingapore.
Butitneedstobesaidthatwhilesomeofthesebuildingshavebeenusedwellschoolsturnedintomuseumssomeothershavenotbeenaswellprotected.
Cheappubshousedinbeautifulshophouses,oranoldhistoricalresidencetackedincongruouslytoacondoasaclubhouse.
Andconservationisoftenpiecemeal,leavingusclingingontofacadeswhiletherestofabuildinggetshackedoff.
SaveOldSchool
Inrecentmonths,thetopicofheritageandconservationarosewithvigorinthenewsagain.
ThislatestchordofconcernanddissatisfactionwasleadbytheremovaloftheoldtraintracksbetweenSingaporeandMalaysia,thentheexhumationofsomeofSingaporesoldestgravesatBukitBrownCemeteryandtheconversionofthatlandrichnotjustinhistoricalheritagebut,withitslushjungle,alsonaturalheritagetomakewayformoreroads.
Andnow,thepossibledestructionofOldSchool(http://www.oldschool.sg/)theformerpremisesoftheMethodistGirlsSchool(http://www.mgs.sch.edu.sg/)whichdatesfromthe1920sat11MountSophiaforthebuildingofresidentialproperties,mostlikelycondominiums.
FiveofthesixbuildingsthatcompriseOldSchoolarecurrentlyslatedfordemolitionwhenthepremisesleaserunsoutinJune2012withonlytheformerchemistrylab,theOlsonBuilding,markedforconservation.
Intheadmittedlyambitioushopeofblockingthis,twoformerMethodistGirlsSchoolalumnihavegottentogethertoform"SaveOldSchool."
Fightingforheritage
CarolThamandLimLiHsienstartedtheircampaignonFacebookatthebeginningofOctober,andwithinweekstheirpagegeneratedmorethan4,000likes.
WehavealsohadafirstroundofmeetingswithMinistryofNationalDevelopmentandtheConservationDivisionof
theUrbanRedevelopmentAuthority,andtheresanothermeetingwithNationalHeritageBoard,saysTham.
Peoplearestartingtolobbyforuswithincertainauthorities.Withmoremediabuildup,eventsareweareplanning,tieinswitheventsthatarehappeninginOldSchool,liketheindiemusicfestivalUpToTheSkyFestival,andpetitions,weareseeingthiscampaigngaintraction.
Webasicallywanttoconserveasmuchofthesiteaspossible,saysThambecauseasinglebuildingreallydoesnotheritagemake.
Heritageisalsotheenvironmentandthesetting.Andwearearguingforchangeofusebecauseconservationhastobeviableforeverybody.
Havingasinglebuildingwithinaresidentialcomplexservesnopublicpurpose.Singaporeansandpeoplefromoverseasneedtobeabletoappreciatethatbuiltheritage,
andseewhatSingaporeusedtobe.
Whyitisworthsaving
Forobviousreasons,itwouldmakegoodsenseforOldSchooltoremaintheartsenclavethatitis.
IfOldSchoolgoes,saysMabelTayfromOldSchoolmanagement,artistsandmusiciansaregoingtoloseaspacewheretheycangoandcreate,workandcurate.
[The]spacethatweofferisforfree.Noonehasdoneanythinglikethat,noteventhegovernment.Inaddition,wealsoraisemoneyforartscharities.Andweareselfsustaining.
Weoperatewithoutgovernmentfundingandbrokeevensometimeearly2010.
Dotheythinktheycansucceedretainingthispieceofheritage?
TheresanunderlyingfeelinginSingaporethatwerelosingtoomuchofourheritage,saysTham,whetheritsOldSchool,orthetraintracksorBukitBrown.
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(/author/elaineeemeyers)
Tags:HERITAGEBUILDINGS(/TAGS/HERITAGEBUILDINGS), SOCIALISSUESINSINGAPORE(/TAGS/SOCIALISSUESSINGAPORE)
, OLDSCHOOL(/TAGS/OLDSCHOOL)
Werecommend
Fromaroundtheweb
Tham,whetheritsOldSchool,orthetraintracksorBukitBrown.
PeoplearefeelingtheurgentneedtokeepmoreofourheritageandIdontthinkthisfeelingwillsubside.
ButitstooearlytotellifSaveOldSchoolwillsucceed,saysThamquietly.Anditwillbetough.
TofindoutmoreandsupportSaveOldSchool,gotowww.facebook.com/saveoldschool(http://www.facebook.com/saveoldschool)
ElaineEewritesaboutSingapore,thecityshelivesin,coveringthearts,events,personalitiesandsocialissues.HerstorieshaveappearedinTimeOutSingapore,TatlerHomes,Food&TravelandJetstarAsia.Shesalso
aneditoratpublichouse.sg,aSingaporecommunitydrivenwebsiterunbysociallyconsciousdenizens.Whenshesnotatherlaptop,shepractisesBikramyoga,spendstimewithherthreekidsandmakesitapointtokeeptryingsomethingnew.
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