A question of heritage, what's worth saving in Singapore_ _ CNN Travel.pdf

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

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.

(/author/elaineeemeyers)

Tags:HERITAGEBUILDINGS(/TAGS/HERITAGEBUILDINGS), SOCIALISSUESINSINGAPORE(/TAGS/SOCIALISSUESSINGAPORE)

, OLDSCHOOL(/TAGS/OLDSCHOOL)

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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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