Queen Elizabeth Walk

Those who are old enough should remember Queen Elizabeth Walk (Ngo Chang Chew Kar) Under the 5 Tree, and the Malay community called it Jalan Tepi Laut the name comes in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of the Queen and declared open in 30th May 1953 by Lady McNiece. Through extensive reclamation, a new sea wall was built and the land becomes the Esplanade Park with a seafront hawker stalls and also the Satay Club was born. Today it is part of the Marina Bay and there you are able to find three prominent structure consisting The Cenopath, Tan Kim Seng Fountain and Lim Bo Seng Memorial. As a child, we had the opportunity to visit only during the Chinese Lunar Year.

Everything Golden

The word golden represent successful, prosperous, flourishing and to name a building or establishment which is believed by the older generation, but the European or rather Westerner also had it in Golden Village. Beach Road is full of golden opportunity that is where you can find such building Golden Mile Complex, Golden Mile Food Centre and also Golden Mile Tower and Golden Theatre these four building are within walking distance. 

Golden Mile Complex (黄金坊) formerly known as Woh Hup Complex it is a commercial and residential complex with more than 400 shops which was completed in 1972. together with the  Golden Mile Tower and Golden Theatre. In 1975 Golden Mile Food Centre was built to cater to the masses which also had an Army Market.

Selegie Road

Ellison Building got its name from Isacc Ellison a well-known figure from the Jewish community, he was a Romanian Jew and the building was built in 1924, it stood at the junction of Bukit Timah Road and Selegie Road which the local called 7th Horse Road. It is a beautiful colonial building and of historical values. Lately, the government had cordoned off the building in order to facilitate the construction of the North-South Expressway and after that, it will be restored to its former glory. Just behind the building stood Rex Cinema at Mackenzi Road while the famous Selegie HDB Flat is within the vicinity 

Dying Trade Culture Shock

Chinese Opera was part of my life growing up in those early years where we will tag along my late mother to visit street wayang show during any Taoist temple celebration and also the 7th-month Hungry Ghost Festival. Lau Sai Tho Guan is one of the leading Teochew Opera beside, Sin Yong Hua and Lau Chit Ki Hiang the later was based in my neighbour Joo Chiat. There are also the Hokkien Opera such as Sin Sai Hong, Sin Kee Ling which are the well-known opera troupe. Before the Hokkien Opera start, they will have a segment of Getai show about for half an hour, I think this is where our modern getai show got it started. Next on my list is the underdog favourite the puppet show together with the strings puppet. They required a smaller stage compared to the wayang stage nowadays we rarely see one of these.

Gone from Chinatown

The first to go is the Pearl Centre together with Yangtze theatre at the corner of Pearl Hill Terrace and Eu Tong Sen Street due to the construction of MRT Station and just behind in Outram Park along Pearl Bank Road stood the iconic horseshoe shape condominium known as Pearl Bank, the fate of the site is in question but definitely, the condominium will be replaced by another one identical one.

Street Name of the Past

Cross Street is one of the oldest streets in Singapore which start from  Robinson Road, Raffles Place down passed Telok Ayer Street, Amoy Street, China Street so on and so forth. the different ethnic group had their own interpretation by calling them Hoi San Kai, Hai Sun Koi, Kiat Leng Kia Koi which most of us have forgotten about it. Right at the corner of Cross Street and South Bridge Road stood a very popular shophouse which house the famous Crane Shoe Store sadly they are not there anymore and turning it into another hotel,  and further down the road are the most famous of it all (Yeow Kai Min) Soy Sauce Chicken Noodle and a famous restaurant called Spring Court and the newly renovated Budget Hotel 81 Chinatown. After that, there is the Chin Swee Estate with a Tim-sum treat restaurant Red Star.

Disappearing Building and Landmark

High rise flat only starts to emerge from the 1950s, Upper Pickering Street Flats was many of them built by SIT (Singapore Improvement Trust) and the flats later know as suicide flats cause many of them choose to end their life there, sadly by 2005 the blocks of flats were demolished and it being replaced by Hotel development for the Park Hotel Collection.

On the other hand, the Ellenborough Market was established during the 1800s, known as Pasar Baru or New Market and the Teochew community called them Teochew Market it also faced with the fate of being demolished and in its place with a Hotel too and a shopping mall and residences called The Central Singapore in downtown Clarke Quay.