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📷: Aerial view of the Dover Knowledge District (Credit: URA's FB post on 21 May 2019).
In the 1800s to 1900s, the early Malay settlers in Dover were joined later by Chinese migrants who grew rubber and fruit trees in the area. Tan Kim Seng, a prominent trader and philanthropist in the 19th century, was said to have owned much of the land here, encompassing today’s Singapore Polytechnic, the National University Kent Ridge Campus, a long stretch of the Ayer Rajah Expressway, one-north, the Southern Ridges and part of Dover Forest. The whole parcel of land was handed over to the state in 1947.
In the 20th century, Dover was a British military and residential area. Today’s Singapore Polytechnic is located on the site of the former Princess Mary Barracks which was occupied by British and Malayan soldiers between 1951 and early 1970s. The Moberly Block of the barracks was incorporated as part of the campus and houses a museum that showcases military memorabilia.
As a relatively young housing estate, public housing are located at the eastern side of Dover Forest, nestled in greenery offered by Dover Forest nature park on the western side and the green corridor along Ulu Pandan Canal. The nature park and green corridor seek to enhance connectivity from Clementi Forest to the Southern Ridges.
Dover tells a story of our continual human resource development – how Singapore moved from providing basic to quality tertiary education, and our ongoing efforts to help students realise their full potential. There are numerous education institutes in the vicinity, including Singapore’s oldest university, NUS. In 2011, the NUS-University Town was built as an extended education hub to provide a lively intellectual and learning environment for college students.
Earlier in 1991, the 200-hectares one-north – a development that combines academic institutes, residences, recreational and research facilities in a “work-live-play-learn” environment – was conceptualised to support the growth of biomedical sciences, info-communications technology, media, physical sciences and engineering sectors in Singapore. One-north is an on-going project that comprises many stages such as the Biopolis, Fusionopolis, and Mediapolis@one-north. As part of Urban Redevelopment Authority’s 2019 Master Plan, the future Dover Knowledge District will realise synergies amongst the various business parks, academic and research institutes and offer vibrant integrated spaces to create new jobs and learning opportunities to support Singapore’s long-term economic growth.
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