Bukit Timah

📷: Artist impression of a repurposed Grandstand as part of Bukit Timah Turf City's transformation (URA)

What comes to mind at the mention of Bukit Timah? Located in Singapore’s central region, Bukit Timah is known for its lush greenery, numerous educational institutions, and rich history; a place where the past is integrated with the landscape of the present.

The name Bukit Timah came from a mistranslation of the name of the Temak tree, which can be found in abundance in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Bukit translates as 'hill' in Malay, while Timah is Malay for 'tin', although strangely enough, tin was nowhere to be found in the area!

In the 1800s, Bukit Timah was primarily inhabited by Chinese settlers who set up gambier and pepper plantations. These plantations were replaced by fruit and vegetable farms, and later by the cash crop of rubber by the end of the 19th century.

During that period, the British colonial government constructed Bukit Timah Road, which played a key role in facilitating the flow of produce and people from plantations and rural areas to the town centre. Bukit Timah Road also provided access to Malaya. To support increasing traffic, the Bukit Timah Railway Station was built in 1932. These infrastructure developments facilitated the urbanisation of Bukit Timah. While the Bukit Timah Railway Station ceased operations officially in 2011, it was accorded conservation status by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and remains the only suburban station which still stands today. Frequented by railway and photography enthusiasts, it has become a popular #heritage landmark.

Bukit Timah is also known for its rich history, having been an intense site of conflict between the British and Japanese forces during the battle for Singapore in World War 2. The British surrender took place at the then-Ford Motor Factory (now known as the #FormerFordFactory in Upper Bukit Timah Road) on 15 February 1942.

Additionally, it is hard not to notice the number of schools that line the stretch of Bukit Timah Road, one of which includes the Bukit Timah campus of the National University of Singapore. Formerly known as Raffles College, it was established in 1928 as Singapore’s second institution of higher learning. The College was the work of the British colonial administration and philanthropists, who laid the foundations of tertiary education in Singapore.

#DidYouKnow that Bukit Timah was once the location of Southeast Asia’s top racecourse? The Singapore Turf Club Racecourse operated there from 1933 to 1999, before it relocated to Kranji. To meet the growing aspirations among Singaporeans to live closer to their workplaces in the city, the current #BukitTimahTurfCity will be transformed into a new housing estate over the next 20 to 30 years, making way for about 15,000 to 20,000 public and private homes. Urban planners have committed to ensure that homes, heritage, nature, public spaces and amenities are sensitively integrated to provide current and future residents a highly liveable, inclusive and endearing living environment. For example, significant heritage buildings and structures in the area will be studied for retention or repurposing including the iconic North Grandstand.

Bukit Timah is one of #OurNeighbourhoods which stands at the nexus of Singapore’s past and present. Even as Bukit Timah continues to be developed, the past is never forgotten and is integrated into plans for the future.

What are some of your Bukit Timah memories?

#OurNeighbourhood #BukitTimah #Singapore #Heritage #SingaporeSchools

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