Social spaces in Singapore

📷: Singapore's Friendly Street at the Jalan Bintang Tiga (@Singapore Kindness Movement FB Page)

#TIL that social spaces are important as they provide a platform for the community to come together and build relationships. Be it parks, community centers or hawker centres, social spaces offer a sense of belonging, and are catalysts to build stronger and more resilient communities.

Much thought has been put in to shape social spaces into liveable community spaces in Singapore. From void decks to community gardens and playgrounds, each space in our HDB towns has been carefully crafted to foster social cohesion, encourage interaction, and cater to the diverse needs of residents. Instead of leaving void deck empty, some have been transformed into facilities such as childcare centres and elderly day care centres to meet the varied needs of residents. Community gardens have also been set aside for residents to bond through their shared love for gardening.

More than just a physical space, community spaces are vessels for collective memories and experiences. The Jalan Bintang Tiga street, which is located in Opera Estate near Bedok, was crowned as Singapore’s first “friendly street” by Singapore Kindness Movement in 2019. Residents who live on the quiet 38-unit street in Opera Estate have been supporting each other for years — with families watching each other’s kids grow up. For their annual ‘Big Makan’ potluck celebration, tentages were set up, and residents brought along food for this street party. What first started as a small potluck celebration with a few neighbours in the early 2000s has grown to become a tradition that has been carried out for the past 21 years! One participant of the Jalan Bintang Tiga event attributed the residents’ continued ‘kampung’ spirit to the fact that friendliness was an everyday action, not just something that happens during special occasions.

“By connecting with our neighbours from different backgrounds, we are also able to eradicate prejudices and become more compassionate towards each other”, said a participant of the Jalan Bintang Tiga event.

Indeed, our attachment to places are shaped by our memories of the physical space, what we did there, and who we had spent our time with. Perhaps, to be part of a liveable and inclusive space, it goes beyond carefully curated spaces. Spaces are not special until we start living in them – why not start small by initiating ‘hello’s to our neighbours when we next see them along the corridors or lifts?

#TIL #Singapore #CaringSociety #Neighbourliness #SingaporeWay #Community #CommunitySpaces #CommonGrounds

🎥: Watch the Big Makan at Jalan Bintang Tiga here (https://fb.watch/rfycuRwDS0/)

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