Kembangan, Singapore Explained

Kembangan
Settlement Type:Subzone of Bedok Planning Area &
Housing Estate
Translit Lang1:Other
Translit Lang1 Type1:Chinese
Translit Lang1 Info1:景万岸
Translit Lang1 Type2:Pinyin
Translit Lang1 Info2:jǐng wàn àn
Translit Lang1 Type3:Malay
Translit Lang1 Info3:Kembangan
Translit Lang1 Type4:Jawi
Translit Lang1 Info4:کمبڠن
Translit Lang1 Type5:Tamil
Translit Lang1 Info5:கெம்பாங்கான்
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Singapore
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:East Region
Coordinates:1.3242°N 103.8919°W

Kembangan is a subzone and residential precinct located in the town of Bedok in the East Region of Singapore. It consists largely of private residential areas and a small public housing estate along Lengkong Tiga.

Etymology

Kembangan means "expansion" in Malay. The road Jalan Kembangan was officially named in 1932.[1]

History

Kembangan along with the wider Geylang district was badly hit by the September 1964 race riots and schools in the area had to be closed for an extended period despite other schools in Singapore reopening after the curfew was lifted.[2] Later in the 1980s, the Malay villages of Kampong Kembangan and Kampong Pachitan, which used to stand at present day Kembangan estate, were demolished to make way for redevelopments in the area.[3] Kampong Kembangan lies approximately to the east of the present day HDB flats in the estate, while Kampong Pachitan lie west of the flats. Several roads in the area were removed or realigned with the redevelopments that were in tandem with the construction of the MRT Line and station there.

Amenities

Kembangan is served by limited amenities like the Kembangan Plaza, which mainly consists of tuition centres, as well as shophouses around the estate. The social welfare of residents are catered for with facilities like the Kwan-In Welfare Free Clinic and the Moral Home for the Disabled in the area. The estate is served by the Kampong Kembangan Community Club, which also serves the wider Kembangan-Chai Chee constituency in the Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency. The Siglap Park Connector which runs to either the Bedok Reservoir Park or the East Coast Park cuts through the area too. There are more amenities located in the nearby Chai Chee and Eunos estates.

The area also has multiple places of worship like the Bethesda Chapel, Mangala Vihara Buddhist Temple,[4] Hong San Si Temple (樟宜凤山寺),[5] Masjid Abdul Razak, Masjid Mydin and The Buddhist Union.[6]

The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Kampong Kembangan Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP), which is part of the Bedok Police Division, and the 2nd Singapore Civil Defence Force DIV HQ.[7]

Education

There are currently no public government schools in the Kembangan estate. There is only a government funded school, the MINDS Towner Gardens School. It is the first purpose built special education school in Singapore, established since 1985. It has been operating from that location since December 1997.[8]

Former schools

Transportation

The estate is served by the East West MRT line at the Kembangan MRT station. There are two bus services that serve the estate. They are service 42, which also serves the neighbouring Opera Estate, and service 135. There are more bus services to be found along the one directional Sims Avenue East that lies south of the estate, or the further Changi Road which runs in the opposite direction towards the city.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Savage, Victor R.. Toponymics : a study of Singapore street names. Yeoh. Brenda S. A.. 2003. Eastern Universities Press. 9812102051. Singapore. 51920982.
  2. Web site: All schools except 23 to reopen on Monday. 11 September 1964. 15 March 2018.
  3. Web site: From villages to flats. 4 April 2012. 14 March 2018.
  4. Web site: Mangala Vihara – The Gift of Truth Excels all Gifts.
  5. http://www.beokeng.com/disptemple.php?temple=hong-san-si-changi/ Changi Hong San Si Temple
  6. Web site: The Buddhist Union | The Buddhist Union (BU) is formed to propagate the Buddha-Dhamma among the English-speaking section of the Chinese community..
  7. Web site: SCDF Organisation Structure. 2017. 13 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180313153917/https://www.scdf.gov.sg/content/scdf_internet/en/general/about-us/organisation_structure/civil-defence-divisions/2nd-cd-division-hq.html. 13 March 2018. dead.
  8. Web site: MINDS Towner Gardens School History. 2009.
  9. Web site: Chin Hua School National Archives. 15 March 2018.
  10. Web site: New Primary School. 29 October 1963. 15 March 2018.
  11. Web site: Mansor akan rasmikan Madrasah Irsyad. 24 January 1979. 15 March 2018.