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Looking
at Singapore River today, the godowns and shop houses of the
past no longer towered over the banks of the river. Although
surpassed by modern buildings, these shop houses continued
to stand along the river serving the people who lived and
worked in the area.
In
the foreground, the river which is now clear of the bumboats
and chaos, looks wider and much cleaner due to the effort
of the Clean Rivers Campaign from 1977 to 1983.
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One
important area along the Singapore River which undergo the
most changes had to be Raffles Place. It remains as the key
area for finance and business, which began since the colonial
times, and no longer operates as a carpark. Tall sleek skyscrapers
now dominated the landscape, as land prices in Singapore continues
to rise. Due to the limitation of space, buildings were only
able to grow in one direction which is upwards. However, in
the earlier master plan where having green area was one of
the focus, small sections of open space can be found. This
allows people to relax during their lunch break.
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Source:
Dobbs , S. (2003). The Singapore River – A Social
History 1819-2002. Singapore: Singapore University
Press |
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Source:
Lu, G. (1999). Singapore – A Pictorial History (1819-2000).
Singapore: Didier Millet. |
It
was always rather difficult to take photographs of the city
as the skyscrapers can never seem to be able to fit into
the camera's frame. To take this photograph, we had to go
past the Elgin bridge.
Comparing
this photograph with one taken a few years ago, it is easy
to detect how the city had changed with the few short years.
Time seems to be on a fast forwarded mode here as buildings
sprout into the sky.
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Bumboats
that were used to ferry goods up and down the river in the
past now continues to travel up and down the river ferrying
tourists and locals. As river taxis, these boats were fitted
with covers and benches which allowed the visitors to sit
comfortably while learning more about the river.
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Continuing
with the use of South Bank for commercial activities and the
North Bank for government administrative purposes, the North
Bank currently houses the new Parliament House. The new building
with its clean and modern facade formed an interesting contrast
with the old colonial-style Asian Civilisation Museum that
stands behind it.
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Gazetted
by the URA in 1989 as a conservation area, part of the old
shop houses and godowns located in the Clarke Quay area
was set aside as the dining, shopping and recreational area.
Over the years, Clarke Quay constantly reinventing itself
to cater to the changing taste of the nation.
Although
they have been around for many years to witness the transition
of the river, these shop houses continue to serve the nation
in their own ways as restaurants and pubs. These entertainment
spots took up residence in these buildings and continued
to bring life along the river. They were also given a new
breath of life with vibrant colours.
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Entertainment
also took up another meaning in the upper reaches of the
river. Fishing along the river seems to be the sport of
the day. It was during a trek along the river, that we realised
that it is possible to fish for crabs along the river.
Fishing
is not allowed on the bridges but these men were not deter
as they fished for crabs along the side of the river. They
had already caught four crabs when we reached there.
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The
pace of development seems to slow down along the upper reaches
of the river. While many of the buildings in the area of Boat
Quay and Clarke Quay had undergone conservation and restoration,
there are still old abandoned warehouses along the Robertson
Quay area.
Some
of these warehouses had been refitted to serve other purposes
such discotheque and restaurants, while others lay dormant
awaiting a new lease of life.
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Warehouses
can still be found along the upper reaches of the Singapore
River. However, the single storey buildings were replaced by
modern high-rise versions like the one seen in the photograph.
Besides operating as storage spaces, some of these buildings
also operated as flatted factories, a result from the Singapore's
industrialisation years. |
As
Singapore River narrows upstream, the source of the river
can be found. Kim Seng Bridge, which was built in 1955,
marks the beginning of the Singapore River. Beyond the bridge
is Alexander Canal which feeds water to the river directly.
That is a humble beginning for a river which had seen so
much changes of the years.
From
the Merlion standing at its mouth, to the bridge which signify
its beginning, the Singapore River had presented a varied
landscape. Like the water which continued to flow in the river,
and the changes that continue to take place along the river,
it is safe to say that the river and its vicinity will continue
to remain important to the country and her people.
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