Queenstown kicks off 60th birthday celebrations

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s first satellite estate, Queenstown, has kicked off a series of year—long celebrations to commemorate its 60th birthday next year.

Key among the events is the "Queen of Estates" exhibition and Queenstown Heritage Town 2013, launched by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong together with MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, Dr Chia Shi—Lu.

Dr Chia said he hopes to encourage as many Singaporeans as possible to have a better understanding of the development of the Queenstown housing estate.

"We will expand the heritage trail to the programme we already have, where any member of the public can meet in Queenstown and we have volunteers to bring them on a walk around Queenstown," said Dr Chia.

"We also have a mobile app coming up, this is going to be the first of its kind, although it’s a constituency mobile app, there will be a strong focus on heritage aspects. We are still developing that app and will launch next month."

Both Mr Goh and Dr Chia signed on the heritage pledge book during the launch and later toured the exhibition.

Mr Goh had moved into a three—room HDB flat in Tanglin Halt in 1962 when he was a student at the then—University of Singapore.

He stayed there for two and a half years with his family before moving out when he got married in 1965.

He said the block has since been demolished

While for Dr Chia, his late grandmother had stayed at Block 55, Strathmore Road.

The exhibition traces Queenstown’s origins to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation celebrations in 1953, and will feature memorabilia and artefacts depicting Queenstown’s rise to prominence in the 1970s.

The first stop for the exhibition will be the Queenstown Community Centre.

It will then move on to the Leng Kee Community Centre.

Organisers said they will launch Singapore’s first heritage and community—themed mobile application "My Queenstown" next month.

There will also be four thematic heritage trails designed exclusively by residents and volunteers.

In November, Tanglin Halt, a neighbourhood in Queenstown, will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a birthday bash.

Retired hawkers from the former Margaret Drive Hawker Centre will return to whip up sumptuous and nostalgic meals for the residents.

The roving exhibition aims to give both the young and old a better sense of Queenstown’s development over the past 60 years.

— CNA/cc/xq