My Social Commentary on Bishan

Bishan is a primarily housing estate established in the 1980s. Its boundaries are Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 to the north, Braddell Road to the south, Central Expressway (CTE) to the east and the Central Water Catchment area to the west. Bishan was originally known as Kampong San Theng (Peck San Theng), which included Soon Hock Village. Peck San Theng was actually a burial ground for the Chinese in the 19^th century, and Soon Hock Village as well as other areas of Kampong San Theng was farmland.

When Bishan was first established as a housing estate, people were reluctant to inhabit the place due to superstitions regarding the cemetery that was once there. However, over time, Bishan has grown to be a well-populated, beautiful and attractive neighborhood.

Bishan is known for being a suburban area that is at the same time close to the CBD areas such as Orchard Road. Its strategic position in the central part of Singapore makes it a good choice for people who wish to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city, yet stay close to their workplace. Bishan is a homely environment that meets the needs of the residents. Easily accessible by MRT or bus, Bishan also has other facilities that ensure a good quality of life and comfortable living conditions. The Bishan Community Library, Junction 8, the Bishan Park and education institutes ranging from primary to tertiary levels are just a few of the various facilities found in Bishan.

Junction 8

Bishan Community Library

To many Bishan residents, Bishan’s identity, or what defines Bishan, is actually its all-roundedness as a neighbourhood. This means that it is a safe, cozy environment that has a highly convenient transportation network with almost all of the residents’ needs taken care of, like education, food and recreation. In fact, many of the facilities are also common spaces shared between the residents of Bishan, giving rise to friendly neighbourhood interactions amongst the people. For example, the Bishan Library attracts intellectuals, students, people seeking knowledge or a good book to read. All these people might have great differences, but in the end they converge at a single spot. An excellent common place that is also one of the most iconic landmarks in Bishan is the Bishan Park. It is an identifying feature of Bishan that many residents hold pride in.

The captivating Bishan Park

Bishan Park was constructed in 1988 and under the ABC Waters Programme that was launched in 2006, the park was refurbished in 2009 with the canal in the park being transformed into a natural meandering river. Referring to the speech made by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the opening of the newly revamped park on 17^th March 2012, the government’s aim is to make Singapore not just a Garden City, but also a City in a Garden. The government also hopes that Bishan Park will promote active citizenry and that people, especially residents of Bishan, will take ownership of the park.

The Bishan Park is a very useful common space as it can bring together families and friends, and weave the residents of Bishan into a tight-knit community. Residents can bond through the sharing of these facilities and from interactions that arise from the activities in the park.

While the government has done well by making certain that the facilities in Bishan can satisfy the needs of the residents and other members of the public, I believe such facilities have not been utilised well and more can be done to make Bishan Park an even better common space.

After conducting a few interviews with Bishan residents, most have said that Bishan has indeed changed a lot from what it once was. One interviewee, Mr Cheong Kok Hwee, aged 40, said that before moving to Bishan, one word that would come to his mind when people mentioned Bishan was “cemetery”. However, after living in Bishan for around 6 years, his impression has largely shifted, and he now knows that Bishan has changed a lot from the past. Bishan’s past identity was perhaps an undeveloped burial ground and an unsuitable place for inhabitance, but through the years this has changed. With the recent developments such as Sky Habitat and plans for the future that the government has for Bishan, it is clear that Bishan is moving towards greater heights.

However, negative impacts might come with the progress and advancement occurring in Bishan, as the development of something more intangible – community spirit – might be neglected, causing the loss of the homely environment that Bishan is known for. Therefore, steps need to be taken to make sure that this identity is not lost amongst the rapid growth of Bishan.

Bishan has been a very homely and comfortable place ever since it was first established as a housing estate, and this should not be changed or altered. This neighbourhood is very convenient, pleasantly designed and built, with a natural feeling and all these qualities are hard to find in other neighbourhoods. This is the identity of Bishan, and the government has made a conscious effort to develop Bishan yet at the same time retain the characteristics of this place.

In order to enhance the sense of commonality and identity in Bishan, I think that the government needs to see to the refurbishing of public places such us shopping centres. In order for these places to stay relevant to the residents and appeal a wider range of people, such places need to be upgraded. While this might not directly impact the culture or identity of Bishan, it is important to ensure that the residents’ needs are being taken care of, because after all, they should be feeling comfortable and at ease in their own neighbourhood. After my survey of the area, some improvements that can be made are building more sheltered pathways. This suggestion was actually contributed by 35-year-old Mr Jayaraj, who felt that more shelters would provide greater convenience for walking from place to place. I also noticed that there is a lack of polyclinics in Bishan and this might cause affordable healthcare to be inaccessible to some. Many have to travel to other neighbourhoods if they do not wish to visit private clinics or hospitals. This problem should also be addressed.

The common places could also be better utilised. Currently, these common places such as the Bishan Park have up-to-date facilities but as Mr Harold, aged 30, commented, “The space is really quite large, it should be used better like having more activities here.” Indeed, there are few community activities or if not, few people know of such activities. The government and town council should put forth more opportunities for the Bishan residents to come together, seeing as how the park is an extremely suitable venue for community gatherings and events. More activities should be held in these areas to connect the people and allow them to bond and share experiences.

The government should also encourage the residents in Bishan to step up and take an active role in arranging events as a neighbourhood, which promotes a sense of belonging to the community. At the same time, mutual cooperation is needed amongst the community members as well as community leaders, and increasing the interactions between these two parties helps strengthen community spirit.

Furthermore, I believe the government can promote volunteerism and charity work that the residents of Bishan can carry out in with or for each other. With the headquarters of the Salvation Amy, Girl Guides, and the Singapore Scout Association all situated in Bishan, I am sure Bishan is the perfect neighbourhood to support acts of kindness. Providing help to those in need and at the same time connecting the residents of Bishan to a common goal is beneficial to building up a strong identity unique to Bishan.