tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67494300014765383842024-03-14T17:10:03.167+08:00SERANGOON GARDENS ESTATEA Quaint Neighbourhood In Northern Singapore HistoryFred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-41073051493956173822011-06-13T01:00:00.005+08:002011-06-13T14:50:36.864+08:00Landed Properties For Sale<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">TERRACES @ Serangoon Gardens</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff0000;"><em>(Prices subject to change/negotiation)</em></span> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>TAI HWAN ESTATE </strong>1910/2400 sq ft <strong>$2.05M upwards</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>COLCHESTER GROVE</strong> 2800/3500 sq ft <strong>$2.9M <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/40112"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;"><strong>CORNER TERRACES @ Serangoon Gardens</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;color:#ff0000;"><em>(Prices subject to change/negotiation)</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><strong>COWDRAY AVE (Brand New) </strong>3050/3840 sq ft <strong>$4M <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/41034"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span></span><a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/41034"><span style="color:#33ff33;"><br /></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>SEMI-Ds @ Serangoon Gardens</strong><br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">(Prices subject to change/negotiation)</span></em></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>CHUAN DRIVE</strong> 3600/4000<span style="color:#000000;"> (99 Yrs)</span> <strong>$2.3xM </strong><a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/36261"><span style="color:#33ff33;"><strong>(click me for details/pics)</strong></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>HEMSLEY AVE </strong>2800/3300 sq ft <strong>$3.5xM <span style="color:#3366ff;">(SALE/RENT)</span></strong> <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/41773"><strong><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></strong></a></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>LOR CHUAN</strong> 4000/2700 sf <strong>$3.6M <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/41774"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span><span style="color:#33ff33;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>LOR CHUAN</strong> 4650/3500 sf <strong>$4.2M <span style="color:#3366ff;">(SALE/RENT) <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/39257"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>WORTHING ROAD</strong> 5000/4500 sf <strong>$4.5M</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>RIPLEY CRESCENT</strong> 4800/3500 sf <strong>$4.6M <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/38963"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span><a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/38963"><span style="color:#33ff33;"><br /></span></a><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>CROWHURST DRIVE</strong> 4200/4500<strong> </strong>sf <strong>$5M</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>BERWICK DRIVE</strong> 3800/5200 sf<strong> $5.5M <span style="color:#3366ff;">(SALE/RENT) <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/28106"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></span></strong></span><a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/28106"><span style="color:#33ff33;"><br /></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>BUNGALOWS @ Serangoon Gardens </strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">(</span></em></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Prices subject to change/negotiation)</span></em></span><br /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>ALNWICK ROAD</strong> 4800/3800 sf <strong>$4.xM<span style="color:#3366ff;"> (SALE/RENT)</span> <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/40787"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span><span style="color:#33ff33;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>PORTCHESTER AVENUE</strong> 4200/4500 sf <strong>$4.xM <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/40982"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>TAI HWAN </strong>4650/4200 sf <strong>$5.xM <span style="color:#3366ff;">(SALE/RENT)</span> <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/41658"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>COOLING CLOSE</strong> 5450/3600 sf <strong>$5.xM</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>BRIGHTON ESTATE</strong> 4955/6900 sq ft <strong>$5.xM </strong><a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/38960"><span style="color:#33ff33;"><strong>(click me for details/pics)</strong></span></a></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong></strong></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>RIPLEY CRES</strong> 4800/4800 sq ft <strong>$5.xM <span style="color:#3366ff;">(SALE/RENT)</span> <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/41291"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>RIPLEY CRES</strong> 7200/7300 sq ft <strong>$7.xM</strong></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><strong>TAI HWAN </strong>8200/5000 sf <strong>$8.xM <a href="http://www.view2offer.com.sg/40101"><span style="color:#33ff33;">(click me for details/pics)</span></a></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">For further enquiries or viewing arrangements,<br />kindly contact</span> </span><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Fred Teo at 82000002</strong>.</span></span></span>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-81246127657090904492009-08-16T16:35:00.001+08:002009-08-27T17:10:29.550+08:00TNP : Why spend $2m on road? 16 Aug 2009<a href="http://tnp.sg/0,4138,,00.html?"><font face="trebuchet ms">The Electric New Paper :</font></a>
<br />
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Road built to ease congestion from foreign workers' dorm at Serangoon Gardens, but residents now say:</font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">
<br /></font><font face="trebuchet ms"><strong>Why spend $2m on road?
<br />THEY didn't want a workers' dormitory in their estate and petitioned the Government against it.</strong>
<br />
<br /><font color="#ff9900">By Desmond Ng
<br />16 August 2009</font>
<br />
<br />THEY didn't want a workers' dormitory in their estate and petitioned the Government against it.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">The Serangoon Gardens residents complained, citing reasons from potential social problems to security issues in their estate.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">They also pointed out that with vehicles fetching workers to and from work, there would likely be traffic congestion.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">So a 400m slip road - costing $2 million - to bypass the estate was built.
<br />And what do the residents think of it?
<br />Madam H S Tan, 61, spoke for most when she questioned if there was a need to spend so much money on a road, when a simpler solution would be to relocate the temporary dorm elsewhere.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">The retiree added: 'It doesn't make sense. Why spend the extra $2 million when you could use the money to furnish other disused schools elsewhere to house the workers?
<br />'Why not convert this school into a bazaar, or even an international school?'
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Another resident, Mr Gerald Lim, 48, said that while the new road will help to divert traffic congestion going into Serangoon Gardens, especially during peak hours, it's a 'small respite', because 'the dorm will still be there'.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">'There's no point discussing about the dorm because nothing is going to change,' said the businessman, whose family has lived there for about 10 years.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">The access road - located right after the CTE exit at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 - opened earlier this month with little fanfare.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">The dorm - a retrofitted school - has been slated to open in October. It will house male and female workers from the manufacturing and services sectors.
<br />Many of the workers living in the dormitory will probably come from the hospitality and healthcare sectors.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">They may include Chinese nationals, Malaysians and Filipinos.
<br />Maxi Consultancy has been appointed to operate the dorm and will start retrofitting the school this month, according to a Straits Times report on 15 Jul.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">The operator will provide a range of facilities, such as a mini-mart and canteen to minimise the need for the workers to access amenities outside the dormitory.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Shuttle buses will transport the workers to MRT stations during weekends and public holidays.
<br />Residents whom The New Paper spoke to were surprised that the access road was completed so quickly - in under 10 months - after the idea for it was announced by the Ministry of National Development (MND) last October.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms"><strong>Complaints </strong>
<br />The road may be completed, but the complaints remain, including issues of security and safety, rowdy behaviour, competition for the use of common facilities and yes, traffic congestion.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Some residents had pointed out that Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 is already jammed during the morning peak hours, with motorists using it to avoid the electronic road pricing charges on CTE.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Having more vehicles along that road will only worsen the situation, they said, according to a Straits Times report last October.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Madam Tan, whose family has lived in the estate for over 20 years, said: 'It's not that we're trying to be high and mighty here but with the dorm right outside our houses, there will be some social problems.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">'And when that happens, who has to deal with it?'
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Retiree Mr K C Liew, 60, still fears that the property value of his terrace house will fall once the dorm opens. He has lived there for about 10 years. 'The security issue is still there,' he said.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">There are about 4,000 households in Serangoon Gardens.
<br />Residents of this ageing estate of landed properties first heard of the Government's plan to site the dorm in their neighbourhood last September.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Some 1,600 of them signed a petition against the dorm and gave it to National Development </font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Minister Mah Bow Tan.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">The Ministry said a month later that it would still go ahead to convert the disused school - former Serangoon Gardens Technical School - into a dorm, but the residents' concerns would be considered.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">For starters, the dorm will accommodate 600 workers at most in the beginning- any increase in capacity after that is subject to the approval of the MND.
<br />As far as numbers go, it's certainly not the biggest.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">For example, Avery Lodge, a six-storey foreign worker dormitory in Jurong, can house up to 8,000 workers, according to a Straits Times report in April.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">The Serangoon Gardens access road was included in the plans to ease traffic congestion and to reassure the residents there that their estate would not be overrun by foreign workers.
<br />Access to the dorm would also be limited via one gate, and security guards would be hired to patrol the site.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">The site boundary will also be pushed back to create a buffer between the dorm and the housing estate.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">After these measures were announced, some residents were still unhappy.
<br />Some had complained about the possible noise and pollution from buses that will be plying on that road.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Others noted that none of the solutions tackled the basic concern - that of residents having to deal with 600 new foreign dwellers coming into their estate.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms"><strong>Blur motorists turn into slip road despite 'No Entry' sign</strong> </font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">
<br /></font><font face="trebuchet ms">THIS new two-way road was supposed to alleviate traffic congestion into Serangoon Gardens.
<br />But the slip road - located after at the CTE exit to Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 - appears to be causing some confusion among drivers.
<br />
<br /></font><font face="trebuchet ms"></font><font face="trebuchet ms">Some drivers, wanting to exit into Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, have mistakenly turned into the slip road, which is for authorised vehicles only.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">When The New Paper was at the access road on Wednesday afternoon, we saw two cars making wrong turns into this slip road within a span of 10 minutes.
<br />Madam H S Tan, a retiree, said she made a wrong turn there last week because of inadequate signage.
<br />
<br /></font><font face="trebuchet ms"></font><font face="trebuchet ms">This despite a 'No Entry' sign with a 'Except Authorised Vehicles' sign below.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">Madam Tan lives at Tai Hwan estate, just next to the dormitory.
<br />'It's situated too close to the expressway and there are no signs to indicate that it doesn't lead into Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1,' she said.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">'I've seen many cars making wrong turns into that road.'
<br />Another resident, Mr Thomas Lim, 56, said: 'It's dangerous. I've seen cars braking suddenly because they've turned into the wrong road.
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">'What if another car was following close behind?'
<br /></font>
<br /><font face="trebuchet ms">- Desmond Ng
<br />
<br /></font><font face="trebuchet ms"></font></font>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-21897035470599176692009-02-17T18:40:00.001+08:002009-02-19T01:01:07.468+08:00<div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">THE STRAITS TIMES</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Feb 17, 2009<br /><strong>Goodbye to mall at Serangoon Gardens</strong></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="color:#999999;">Over 100 people gather to bid FairPrice outlet farewell; revamped mall ready by 2010</span><br />By Jessica Lim & Leow Si Wan </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><br />FOR 35 years, Serangoon Gardens residents have been shopping at the FairPrice supermarket at the Serangoon Gardens Village complex.<br /><br />They are so familiar with the place that they know the names of all the staff, give them Chinese New Year cookies and souvenirs from overseas, share recipes and even linger after grocery trips for lengthy chit-chats.<br /><br />But those days are over - albeit temporarily - as the mall was shuttered earlier this month. In an unprecedented move, the FairPrice supermarket chain staged a farewell party yesterday for staff and customers in which more than 100 people showed up.<br /><br />Cameras clicked, shrieks rang out, tears flowed, and at the end of the two-hour event, all present joined in for a chorus of Auld Lang Syne.<br /><br />Apart from throwing the party, FairPrice took another unusual step: It will pull out all the stops to help residents sort out their grocery needs till the supermarket returns next year.<br /><br />It will launch a free shuttle bus which will take passengers from five pick-up points in the neighbourhood to the Hougang Point FairPrice outlet, a 20-minute drive away.<br /><br />The chain will also widen the selection of food available at its FairPrice Express store at the Esso station along Lorong Chuan to help residents out, said FairPrice managing director Seah Kian Peng.<br /><br />The moves could not come sooner for residents affected by the closure of the supermarket, which opened in 1974.<br />'There is no other supermarket nearby,' said retiree Sally Tan, 67, who lives a 10-minute walk away from the Serangoon Gardens Village complex at Portchester Avenue, where the store used to be.<br /><br />'Now I have to lug heavy bags of rice back from Ang Mo Kio.'<br />Along with the supermarket, about 30 other shops and eateries were closed as the mall within which they were housed, and the old Paramount Theatre will be renovated.<br /><br />Businesses in the area said the closure affects them. Some said customers from all around the island used to patronise the mall because it was the centre of the laid-back culture of Serangoon Gardens, with cafes and convenience stores.<br /><br />With it gone, takings at nearby shops have dropped. The owner of Serangoon Gardens Hainanese Roasted Chicken & Duck Rice, MrLeong Mun Chong, 53, said business has fallen by 40 per cent since the mall shut.<br />Mr Leong, who used to sell 100 plates of chicken and duck rice daily, said: 'In the past, people would go to the supermarket to shop, then to my stall to eat. Now they don't even come.'<br /><br />But other retailers in the area said business was fine. The Cold Storage Speciality outlet at Serangoon Garden Way has seen an 'increase of more than 20 per cent in customer count' since the FairPrice outlet closed, said its spokesman.<br /><br />Store owners at the wet market have also seen their business rise.<br />'This is a chance for us to get more customers,' said vegetable store owner Jimmy Koh, 36.<br />'But I wish there was no shuttle bus to take the customers away from Serangoon Gardens.'<br />Refurbishment work on the new mall will start next week, said developer Edmund Chye, 46, whose late father owned the Paramount Theatre, which was located at the site.<br />The $40 million revamp will see a spanking new building that will be opened by the third quarter of next year, and will include a new FairPrice outlet and a DBS Bank. The other tenants are being finalised, said Mr Chye.<br /></div></span><div align="left"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304182749321298530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChdPpd_WDM0uCRJyQDe5FujUolEtXzwG1ysBvi8TNMnOERNhV63HPE2huBRc7HHfntWfiOtreZ50u4uDa4DBq2BVTb9I0qsEda8Qi2VYknJWRXLkvUwHoG5vk8Vk3Yfrdyz53LPynRX7U/s320/ZZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">Madam Lim Neng Eng and her maid thanking FairPrice staff member Lye Ah Moiu. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN</span><br /><br /></span><a href="mailto:limjess@sph.com.sg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">limjess@sph.com.sg</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a href="mailto:siwan@sph.com.sg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">siwan@sph.com.sg</span></a></p>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-27652877988720872602008-12-26T23:47:00.002+08:002009-01-05T23:57:05.455+08:00Private properties looking attractive<a href="http://www.asiaone.com/print/Business/Business.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Business @ AsiaOne </span></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Private properties looking attractive</strong><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">What to look out for when hunting for that perfect condo or house.</span> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;color:#ff6600;">Fri, Dec 26, 2008</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6600;">my paper</span> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>By Shila Naidu</strong><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;">THE recession has resulted in a 25-per-cent fall in private- property prices from their market peak, and with prices expected to dip further next year, there may be opportunities to pick up some bargains.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">However, buyers of properties - whether for investment or occupancy - should do their homework before committing to such big-ticket items.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Here are 10 tips to keep firmly in mind.<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>1 CONSIDER LANDED</strong><br />The executive director of HSR Property Group, Mr Eric Cheng, feels that if buyers are willing to fork out $1.2 million to $1.3million for a condominium, they should consider buying landed property instead.<br />Due to land scarcity in Singapore, there is always more demand than supply for landed property, which is not the case with condos, said Mr Cheng.<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>2 INSTALMENT RESERVE</strong><br />Mr Cheng said it is important to invest within your means. Have a reserve of at least one year's worth of instalments in case of shocks, like a loss of income.<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>3 LEASING OR LIVING?</strong><br />Mr Arvin Sylvester Lim, division director of Century 21 SHL Realty, said it is important to be sure if you plan to live in the property or rent it out.<br />If you are making it your home, the equation is simple: Find something that you like and can afford.<br />If you are looking to invest and rent out, do your research to see if there is good demand in an area, and if the rent will be enough to cover the instalment payment and still allow a profit.<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>4 DON'T WAIT TOO LONG</strong><br />While one should hold back until one finds something ideal, Mr Lim does not encourage overspeculating on trends.<br />"Buying a house is not like buying a car. The moment you drive the car...the value drops, but with property the value can go up or down," he said.<br />Even though prices are expected to fall further, "a home is a must", Mr Lim said. He advises against pegging buying one to unpredictable market movements.<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>5 MAKE OFFERS FAST</strong><br />Buyers who bought too many properties or can't afford to keep up with payments, given the weak economy, will be selling off their investments now, said Mr Shannan Govindarajoo, marketing manager at ERA.<br />He suggests you start looking and making reasonable offers as he thinks more buyers will be entering the market, which could mean prices for these "must-sell" properties may rise.<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>6 CHECK MASTER PLAN</strong><br />Look at the Urban Redevelopment Authority's master plan and invest where the Government is pumping in money, said Mr Govindarajoo.<br />For instance, he thinks those interested in the Marina area should strike now, as prices are down by 40 per cent, compared to last year's.<br />Mr Lim said investing in property in that area will reap great returns when the integrated resort is ready as "a lot of the management staff will be living there, so rentals will be high".<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>7 SHOP FOR A LOAN</strong><br />Banks are now becoming more cautious with making home loans and how much they are willing to lend, said Mr Govindarajoo.<br />He advised shopping around for a good home loan first, so that you do not commit yourself to a seller before knowing how much you have to work with.<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>8 PRICE VS VALUATION</strong><br />Check the valuations of the property you are considering at different banks to make sure you?re getting a good deal, said Mr Govindarajoo.<br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>9 OLDER CONDOS</strong><br />Mr Parthiban Sadagopal, a Prop- Nex realtor, suggests buying a condo "between seven and 10 years old in the outskirts", like Pasir Ris or Tampines.<br />Judging from the trend seen after the 2003 recession, such condos are good buys for living in and investment, as you could hope to buy one at $400,000 to $500,000 now and sell it for up to $800,000 when the economy picks up.<br />Renting it out could fetch $3,000 a month as well.<br /></span></span><br /></span>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-26461135604578076222007-08-21T11:16:00.000+08:002007-08-21T12:07:08.358+08:00Greenery in Serangoon Gardens<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryi4iEttOZ1P_nNohJFSHtAinBqssVdK37Xmad4wuyu1ABBdQ_1nMh5kQNofcfbSZqKtKIqJdXpcb3zQ0gBGcSjb6317NPVsf4Bxfc-2JgJCUmat29rfMOTkSVUmbHhmqRUtTFLha1aJp/s1600-h/Tavistock+Park2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100996475279459890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryi4iEttOZ1P_nNohJFSHtAinBqssVdK37Xmad4wuyu1ABBdQ_1nMh5kQNofcfbSZqKtKIqJdXpcb3zQ0gBGcSjb6317NPVsf4Bxfc-2JgJCUmat29rfMOTkSVUmbHhmqRUtTFLha1aJp/s200/Tavistock+Park2.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The eighties saw Singapore enjoying the fruits of the Government's efforts to green up the island. As Singapore made considerable progress on the economic front, so did its reputation as a Garden City. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEL93pp6xVWX9xRSZBQaC6lo1YIcSJ5iWdA36fzHOyigVPmWft2M9XRkjrnUKIlBw1HDalpXA6ttgdtz8lDycPcepS4tskMulZEXrwhjYl7ROMN2WENJGJqihqmfrgD67dG2x5yv8AceA5/s1600-h/Tavistock+Park3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100998412309710466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEL93pp6xVWX9xRSZBQaC6lo1YIcSJ5iWdA36fzHOyigVPmWft2M9XRkjrnUKIlBw1HDalpXA6ttgdtz8lDycPcepS4tskMulZEXrwhjYl7ROMN2WENJGJqihqmfrgD67dG2x5yv8AceA5/s200/Tavistock+Park3.JPG" border="0" /></a>Meandering tree-lined roads interspersed with lush parks and gardens created a unique green ambience that drew accolades far and wide. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not one to rest on its laurels, the Government then embarked on a programme to fine-tune the green programme for quality as well as ensure efficient management of resources in maintaining this tropical oasis. As part of on-going efforts to enhance the island's green ambience, planting policies were focused on provision of shade along walkways and roadsides. </span><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9dDnTk5ksHBXI1JXEQm8bUfwFoL1lbvG-bKI11fojb2Br0-4RBiLkxgY5H-usfCMgdUW0_X88l7v9S_WcFLp0SzX8YPO2xyEpaPQX9HzvOl7tVYqtIxqHyR5wLqKH1f-gxq2CKnsePtn/s1600-h/Tavistock+Park1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100996470984492578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9dDnTk5ksHBXI1JXEQm8bUfwFoL1lbvG-bKI11fojb2Br0-4RBiLkxgY5H-usfCMgdUW0_X88l7v9S_WcFLp0SzX8YPO2xyEpaPQX9HzvOl7tVYqtIxqHyR5wLqKH1f-gxq2CKnsePtn/s200/Tavistock+Park1.JPG" border="0" /></a>To create a garden effect, fruit trees, flowering and fragrant plants were planted in parks, residential suburbs, schools and in the grounds of institutions such as hospitals, police stations and community centres. Due to competing land uses for residential, industrial and commercial developments, creative urban planning came into play to ensure optimal usage of land. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiCVkh2R95SGT-rvNE03RpYRXiPMILgPjMyktoYqd440RxFRlAhmc3ueUyVbP8DzzTxQ9l_DJX-bSf4jSeXNMVQReeMkibY_n6hQGaYjn6iqR-6WpakVRIn1GKx7BC_KpJoewLuHUPV2q/s1600-h/Tavistock+Park5.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100995371472864786" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiCVkh2R95SGT-rvNE03RpYRXiPMILgPjMyktoYqd440RxFRlAhmc3ueUyVbP8DzzTxQ9l_DJX-bSf4jSeXNMVQReeMkibY_n6hQGaYjn6iqR-6WpakVRIn1GKx7BC_KpJoewLuHUPV2q/s200/Tavistock+Park5.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Park planning had to factor in elements such as location of population centres and accessibility. At the same time, park designs had to be innovative, stimulate creativity as well as capture the imagination of the community. Where natural assets existed, they were capitalised upon and enhanced. Where they were lacking, much effort was put into creating an identity to provide a point of differentiation that <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmTMqkua6WOq2v0LySQzXlVREmmvemtb2Do8LbMsQu-AT8JIjlj34M7FRHqqe8osb7H3eMDQlHzAyupJk4bQPQrOLtuxFFs7OOWUaCYS8s2CE0hirdXLq2s7Hq6vJWP3pDVz_pIqzzoEH/s1600-h/Tavistock+Park.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100995367177897474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmTMqkua6WOq2v0LySQzXlVREmmvemtb2Do8LbMsQu-AT8JIjlj34M7FRHqqe8osb7H3eMDQlHzAyupJk4bQPQrOLtuxFFs7OOWUaCYS8s2CE0hirdXLq2s7Hq6vJWP3pDVz_pIqzzoEH/s200/Tavistock+Park.JPG" border="0" /></a>will appeal to a wide spectrum of the population. This included installation of sculptures, challenging playgrounds and creating habitats to attract wildlife such as birds to the parks....for more information, please visit <strong><a href="http://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardencity_b.asp"><span style="color:#006600;">Singapore, The Garden City</span></a></strong></span></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Here in Serangoon Gardens Estate, we too have some parks and gardens to be proud of....</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKU-X778bG9kUH4ZF-iEP8BZKlfBXPoGhnvHpA0ppiiXmfqcj2UsoMX6R37otDTXw36T8xDnD0Z40dnq0QQmYiGsAZT-aNaw4SfAnm3lbEtUl91EwOkfG1G1F7E0fc1sGOR4IhK6oabNH/s1600-h/Chartwell+Dr+Park.JPG"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100996947725862482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKU-X778bG9kUH4ZF-iEP8BZKlfBXPoGhnvHpA0ppiiXmfqcj2UsoMX6R37otDTXw36T8xDnD0Z40dnq0QQmYiGsAZT-aNaw4SfAnm3lbEtUl91EwOkfG1G1F7E0fc1sGOR4IhK6oabNH/s200/Chartwell+Dr+Park.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></span></strong></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSfYc_0iCV8BnUMo5Qvktu62P4drrs_7k4GlQ6AAjn0tnNfefqjDafDFxpsh6byvz3Q3jy2xsY0T9QMJP9VQliYU9uB8YoaK0lvWy-nOreqO5R8DKg5FL_q3z5gaRoU5wXhbbybFYAxxd/s1600-h/Chartwell+Dr+Park1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100996952020829794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSfYc_0iCV8BnUMo5Qvktu62P4drrs_7k4GlQ6AAjn0tnNfefqjDafDFxpsh6byvz3Q3jy2xsY0T9QMJP9VQliYU9uB8YoaK0lvWy-nOreqO5R8DKg5FL_q3z5gaRoU5wXhbbybFYAxxd/s200/Chartwell+Dr+Park1.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZCL5xPdB8xBUrlin3o8DquzvFXAypIvVzoq_NnHqrLVC621XSwtJnzlOtakHxjTpkku4A8dMGZhFYWzau1_K6MD_a-Z-hAWiSqOzZCBrTssS_r4eBGfS25-QgHdtWVbWjbfUBsbssyWG/s1600-h/Tavistock+Park4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100996956315797106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZCL5xPdB8xBUrlin3o8DquzvFXAypIvVzoq_NnHqrLVC621XSwtJnzlOtakHxjTpkku4A8dMGZhFYWzau1_K6MD_a-Z-hAWiSqOzZCBrTssS_r4eBGfS25-QgHdtWVbWjbfUBsbssyWG/s200/Tavistock+Park4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#ff0000;"></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="left"></span></strong></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-76438895413378407482007-07-26T12:57:00.000+08:002007-08-02T08:48:48.635+08:00Serangoon Gardens in the 60s......<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZuCnBRCCs1Etr8US3fa02krBnec4EnwIkqgVOhZCkN44WUIkJ3Mrb9eD8BecIndJ9-w84k2tHhPwkOTlxHLA0QtBRchZOUA-wJ-Ctv7wZZG0EQLn9z51h1qErIEnXBZFoARvvFcAPDwo/s1600-h/Serangoon_Garden_Estate_Shopping.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091368441767475442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZuCnBRCCs1Etr8US3fa02krBnec4EnwIkqgVOhZCkN44WUIkJ3Mrb9eD8BecIndJ9-w84k2tHhPwkOTlxHLA0QtBRchZOUA-wJ-Ctv7wZZG0EQLn9z51h1qErIEnXBZFoARvvFcAPDwo/s400/Serangoon_Garden_Estate_Shopping.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMGIJBUaC77dBFlNg2ufmB0Rd4OsOteh98mJLEilxPrt3GSUpaxchvEe2yPNOGvekXaCEX5CYL6QIG7RaeoB2reTPoR6ahxpHAsbsuPAGNwnpcmyxj8Xw1GGCFUvBCIf3JxMyoJ6vmfjW/s1600-h/Serangoon_Gardens_shopping2.jpg"></a><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKte-3kOJP9CrxCnlbxqHWL7Gft0q87xpu4dpEkNap_9-E6gEO0ucuM5ziydg55lE03y5dcI55bSYhJdVgIJO6kLsKikRdD9Jy7F5g7TY16qfZ7P1IBQ0r6eAMo_7qqNXAjhKVJpdO8CrH/s1600-h/Serangoon_Gardens_shopping2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091366264219056338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKte-3kOJP9CrxCnlbxqHWL7Gft0q87xpu4dpEkNap_9-E6gEO0ucuM5ziydg55lE03y5dcI55bSYhJdVgIJO6kLsKikRdD9Jy7F5g7TY16qfZ7P1IBQ0r6eAMo_7qqNXAjhKVJpdO8CrH/s400/Serangoon_Gardens_shopping2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>Special thanks to Johnny Ho for the above two photos of Serangoon Garden Estate, </strong></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>sent to him by his friend Derek Lehrle and taken in the early 60s.</strong></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><strong>More of such pictures can be viewed at</strong></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"> <a href="http://www.singas.co.uk/HTML/singapore_in_the__60s.html">Memories of Singapore</a></span></strong></span></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:78%;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:78%;"></span></strong></div><div></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:78%;"></span></strong></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></strong></div></span><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Can you identify exactly where these 2 locations are now?</strong></span></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Contributions (old pics) from anyone will be appreciated.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Please email to: <a href="mailto:fredkris@singnet.com.sg">fredkris@singnet.com.sg</a></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />You are aslo welcome to share your memories of Serangoon Gardens!</span></div><div><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(just click on "comments" below)</span></em></div>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-62241407203158742512007-07-11T23:27:00.000+08:002007-08-21T11:04:10.962+08:00What Do You Think Of This View?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-o6SSTU58ZXCDAfvz2KxAwpUQBg032_2quDMmThZlJRMDsTIhWLB322Sf2TDv3Ill6S7cuoevPEHk2iT_FF_i6LSZvyrVqTS_FslmVNIptUhiCW-P-yC97Stg1pNDX2pFXT9FNHlkfDH/s1600-h/DSCF2521.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097465564455975266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-o6SSTU58ZXCDAfvz2KxAwpUQBg032_2quDMmThZlJRMDsTIhWLB322Sf2TDv3Ill6S7cuoevPEHk2iT_FF_i6LSZvyrVqTS_FslmVNIptUhiCW-P-yC97Stg1pNDX2pFXT9FNHlkfDH/s400/DSCF2521.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />When I first saw this picture, it immediately gave me a very warm feeling about living here in Serangoon Gardens..... the friendly neighbourhood, a cosy 'village' with its laid-back charm. Maybe, a place where I would like to 'retire' some day.<br />I don't know why...but there is a certain character about this estate, that keeps me wanting to come back for more.....<br />Well, what do you think?Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-72144317976755977212007-05-28T23:31:00.000+08:002007-08-27T11:55:17.673+08:00NOTICE BOARD (front of Coffee Bean @Central)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBhj8__clQMzInfUYQx2vHEy2Wu88YuvsYrchmGP2p627H1o7uwF8pawFKR_DHLeV3YUlJ9RHtrCevRedOkbGp1NeZxrdyS6BKjrqafAyatCAwUXrIKMo31xUU6bhw2GH6XykoF4yLNM4/s1600-h/SG+Notice+Board.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092271677684791586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 351px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 219px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="150" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBhj8__clQMzInfUYQx2vHEy2Wu88YuvsYrchmGP2p627H1o7uwF8pawFKR_DHLeV3YUlJ9RHtrCevRedOkbGp1NeZxrdyS6BKjrqafAyatCAwUXrIKMo31xUU6bhw2GH6XykoF4yLNM4/s200/SG+Notice+Board.JPG" width="292" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hello, did you know this is a very popular board for anyone who wants to sell anything.....?</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Or if you have anything to announce? Best of all, IT IS FREE!! Go, check it out!</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You may be able to find out about some 'garage sale' somewhere, cleaning services, tuition for your kids.......<br /></span><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-3424767355417801292007-04-20T16:04:00.000+08:002007-08-12T09:14:37.192+08:00Chomp Chomp - The Iconic Makan Centre!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Let's talk about the legendary Chomp Chomp Food Centre, which sells really 'shiok' and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAaMJmq7QxR1q2epUcVk-lk2eRImLKoClpqvMM_2MzDqpmzLdsmut70YEt2ozgFe4jGveeQdA51DDkeEGt9FVSjpLUQXvEqWW1EjhhKYePwA2rrsMm60nsKqN5iHXSmJPhQIfBoHFsi35/s1600-h/chomp+chomp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097481786547452658" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAaMJmq7QxR1q2epUcVk-lk2eRImLKoClpqvMM_2MzDqpmzLdsmut70YEt2ozgFe4jGveeQdA51DDkeEGt9FVSjpLUQXvEqWW1EjhhKYePwA2rrsMm60nsKqN5iHXSmJPhQIfBoHFsi35/s200/chomp+chomp.jpg" border="0" /></a>yummy food! The hawkers nicknamed the place "Chomp <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGO7kuOyPCB2oGe1JUuJ8RaHrTe0BXAGUDYmgkL__ncSu7GD2LWtxrHpgNG7VIRsYCjMieISGsQzOpxev-gnG83N4jMa0Juansjs-jBqRooNMZNrUe-2rnTx6UeRb1em84gTHPU4Offt2/s1600-h/chomp+chomp+popiah.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097481786547452610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGO7kuOyPCB2oGe1JUuJ8RaHrTe0BXAGUDYmgkL__ncSu7GD2LWtxrHpgNG7VIRsYCjMieISGsQzOpxev-gnG83N4jMa0Juansjs-jBqRooNMZNrUe-2rnTx6UeRb1em84gTHPU4Offt2/s200/chomp+chomp+popiah.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAaMJmq7QxR1q2epUcVk-lk2eRImLKoClpqvMM_2MzDqpmzLdsmut70YEt2ozgFe4jGveeQdA51DDkeEGt9FVSjpLUQXvEqWW1EjhhKYePwA2rrsMm60nsKqN5iHXSmJPhQIfBoHFsi35/s1600-h/chomp+chomp.jpg"></a>Chomp" (<strong><em>probably </em></strong>because that was the sound of eating which many happy and satisfied customers made, while 'chomping' down their food!), and since then it has been fondly referred to as Chomp Chomp. The food centre is well known for its fried chai tow kuay, popiah, hokkien mee, barbecued-chicken wings and seafood. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>HISTORY: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLpWcckphuuHbGQx53raCuFzg9Qh_78hrt3ctrFU7Bjn2BXtwt6yML2VrYtVVXqPgrCUm6Y55dRMBn40Luy61to9Do-7HJ2SGNWGILcC2l3T2ofvXyNeO-LYUbPqeUz85qFeFtM8TXOx_/s1600-h/chomp+chomp+chicken+wings.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097481786547452626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLpWcckphuuHbGQx53raCuFzg9Qh_78hrt3ctrFU7Bjn2BXtwt6yML2VrYtVVXqPgrCUm6Y55dRMBn40Luy61to9Do-7HJ2SGNWGILcC2l3T2ofvXyNeO-LYUbPqeUz85qFeFtM8TXOx_/s200/chomp+chomp+chicken+wings.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19NQfRIpldzF_MHDCC2S_V74JmJxb7x41Sy7zBtsxblKh_FUY84i0Wpp7DchxSJ1gzQaCQiep36kRN-bSz_whIur5Y8aR4gobj2PjEdloq5uZeEstwXssNd789AlTf6lFcaUds0EqloZD/s1600-h/chomp+chomp+carrot+cake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097481786547452642" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19NQfRIpldzF_MHDCC2S_V74JmJxb7x41Sy7zBtsxblKh_FUY84i0Wpp7DchxSJ1gzQaCQiep36kRN-bSz_whIur5Y8aR4gobj2PjEdloq5uZeEstwXssNd789AlTf6lFcaUds0EqloZD/s200/chomp+chomp+carrot+cake.jpg" border="0" /></a></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In the '60s, the stalls at Chomp Chomp were originally located at where the current bus-stop and public carpark now stands, opposite the present hawker centre. Then in 1972, the stalls were moved to its present location and adopted the name "Chomp Chomp". As the hawkers gained fame for their varied and tasty dishes, the name became an appropriate onomatopoeia, reflecting the sound of frenzied eating. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The open-air food centre underwent renovations which saw a roof set in place by 1 April 1998. Plans for this had been discussed since September 1996 in conjunction with discussions of the ownership of stalls. Although simple in design, Chomp Chomp remains a key landmark in Serangoon Gardens. It was revamped and reopened in November 2002 after several months of renovations. The new food centre saw an expansion of space and new hawkers joining the established stall-holders. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">Click On This<strong> <a href="http://www.vicinity.com.sg/chompchomp.html"><span style="color:#3333ff;">CHOMP CHOMP STALLS NAVIGATOR</span></a></strong></span><span style="color:#ff0000;"> <span style="font-size:78%;">(sorry, but it may be outdated!)</span></span></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXietteHEpeHbNa8z7BopPrzee9qQsUEsSSvzQo6xyOV8sDjfITeIPWowG53JM7yzzuAk9R-QM9hehig_6eqdrWX1-91zCCvOZBB7UXtDvBdZ0FiXEKxduCrmvuvfEl_zdN207iCL_OEsj/s1600-h/Chomp+Chomp.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097478543847143906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXietteHEpeHbNa8z7BopPrzee9qQsUEsSSvzQo6xyOV8sDjfITeIPWowG53JM7yzzuAk9R-QM9hehig_6eqdrWX1-91zCCvOZBB7UXtDvBdZ0FiXEKxduCrmvuvfEl_zdN207iCL_OEsj/s400/Chomp+Chomp.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Do you have any experience or favourite stalls to share....?<br />Give us your feedback.....</span></strong>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-29312630742974040382007-04-20T11:44:00.001+08:002007-07-29T01:38:46.382+08:00Welcome To Serangoon Gardens!<strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;">....A Quaint Neighbourhood In Northern Singapore History</span></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFE9KReV3pFSJ1Rgx3oqp0XzulxvS0fSqf-KkC27V9231Gnu_IRD73J3IJbXE5betfSG7Wt9aA1GHP1dA7Bz0HvZsh1x6WcAIFBNe8a9Und2lu-g3Souz49vGbJhZVIv_hzFfyT0CjX6W3/s1600-h/Serangoon+gardens+Sign1.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070760328700518706" style="WIDTH: 387px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 260px" height="300" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFE9KReV3pFSJ1Rgx3oqp0XzulxvS0fSqf-KkC27V9231Gnu_IRD73J3IJbXE5betfSG7Wt9aA1GHP1dA7Bz0HvZsh1x6WcAIFBNe8a9Und2lu-g3Souz49vGbJhZVIv_hzFfyT0CjX6W3/s400/Serangoon+gardens+Sign1.JPG" width="489" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Serangoon Gardens Estate, one of the oldest estates in Singapore was built in the 1950s. It was originally built to house the British Soldiers based in Singapore. You will notice that the roads are named using British names. In the 70s, when the British Military left Singapore, Serangoon Gardens was a well known estate for the middle-upper class.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cEdFhM4wSFhnbbmF6RkSWlfeR3939ZAtid0UFS2vY-DtmsmoKkfCPgvMyzDWHmQXt-9VegY15_RqD0Qv15hDUNfsp_ZU1TT6-IyzKf0s_wSBvFZ6dNWwokLuc1_t6M6pNMvFPQRr8Iw0/s1600-h/Chartwell+Dr+Park.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070762003737764194" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cEdFhM4wSFhnbbmF6RkSWlfeR3939ZAtid0UFS2vY-DtmsmoKkfCPgvMyzDWHmQXt-9VegY15_RqD0Qv15hDUNfsp_ZU1TT6-IyzKf0s_wSBvFZ6dNWwokLuc1_t6M6pNMvFPQRr8Iw0/s320/Chartwell+Dr+Park.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQ7DiI_S52XGjS8uBBtbWN8cwz05bxFJfuoPYN_GhvNkefA8N8STATpZuX29CQDcYSu-mVx5QXZIC4b55ObeVGLDU6lb79bHh5wwCE1rfjiHPqzqz0qsecxWbMsNOmXT5rhdoaNvNGrWu/s1600-h/Chartwell+Dr+Park2.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070762205601227122" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQ7DiI_S52XGjS8uBBtbWN8cwz05bxFJfuoPYN_GhvNkefA8N8STATpZuX29CQDcYSu-mVx5QXZIC4b55ObeVGLDU6lb79bHh5wwCE1rfjiHPqzqz0qsecxWbMsNOmXT5rhdoaNvNGrWu/s320/Chartwell+Dr+Park2.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Upgraded in 2001, the estate was revived with 'covered up' roadside drains, new streetlights, widened roads and the various parks within the estate were spruced up.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;"></span></strong></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Attractions</span></strong><br />The estate's central area is a well-known food haven! At the centre of the estate is a circus known as Serangoon Garden Circus. Within this </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3ZcE2TbQhkVP68ARcindYgUeKz8qUD5NYj7lj2UFaX0pEvrJFj1Zd13fHsXKV4JKGl7NJxPv8KW8wQ4OqTlmgkeZcqhd1C5y-orI1vBYJRAhe4RikbBnxXTbfvaZ8Cn_hXKYdMYCtPc0/s1600-h/Chartwell+Dr+Park2.JPG"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">vicinity, one can find cafes, pubs, restaurants, coffee shops, fast food restaurants, wine bars, a market, two hawker centres, a post office, a police post, chinese medical halls, banks, massage parlours/spas... All the roads radiate around the circus, and the houses are located within walking distance. The estate has a tennis and squash centre at Burghley Drive. At Kensington Park Road, there is a country club known as Serangoon Gardens Country Club.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KFkVGl6ZWfW1K8OBoDPhWqkYdasHqjsi5oM_FMILzeVpjdfIvad3fFHZHako10KP5uH5kVk3eBBwbnrAnjjZANAXtdiqbYmCcjzNGiKLSq6rHG8xfuFNgm0I9XPOJhh3ZfKt9djZC_8d/s1600-h/SG+Village.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070763034529915282" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KFkVGl6ZWfW1K8OBoDPhWqkYdasHqjsi5oM_FMILzeVpjdfIvad3fFHZHako10KP5uH5kVk3eBBwbnrAnjjZANAXtdiqbYmCcjzNGiKLSq6rHG8xfuFNgm0I9XPOJhh3ZfKt9djZC_8d/s320/SG+Village.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-oA01A5ELGub89s9QfMnnCtZAP0bBdjs5Rlf4ZWnJCWkogDfHQ1_y65SiLJjz8zDouUQc4EyQIT5tlIC28ebAaG1VJTpJnste078EAmtbw6frmeATcfa1rJBOexjlGs6gL_X3j1c8SwI/s1600-h/P1010103.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070763124724228514" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-oA01A5ELGub89s9QfMnnCtZAP0bBdjs5Rlf4ZWnJCWkogDfHQ1_y65SiLJjz8zDouUQc4EyQIT5tlIC28ebAaG1VJTpJnste078EAmtbw6frmeATcfa1rJBOexjlGs6gL_X3j1c8SwI/s320/P1010103.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZPkRb5OlsSwbK-7JEROtcJiQsdAp4o5Fc5BQa7IGw8oXosI-6fp3F28rHEQuRUSRPVvC6OSXYFvSkxvmLwVSBsNBcTu7dETvl4WEr3jIT8j50o0maGut_2yUzdgntJ5sesOSivjyI-JT/s1600-h/P1010110.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070763197738672562" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZPkRb5OlsSwbK-7JEROtcJiQsdAp4o5Fc5BQa7IGw8oXosI-6fp3F28rHEQuRUSRPVvC6OSXYFvSkxvmLwVSBsNBcTu7dETvl4WEr3jIT8j50o0maGut_2yUzdgntJ5sesOSivjyI-JT/s320/P1010110.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Food and Beverage</span></strong><br />There are two main food centres. Serangoon Gardens Market and Food Centre and the legendary Chomp Chomp Food Centre. The Serangoon Gardens Food Centre sells really 'shiok' and yummy food like roti-john, nasi lemak, nonya kuehs, char kway teow, dumplings, Teochew duck rice and also houses many stalls from the now defunct Taman Serasi Food Centre. The other food centre, "Chomp Chomp" is a 3-minute walk from the former. The legendary Chomp Chomp was opened in 1972. The hawkers nicknamed the place "Chomp Chomp" (probably because that was the sound of eating which many happy and satisfied customers made, while 'chomping' down their food!), and since then it has been fondly referred to as Chomp Chomp. The food centre is well known for its fried chai tow kuay, hokkien mee, satay, barbecued-seafood and satay beehoon.<br /><br />Since the 1990s, restaurants and cafés serving food such as local delights, Japanese, Thai, Russian and Western cuisine, ice-cream parlours, Coffee Bean have opened in the estate.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjs5YeK7vl-neq-lddEKgiJFjdEQwz9b32m5bG4kuwzJS5_q4ezlI4FkCucKUk3AjP-El0e54uqjJ8tuZNZZUosAp5eEG0u4o3a9ukBLXWChMLEqCIL1LcPnBKPcKoHRzYhKeriqDxVwW/s1600-h/Chomp+Chomp.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070766427554079266" style="WIDTH: 328px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 238px" height="292" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjs5YeK7vl-neq-lddEKgiJFjdEQwz9b32m5bG4kuwzJS5_q4ezlI4FkCucKUk3AjP-El0e54uqjJ8tuZNZZUosAp5eEG0u4o3a9ukBLXWChMLEqCIL1LcPnBKPcKoHRzYhKeriqDxVwW/s400/Chomp+Chomp.JPG" width="328" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_ahGGV7YMbaK4t9sUeGXsixxD3Yaya_Bzn7FjP7yXlZ1iLpygulbB_V0HnBmfCfi57yRNB0I77XeSUQyamhCTUbE5n2G5k_2D9o-Bfrs2835Mxe-j-MQq9tUFIu8c-VGihTfTWjxWplA/s1600-h/SG+Market+&+Food+Centre.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070763558515925442" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_ahGGV7YMbaK4t9sUeGXsixxD3Yaya_Bzn7FjP7yXlZ1iLpygulbB_V0HnBmfCfi57yRNB0I77XeSUQyamhCTUbE5n2G5k_2D9o-Bfrs2835Mxe-j-MQq9tUFIu8c-VGihTfTWjxWplA/s320/SG+Market+%26+Food+Centre.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Transport</span></strong><br />The estate is served by public bus services. In addition, on weekday mornings from 7.30am to 9am, licensed private bus operators operate express services plying between Serangoon Gardens and the city centre. </span></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pYS8fdSbi6snoyrxMSj6ElE2GquVYOGXP4dSGMy3i_q-p0FpMMo-Uran4viPuM8NWXbuYMsNhMsRSNbcknHJrs0EP19d73ZMXp2a4v7_42EHpIknz6XoBxdGk8UC3g7JrW-lXdJM8uI1/s1600-h/SG+Bus+Stop.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070765783308984850" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pYS8fdSbi6snoyrxMSj6ElE2GquVYOGXP4dSGMy3i_q-p0FpMMo-Uran4viPuM8NWXbuYMsNhMsRSNbcknHJrs0EP19d73ZMXp2a4v7_42EHpIknz6XoBxdGk8UC3g7JrW-lXdJM8uI1/s400/SG+Bus+Stop.JPG" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Security</span></strong> </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The area's popularity has also made it a popular location for counter-terrorism activities, with regular armed patrols by the Singapore Police Force’s Police Tactical Unit. On 15 January 2006, a public emergency drill called The Serangoon Emergency andPreparedness Day 2006, was conducted in the estate near the Chomp Chomp Food Centre. The exercise involved a simulatedvehicular explosion and casulties, the closure of roads and diversion of traffic, and casualty treatment and evacuation.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2J-BAfMA7wI7VIGZonLMI8w7vbalZKd61cyDhbJnVtlWiq5vlQsIdW5wRV1oy2mfiUOFqrMrVzSubEsD3yq5zD7imoV1k8EHy4xXh9ARmD_8vzPDPStBEH0zOOim4Uw4T58WroYl8oMf4/s1600-h/SG+Police+Post@.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MTXzbEfdDD4_ncbq88yFTC6M1Wf3Q-jlmNIo01CA4pzc1g18lYeuyJf65hOEXr1XMB58QIWgFoFGHQzwejJT1G7rAjvoer53kHrrdkjAoUWI31qG77573yxefbdhVt1Jtes3fRBYh4Gz/s1600-h/SG+Police+Post.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070764142631477714" style="CURSOR: hand" height="247" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MTXzbEfdDD4_ncbq88yFTC6M1Wf3Q-jlmNIo01CA4pzc1g18lYeuyJf65hOEXr1XMB58QIWgFoFGHQzwejJT1G7rAjvoer53kHrrdkjAoUWI31qG77573yxefbdhVt1Jtes3fRBYh4Gz/s320/SG+Police+Post.JPG" width="405" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MTXzbEfdDD4_ncbq88yFTC6M1Wf3Q-jlmNIo01CA4pzc1g18lYeuyJf65hOEXr1XMB58QIWgFoFGHQzwejJT1G7rAjvoer53kHrrdkjAoUWI31qG77573yxefbdhVt1Jtes3fRBYh4Gz/s1600-h/SG+Police+Post.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></a></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MTXzbEfdDD4_ncbq88yFTC6M1Wf3Q-jlmNIo01CA4pzc1g18lYeuyJf65hOEXr1XMB58QIWgFoFGHQzwejJT1G7rAjvoer53kHrrdkjAoUWI31qG77573yxefbdhVt1Jtes3fRBYh4Gz/s1600-h/SG+Police+Post.JPG"></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-69134596370191734912006-08-20T00:34:00.000+08:002007-07-29T00:45:06.575+08:00Straits Times : Bargain landed homes for under $1m<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ST : Bargain landed homes for under $1m</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Aug 20, 2006<br />It's possible to get new leasehold houses in non-prime areas for less money than luxury condos<br />By Fiona Chan</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">MANY Singaporeans aspire to live in spacious landed property, but such homes are often seen as pricey and unattainable.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">However, property agents say that if you know where to look, it is not hard to find a terrace, semi-detached or even detached house going for the price of a new condominium unit.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If you have $1 million to spend, you may want to forgo that tiny Orchard Road studio for a new 99-year leasehold terrace in popular residential areas such as <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Serangoon Gardens</span></strong> or Yishun.<br /><br />A 1,743 sq ft inter terrace at <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Chuan Green</span></strong> in <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Lorong Chuan</strong></span> was sold for $1 million in June, while further north a 3,433 sq ft terrace at Allgreen Properties' The Shaughnessy in Miltonia Close off Yishun Avenue 1 went for a mere $830,000.<br /><br />Freehold and 999-year leasehold houses are also available for under $1 million, but these tend to be older properties, said Mr Steven Tan, executive director of the residential division at property agency OrangeTee.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">He noted that there are landed freehold homes in Districts 15 and 16 in the East Coast area going for as little as $650,000 - less than the price of a new 1,000 sq ft condo in the same area, in recently launched freehold projects such as One Amber and MCL Land's The Esta.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And if you do not mind a 99-year leasehold property that is more than 50 years old, you can even land a detached house in Upper Bukit Timah - a 5,371 sq ft home with 40 years left on its lease went for only $500,000 in June, said Mr Tan.<br /><br />However, he added that a more extensive search can also throw up some new freehold bargains, such as Le Royce @ Leith Park in Yio Chu Kang, where a 3,509 sq ft terrace fetched $1 million in June.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On a per sq ft (psf) basis, landed homes are definitely a better bargain than condo units, said Mr Eric Cheng, senior division director of PropNex.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In Districts 19 and 20, which include <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Serangoon Gardens</span></strong>, Thomson and Ang Mo Kio, older single-storey terrace or semi-detached homes are about $350 psf on average, which means you can get a 2,800 sq ft house for under $1 million in these areas, he said.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This compares with more than $600 psf for the nearby freehold Le Crescendo in Paya Lebar Road, which was launched in June 2002.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But landed property bargains come with their own set of caveats, said property agents.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">'When you buy a landed property, you shouldn't just look at land size and the cost per sq ft, because the condition of the house is also very important,' said Mr Tan of OrangeTee.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Buyers may have to incur refurbishment costs of up to a few hundred thousand dollars, bringing the total price to above $1 million.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">PropNex's Mr Cheng added that some older homes have outdated designs that leave out modern conveniences such as attached bathrooms.</span>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-33762789347919452062006-01-15T08:49:00.000+08:002007-07-28T21:02:07.187+08:00Emergency exercises held at Serangoon Garden, Bedok North<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileP8ONm49ufGt7StBd-GGH2Ku5qMmScpX9xLEof0GP5VyW9HJIyy5PJY77S99J9bKCWqadI-7cC3cV2XTDFcm7VFNC5vpotDRgBE2o1KsMyBNoKZ-4C9X0jtNa-NqEFkWMLTV0Ea0l_f6/s1600-h/Serangoon_garden_road_closures+140106_ST_s.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092232267064883458" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileP8ONm49ufGt7StBd-GGH2Ku5qMmScpX9xLEof0GP5VyW9HJIyy5PJY77S99J9bKCWqadI-7cC3cV2XTDFcm7VFNC5vpotDRgBE2o1KsMyBNoKZ-4C9X0jtNa-NqEFkWMLTV0Ea0l_f6/s400/Serangoon_garden_road_closures+140106_ST_s.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;">By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 15 January 2006 1859 hrs</span><br /><br />SINGAPORE : Hundreds of residents and volunteers took up their respective positions in a emergency exercises at Serangoon Garden and Bedok North on Sunday.<br /><br />A simulated car bomb exploded outside Chomp Chomp hawker centre at Serangoon Gardens around 11am, followed by another blast metres away.<br /><br />That was the cue for the police and rescue workers to swing into action.<br /><br />Some 120 grassroots leaders from the Constituency Emergency Response Team were also activated to help with casualty evacuation.<br /><br />They have been trained to provide first aid and basic fire-fighting skills during emergencies.<br /><br />About 13,000 shops and residential units around the area had been notified in advance of the largest emergency exercise of its kind in Serangoon district.<br /><br />Almost all the roads leading to Serangoon Garden Circus were closed for over two hours to faciliiate the execution of the exercise.<br /><br />It was an eye-opener for many residents but some felt the exercise could have been more realistic.<br /><br />Said resident Tracy Ooi, "Don't let us know so early, don't let us be prepared; maybe like just get a normal crowd on a Sunday afternoon, maybe a few minutes before it happens."<br /><br />Another resident, Yeo Yee Peng, said, "If it's a real thing, there'll be a lot of cars. At the same time I don't think the police will come here in five minutes; it's just a rehearsal. As a rehearsal it's good but in a real situation, it'll be more chaotic than this."<br /><br />To minimise chaos during a crisis, the constituency also launched the Temporary Assembly Areas where residents could gather.<br /><br />The aim of the whole exercise was to test the readiness of the volunteers and raise awareness.<br /><br />Said Lim Hwee Hua, MP for Marine Parade GRC, "I want to bring it down to a local level, so that the ones who are not normally reached by news, or who don't follow news can actually see it visually and start asking questions like can this happen here and what do I do if something like this happens."<br /><br />Over in Bedok North, a suspicious package blew up in the neighbourhood during an emergency drill.<br /><br />Residents saw how the Civil Defence Force conducted its decontamination and rescue operation.<br /><br />These are among several exercises which took place over the past week.<br /><br />But will such drills lull people into a false sense of security?<br /><br />Said George Yeo, Foreign Affairs Minister and MP for Aljunied GRC, "They know this is playacting, but they will learn, they will see what are the things that will happen; they will see the kind of assistance that will be forthcoming. I think mentally this will help people. A real situation will never be the same as the one you exercise."<br /><br />As part of the emergency evacuation procedure, new assembly point signs will be placed at lift landings and staircases at HDB blocks in Aljunied GRC to direct residents to safety.<br /><br />A total of 150,000 residents will benefit from the GRC-wide project.<br /><br />Separately, 1,500 volunteers from the North East District will also be sent for training in basic life saving skills. - CNA /ct</div>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-88772591763986910022005-05-20T00:03:00.000+08:002007-07-29T00:09:48.636+08:00Lor Chuan MRT Station & Chuan Park's $1 Saga<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Loron</strong><strong>g Chuan MRT Station</strong></span> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(article from From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)<br /><br />This article or section contains information about a planned or expected future </span><a title="Railway station" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_station"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">railway station</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the railway station approaches, and more information becomes available.<br /></span><a class="image" title="Railway station" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:ConcordWestStation-GenSouth.JPG"></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Lorong Chuan MRT station, tentatively (CC14) is a proposed </span><a title="Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapore)#underground"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">underground</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><a title="Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapore)"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mass Rapid Transit</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> station on the </span><a title="Circle MRT Line" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_MRT_Line"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Circle MRT Line</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> in </span><a title="Singapore" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Singapore</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. It is located at the western end of Serangoon Avenue 3, between Chuan Park & Springbloom condominium. The station will serve the neighbouring </span><a title="Nanyang Junior College" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanyang_Junior_College"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nanyang Junior College</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, St. Gabriel's Primary School, Australian International School, New Tech Park and the private estates and condominiums along Serangoon Avenue 3. When it is ready, it will become one of the three stations that is in between 2 interchanges (along with </span><a title="Clarke Quay MRT Station" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke_Quay_MRT_Station"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Clarke Quay MRT Station</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> and </span><a title="Tanjong Pagar MRT Station" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanjong_Pagar_MRT_Station"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Tanjong Pagar MRT Station</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">).<br /></span><a id="Chuan_Park_.241_saga" name="Chuan_Park_.241_saga"></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Chuan Park $1 Saga......</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In Jun </span><a title="2003" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">2003</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, </span><a title="S$" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S$"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">S$</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1 was all that the </span><a title="Singapore Land Authority" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Land_Authority"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Singapore Land Authority</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> (SLA) offered Chuan Park residents for 220 sq m of land, which comprised mainly carpark lots.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">At just 0.2 cents a household, the compensation offer has riled residents of the 99-year leasehold condo. Almost all the 500 or so carpark lots are now taken. It needs the land for the new Circle Line being built. The Lorong Chuan MRT station will be close to Chuan Park.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Residents say the condominium will not get its land back even when the station is ready. The 99-year leasehold condominium at Lorong Chuan, off Serangoon Avenue 3, has 446 units, so the compensation works out to just 0.2 cents a household.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Outraged residents say the amount was too 'ridiculous' to even consider.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Commens, anyone?</span>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6749430001476538384.post-71515525147937550942003-09-16T22:52:00.000+08:002007-07-28T23:01:24.494+08:00Chomp Chomp Food Centre To Be Upgraded<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">NEWS RELEASE NO: 51/2003<br />DATE OF ISSUE: 16 September 2003<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Serangoon Gardens Food Centre, popularly known as Chomp Chomp, will close today for six months of upgrading under the National Environment Agency's Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme (HUP). The refurbished centre will reopen for business in April 2004.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />2 The 31-year-old Chomp Chomp built in 1972 was chosen for this second batch of the HUP because the main parts of the centre's structure such as the roof and columns are dilapidated. The low roof also obstructs natural air circulation and offers little shelter during a downpour. After years of wear and tear, the old wall and floor tiles have many cracks causing the floor to be very uneven.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">3 The newly upgraded food centre will retain all the existing 36 stalls in their present location and size as they are sold stalls, but a new roof and new mechanical and electrical services will be provided.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">4 The new layout of the stalls will enable open courtyards to be incorporated in two areas, allowing more natural ventilation and light. Both indoor and outdoor refreshment areas will be incorporated in the new design, with the latter in timber and sheltered by umbrellas for an al fresco dining style. The area directly in front of the food centre will be built on a raised timber platform with low timber railings. (Please see the artist's impression below.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">)<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">5 The new, pitched roof will have clay tiles and its timber rafters will be exposed at the eaves to give Chomp Chomp a more rustic kampung ambience. The toilet block will also be redesigned with landscaping and the wash basins will be relocated outside. This new design will help make maintenance easier and hopefully encourage people to keep the toilets clean.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">6 To date, 17 hawker/food centres have been upgraded under the NEA's HUP. Recently, two food centres in Jalan Berseh and Commonwealth Crescent started HUP upgrading. Five centres - at Block 127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, Blocks 131-135 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, Tanglin Halt Market, Kallang Estate Market and the East Coast Lagoon Food Centre - will be completed by the end of this year.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092261640346220818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 574px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 323px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="296" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5sqN_bei4-UxOSg-iioxYzb1yMeEcYxaIaF_u-HAW7s1oY8NXftZ4nETfmnSu-qkWhgTS9wQTgU2Gv7u50eeaTRL-I0jaEvcCSNnKhziPcwoATw2XNDgjP_PLriySKz67cL8VAi3fX8zf/s400/chomp_chomp.jpg" width="454" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">~~End of News Release~~<br />For more information, please contact:Call Centre: 1800-CALL NEA (1800-2255 632)Email:</span><a href="mailto:contact_nea@nea.gov.sg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">contact_nea@nea.gov.sg</span></a>Fred Teohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15496956412640168220noreply@blogger.com