A few days ago, when I was passing by my old secondary school, I was overwhelmed by a disconcerting sense of displacement. Everything about the building before me was unfamiliar, except for the school logo. It seemed as if an unknown mammoth had switched places with the familiar edifice that had accompanied me through my four years there, and all my memories suddenly seemed far, far away.
Faced with space constraints, a tiny island like Singapore has to grapple constantly with striking a balance between developmental needs and the heritage and the environment. Many have bemoaned the disappearance of familiar scenes and buildings. What is a home when there is little memory attached to it?
But MND agencies are not content to sit by passively. For instance, the new Dairy Farm Nature Park has sought to preserve a little part of its history. Read about how NParks converted a former cowshed into an educational centre, while also ensuring many of its features are environmentally friendly. And in this month's MND Link, find out how HDB and URA are gearing up to transform Singapore’s environment as part of their efforts to rejuvenate our neighbourhoods and cityscape.
With all the ongoing physical developments, BCA is doing its part by ensuring our built environment meets the highest quality standards. And for those who have missed out on the frozen meat cooking demonstrations organised by AVA, fret not, as we bring you the highlights of these sessions.
Last, but certainly not least, let us bring you down memory lane in Singapore Yesterday – a new section which features an evocative image each month from Singapore's past.
Happy reminiscing, and enjoy your read!
KHAI_Yann_Lin@mnd.gov.sg