One might not be familiar with the Streblus Elongatus. But mention the Tempinis Tree, and it starts to ring a bell. The hardwood tree species native to Singapore had once grown in such abundance that it became the namesake of the area known as Tampines.
These days, Tampines is a jewel in the east. An award-winning town with a vibrant community, extensive amenities and a leader in sustainability efforts. Here’s a look at how, with grit and vision, the PAP government transformed Tampines from a single dirt road into an urban hub, ready for the 21st-century.
Colonial times: Vanishing crops and rural villages
The arrival of the British ushered in many exciting developments for Singapore, even though this proved to be less beneficial for the Tempinis Tree. Strong and sturdy, the tree was highly coveted for its timber and sold for huge profits. Very quickly, large swaths of forests were cleared. It did not take long for Tampines to be without its namesake, the iconic Tempinis Trees.
By the turn of the century, the Tempinis Trees had given way to coconut and rubber plantations. Both were cash crops whose growth was aided by the swampy soil in the area. But the change was not for long. The plantations, too, met their end when the Japanese converted the land into farms to grow staple foods during the Occupation.
Post-war, farming continued as the bread and butter of Tampines. It was a rural community, made even more remote by its inaccessibility. Right up to the 1950s, bus services would terminate at Serangoon Road, leaving commuters at the mercy of pirate taxis if they wish to travel ‘inland’ into Tampines. The alternative was to hitchhike or walk.
But slowly, life was about to get more convenient for the residents of this isolated enclave.
1960s – 70s: Nightsoil, landfill and sand quarries
In 1959, the PAP came into power in a self-governing Singapore. With it came changes that would improve the lives of villagers in Tampines.
A veterinary centre was built to help farmers reduce production costs and increase their output. There were also mobile libraries and public health trucks that travelled deep into the hinterland to provide essential services.
Eventually, and perhaps in the first sign of modernity, sanitation facilities were installed in Tampines. It marked an end to the practice of night soil collection and night soil collectors who had to manually remove human waste from homes to a collection point to be treated.
Throughout the 70s, as Singapore developed on a supersonic scale, Tampines retained much of its laidback charm. However, it played a huge role in our early development.
At its peak, more than 20 quarries in Tampines provided the crucial resource of sand that was needed for construction elsewhere. Indeed, an HDB sand stockpile still exists in Tampines today, serving as a reminder of the integral role the town played in the development of our HDB landscape.
Being off the beaten track also made Tampines the perfect space to store the refuse of a growing country. The Lorong Halus landfill, opened in 1970, swallowed our industrial and domestic waste on a massive scale.
1980s – 90s: Birth of a new town
By the 1980s, the long-term strategic thinking of the PAP government had turned its attention towards Tampines. As part of a broader strategy to reduce congestion in the central parts of the city, a regional centre in Tampines would prove to be an important piece to solve this puzzle.
The new town, built with a precinct model in mind, would be unlike any other. Each cluster of flats, making up the precinct, would be organised around parks, schools and shops to create a self-sufficient community.
Construction began in earnest in the early 1980s. Attap houses and dirt paths gave way to high-rise flats and tarmac roads. When once pirate taxis had to be bribed to travel there, Tampines became a transport hub, with a new bus interchange, one of the largest of its time, opening in 1987. Accessibility improved further when Tampines MRT station and the Tampines Expressway began operations in 1989.
In 1992, Tampines put Singapore on the world map when it won the World Habitat Award for providing “high quality, high-density and affordable housing”. The new town had been the result of a bold and visionary PAP government. One who pushed the limits, and built a strong vision of what the suburbs could look like.
Thereafter, Singapore welcomed the rise of its Regional Centres. And to think it all began in Tampines, an area that was once the textbook definition of ulu.
By the mid-90s, offices and retail complexes have sprung up, drawing Singaporeans from all over the island towards Tampines. And as a testament to the area’s popularity, the media dubbed the New Town “The HDB estate everyone wants”.
2000s to now: A modern and green hub
Since then, Tampines Town has gone from strength to strength. While it continues to be an important, commercial hub in the East, Tampines has also been actively boosting its credentials as a green and sustainable eco-town.
Once dominated by dirt and grime, Tampines is now home to over 20 parks and gardens. Lorong Halus, the former landfill that gave Tampines a foul name, has been transformed into a wetland park and wildlife sanctuary. As for the Tempinis Trees that were almost felled into extinction, they have since made a comeback to reflect the area’s heritage.
Finally, no history of Tampines is complete without a mention of Our Tampines Hub. Built with the feedback of 15,000 residents in mind, the all-in-one library, sports hall, swimming and retail complex have quickly become the communal heart of Tampines. A beloved space where families gather while visitors marvel.
For a town built through sheer will and imagination, with practically everything available at its doorstep, what does the future hold for Tampines?
Plenty, in fact. Despite some sources calling it Singapore’s most well-connected regional centre, Singaporeans can look forward to even more transport upgrades in Tampines. Besides new bus services and the upcoming Cross Island MRT Line, Tampines is also home to a comprehensive network of cycling paths linking residents to various community nodes from MRT stations to green spaces.
And just as older blocks have been spruced up with coats of fresh paint, new playgrounds and sheltered walkways, residents have also seen many new BTO projects popping up. To support the growing number of residents, plans for more amenities, including a new community club, shopping mall and hawker centre in Tampines North are already underway.
As new families move in, bringing a new dynamism to the town, Tampines will continue to remain a beautiful and forever home for all who choose to sink their roots here.
Looking back, the transformation of Tampines did not happen by chance. It started with a government that saw its potential as a modern satellite town. It also required the political will to create this vision and to rally Singaporeans to share in that vision. Tampines is a testament to what can be achieved when competent government is supported by the people. Only through this trust, can long-term planning and astute decision-making be made possible.
Our commitment to Tampines continues to the present, helmed by our dedicated, long-serving team of PAP MPs. Indeed, in recent remarks, Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who has been serving in Tampines for almost 18 years, had this to say about the town.
“With the residents’ support, Tampines has become one of Singapore’s most dynamic and modern towns. Together, we will build a better Tampines home that everyone is proud to call their own,” said Mr Masagos.
Likewise, Mr Baey Yam Keng, who has served in Tampines for over 13 years, said “Tampines is one of the most well-connected towns. We have four MRT stations, three bus interchanges, and up to 22 km of cycling paths to make it easy for residents to access essential amenities and services…We have worked with residents over the years to make Tampines one of Singapore’s most vibrant towns.”
From its early beginnings as an empty stretch of wilderness, Tampines is the town that became a jewel in the east. And with our PAP MPs and our residents working hand-in-hand, Tampines will blaze new trails into the future, as a vibrant, sustainable and well-connected town.
Photo Source: NHB/ URA/ Roots.sg/ National Archives/ NParks/ Lee Hsien Loong/ Baey Yam Keng/ Koh Poh Koon/ Masagos Zulkifli/ Lawrence Wong via Facebook
