In Pictures – Peranakan heritage, a 460-acre park and reclaiming land for HDBs. This is the story of Marine Parade GRC 

20/01/2025

Besides expansive sea views and Katong laksa, the history of Marine Parade and its neighbourhoods is a fascinating one.  

Going back some 200 years, Malay communities have long made Geylang Serai home. Around the 1900s, Peranakan families began settling in Joo Chiat, giving the area its distinctive architecture. 

(Left) The old Sea View Hotel at Tanjong Katong opened to great fanfare in 1906. It was one of Charlie Chaplin’s stops when he visited Singapore in 1932. (Right) Joo Chiat Road in the 1920s, which led directly to the sea.

There is also Braddell Heights. The residential estate, named after Singapore’s first Attorney-General Thomas Braddell, features an eclectic mix of road names inspired by scenic locations in the UK. Cotswold Close, Chiltern and Matlock Drive, to name a few. 

(Clockwise, from left) Electric trams used to operate between Geylang Serai and Tanjong Pagar between 1905 to 1925. They were eventually phased out by trolley buses; Boys playing in flood waters in Geylang Serai; Street hawkers in Joo Chiat, at the corner of Everitt Road and Koon Seng Road. 

Yet it was not until independence that the Marine Parade neighbourhood we are familiar with started to taking shape.  

An ambitious land reclamation project created East Coast Park and the Marine Parade housing estate. Meanwhile, conservation efforts in Joo Chiat and Geylang Serai helped Marine Parade GRC retain much of its historic charm.   

After nearly 60 years, Marine Parade GRC is a modern and vibrant neighbourhood shaped by a melting of cultures. Here, let us take a trip down memory lane as we look back at how the area has grown and evolved over the decades.

1960s: Sprucing up old neighbourhoods  

Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Mrs Lee touring the newly opened Geylang Serai market. Built in 1964, the market was a vital social and economic centre for residents of Geylang Serai for over 40 years. 

As a fledgling nation in the 1960s, Singapore lacked the most basic of infrastructure. Floods were common due to a non-existent drainage system. Clean, running water was considered a luxury to most households, and public amenities were few and far apart. 

It was during this period that the PAP made it its mission to improve the lives of Singaporeans by providing housing for all and developing large-scale urban renewal projects.  

Modern, high-rise flats replaced attap dwellings with zinc roofs. Schools, parks, community centres and food markets followed, turning the Geylang Serai and Kampong Chai Chee neighbourhoods into self-sufficient towns. 

(Clockwise, from left) Then-Minister for Health Yong Nyuk Lin (second from right) touring the Chai Chee Maternal and Child Health Centre; Then-MP for Kampong Chai Chee Sha’ari Bin Tadin planting a tree during the opening of Telok Kurau East School; Block 1 at Jalan Pasar Baru. The 11-storey, L-shaped block was one of the first HDB flats in the region. 

By 1970, close to 100,000 Singaporeans had moved from precarious, makeshift homes to new and modern HDB flats in the Geylang Serai area. Even then, there was still greater demand for clean, modern housing. To keep up, the PAP government embarked on an ambitious project to create land where none existed. 

Reclaimed land (on the right) along the Katong area. The plot of land would soon become Singapore’s newest housing estate.  

Dubbed the “Great Reclamation”, the $613 million investment spanned 20 years, and added 1,525ha of land. These 18km of new coastline would transform the eastern shore of Singapore into what we know and love today. 

1970s – 80s: Breaking new ground

(Clockwise, from left) A bird’s eye view of Marine Parade estate, East Coast Parkway (ECP) and East Coast Park; Parkway Parade, one of the oldest suburban malls in Singapore. It is still a landmark in Marine Parade today; A dragon boat race in the waters off East Coast Park.  

Being a land-scarce country, land reclamation in Singapore was nothing new. However, building a new HDB estate entirely on reclaimed land would be a different ball game. The costs were monumental, and nobody knew if the project would succeed. And yet, the PAP government persevered, recognising that the benefits would outweigh the risks. 

Within years, what was once a sleepy seaside promenade became home to 7,800 high-rise flats, marking the birth of a brand-new Marine Parade housing estate.  

(Left) 1988, then-deputy prime minister and MP for Marine Parade Goh Chok Tong at a tree-planting event, one of the PAP’s most enduring traditions in its continuing dedication to making Singapore a Garden City. (Right) The Big Splash at East Coast Park opened with a bang in 1977. Its 85-metre-long water slides were some of the tallest in the region at the time. 

Besides the usual amenities, what made Marine Parade unique was its proximity to both green and blue spaces.  

In line with its vision to build a Garden City, the PAP government set aside 460 acres (or the equivalent of 140 football fields) of land for recreational use. The result was the formation of East Coast Park.  

Flanked by a 15-kilometre beach, the Green Lung of the East remains one of Singapore’s most popular spots to swim, cycle, enjoy a picnic and connect with nature.  

(Left) Then-Minister of State Dr Tay Eng Soon (second from left) inspecting a circuit board during his visit to the Singatronic’ plant in Chai Chee (Right) Singatronics employees assembling the circuit boards.  

With housing sorted, the next challenge was to create job opportunities. Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, the PAP Government developed industrial estates in tandem with public housing. Chai Chee Industrial Estate was one such development that became the center of Singapore’s electronics production. 

Within twenty years, Marine Parade GRC had gone through a massive transformation. But more was to come, with the PAP Government looking ahead and planning for the future. 

1990s: Planning for the future 

Improving East Coast Park to meet the needs of Singaporeans. (Clockwise, from left) 1977, East Coast Swimming Lagoon and East Coast Park Chalets. As their popularity declined, the government redeveloped the area into open green spaces and cycling paths. (Bottom right) An artist’s impression of the Long Island project, which will add 800 hectares of reclaimed land for recreational and residential use. 

There was plenty of chatter when Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about the Long Island Project earlier this year. But what many of us might not have known was that the concept has been over 30 years in the making. 

Back in 1991, the PAP government unveiled a Concept Plan mapping out Singapore’s future land use. One of the ideas mooted was the Long Island Project. When realised, the benefits would be twofold. Not only would it provide Singapore with more waterfront spaces along the east coast, but it could also act as a coastal defence against rising sea levels.  

(Top) Colourful shophouses along Koon Seng Road have gained worldwide recognition as one of the most beautiful storefronts in Singapore. (Bottom left) Close-up façade of a shophouse. (Bottom right) A bungalow at 25 Still Road South. Once part of a palatial estate of Kader Sultan, a Tamil Muslim businessman, the building has been conserved and repurposed as a preschool. 

Envisioned at a time when the issue of climate change was not yet widely acknowledged, the Long Island project was a radical one when it was first mooted in the nineties. Such long-term plans and strategies have been a hallmark of successive PAP governments.  

With Marine Parade GRC now a mature town, attention turned towards preserving Singapore’s cultural heritage for the next generation. In particular – the Joo Chiat neighbourhood. 

As the heartland of Peranakan culture, Joo Chiat’s distinctive architecture stands in stark contrast to the rest of the island. Instead of modern high-rises, the area is dotted with colourful, pre-war shophouses. Each ornate tile is a link to a bygone era, waiting for its story to be told.

An example of why conservation matters. (Left) Established in 1925, the Red House Bakery was a Katong institution and one of Singapore’s first Western bakeries. It closed in 2003. (Right) The building was given conservation status in 2005, which means it cannot be demolished or significantly altered. After extensive restoration, the Red House Bakery was revived as a heritage gallery and retail space in 2016. 

Recognising the importance of Joo Chiat, the PAP government gazetted 518 buildings in the area for conservation. By 2011, Joo Chiat had become Singapore’s first Heritage Town, an official stamp of approval for its unique cultural identity.  

Street festivals, guided tours and talks followed as Joo Chiat came under the Heritage Activation Nodes (HAN) initiative. Launched in 2024, HAN seeks to involve local communities to develop projects that celebrate the heritage of their neighbourhoods. 

The move marks the beginning of a nationwide effort to inspire the lives of Singaporeans through heritage and foster a sense of identity. And to think it all began right here in Joo Chiat. 

2000s to now: Renew and Rejuvenate  

(Clockwise, from left) Minister for Manpower and Marine Parade GRC MP Dr Tan See Leng at a new sheltered linkway connecting Blocks 50 and 12 Marine Terrace; Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Marine Parade GRC MP Edwin Tong shared with Joo Chiat residents some of the new improvements to the neighbourhood; Prime Minister Lawrence Wong revisits his childhood home at Marine Parade, as bright and cheerful as it was nearly 50 years ago. 

Throughout the 90s and into the new millennium, the PAP government embarked on a Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) to modernise older HDB flats. As some of Singapore’s earliest housing estates, residents in Marine Parade, Chai Chee and Geylang Serai benefited from this scheme.  

Feedback was sought, and improvements were made. At every HDB block, void decks and lift lobbies were spruced up. In addition, lifts were added to every floor, replacing the old ones that stopped on selected levels.  

Keeping Malay culture alive at Geylang Serai. (Clockwise, from left) Then-Senior Minister and Marine Parade GRC MP Goh Chok Tong at the opening of the new Geylang Serai Market in 2010; Vendors at the Ramadan Bazaar at Geylang Serai; Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the launch of the Iconic Arch at the Geylang Serai Cultural Belt; The arch, located at the corner of Geylang Serai Market and Hotel 81 Tristar, is inspired by Malay Kampong houses. 

Over the years, the PAP government added new walkways, parks and cycling paths. All these amenities making everyday life and commute just a bit easier for residents of Marine Parade. 

The aim, ultimately, is to make Marine Parade GRC, a great place to live. And the work doesn’t stop. 

Artist impression of new projects in Marine Parade GRC. (Top) Siglap South CC in Joo Chiat. The new integrated development will house sports facilities, food outlets and a basement carpark with 220 spaces. (Bottom) The integrated development in Kembangan will house HDB flats, a new community club and plenty of recreational spaces. 

In 2024, the 4th stage of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) opened to great fanfare, providing Marine Parade residents with an affordable, fast and convenient way of travelling to town (and the rest of Singapore).  

Plans are also underway to build a new polyclinic in Braddell Heights and some 7,000 HDB flats in Bayshore. To make better use of land, Marine Parade GRC residents can look forward to two new integrated developments in Siglap South and Kembangan-Chai Chee. Both developments will house a community club and a host of other recreational facilities. 

Marine Parade GRC MPs at work. (Clockwise, from left) MPs Dr Tan See Leng and Edwin Tong at the launch of a free shuttle bus around community nodes for residents; MP Fahmi Aliman distributed food packs and beverages to residents of Geylang Serai during Ramadan; Keeping the estate clean and green, MP Seah Kian Peng at a tree planting exercise at Braddell Heights. 

But beyond government initiatives, it is the people on the ground – our MPs, grassroots volunteers, and residents – that give Marine Parade GRC its life and soul. Working together, each has played a part in making the neighbourhood what it is today. 

A town with a unique identity. A diverse and vibrant neighbourhood balancing the old and new. A place brimming with warmth and empathy, of neighbours extending a helping hand to one another. And that, ultimately, is what makes Marine Parade home. 

Picture Sources: National Archives Singapore/ Ronni Pinsler Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore/ Roots.sg/ NParks/ URA/ NLB/ HDB/ Wgeylangserai via Instagram/ Lawrence Wong, Tan See Leng, Edwin Tong, Seah Kian Peng and Fahmi Aliman via Facebook.