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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.