SINGAPORE: One of the oldest Cantonese temples in Singapore will be considered for conservation, along with 19 pre-war bungalows at Adam Park.
The Mun San Fook Tuck Chee temple at Sims Drive was founded in the 1860s by migrant communities of mainly Cantonese origin. It moved to its current location when its trustees bought the land in 1902 to construct the temple along the banks of the Kallang River.
The pre-war bungalows at Adam Park, meanwhile, were built in 1929 by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) as housing for families of officers from the Municipal Council and SIT.
They have remained largely intact since World War II, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
Announcing URA’s proposal to conserve the two sites, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said on Friday (Nov 8) that even as Singapore plans for its future, it must strive to include significant heritage in its development plans.
“An important way we do so is through conserving buildings and structures of the highest significance to serve as a physical and visual link to our past,” he said at the URA Architectural Heritage Awards.
“By conserving such buildings and structures, we hope to retain physical reminders of the shared history and memories of our nation, communities and people.
“This fosters a deeper connection among Singaporeans that binds us together and strengthens our national identity.”
Conserved buildings are subject to certain URA guidelines. Permission is required before all alteration works and new use of the space can begin.
