ECC 1

Background: At the corner of Upper East Coast Bus terminal is a small shrine dedicated to Na Du Gong or Datuk Kong. Such shrine can be found in many places in Singapore, Penang and Malacca. As the name implies, it is a mix of Chinese, Malay and even Indian belief. In Taoist belief, when great person dies, their spirit will remain on earth as protective spirits and when Chinese immigrants settled in South East Asia, the local Malay leaders (Datuks) received such adoration and they are hence worshiped as Datuk Gong, which also incorporate the role of the earth spirit (or Tu Di Gong). This belief used to be practiced by Malay and Indian as well but the influence had been diluted with the spread of Islam. These shrines are usually found outside the main building of places they are supposed to protect except for specific temples (such as Wei Tuo Fa Gong on Pulau Ubin). 

Food for Thoughts: What other religious sites / building can you see along Bedok Road?

Links: Learn more about Datuk worship here. 

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Background: Kampung Bedok or colloquially Bedok corner was settled as 2 Kampongs in the 1850s as Kampung Bedok Darat and Kampung Bedok Laut. These were said to be founded by a fisherman from Johor Lama and a farmer from Java respectively. In its early history, this area is known for its plantations and restaurant. Today, the Bedok town is a mixture of public and private housing. The Bedok food centre was designed based on the Minangkabau style of Indonesia, a reference to Bedok's Kampong roots.

The name Bedok refers to the Malay word , either 'Bedoh' for drum or 'Biduk' for a small sampan. Bedok River was referenced  in European map as early as 1604 as Sune Bedo. 

Food for Thought: What does the "Elite Guards" of Bedok Camp guard?

Link: Learn more about Bedok here.  

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Background: Bedok Reservoir was conceptualized in 1980 as part of effort to increase catchment of rainwater and support water needs in the eastern part of Singapore with the development of Bedok, Tampines and Pasir Ris new towns. Unlike other reservoir constructed by damming rivers, Bedok reservoir is constructed on site of former sand quarry hence the fauna and flora here are all introduced rather than native. It was the first reservoir park upgraded by PUB under the ABC water scheme. Beside water sports, parks facilities and Forest Adventure, a segment of the Berlin wall used to reside here. 

Food for Thought: Bedok Reservoir was NOT constructed from existing rivers or lakes; how would its fauna and flora be different?

Links: See Bedok Learning Quest page for more information.

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Background: Bedok Town park is a linear park. Its long profile helps to buffer Bedok town flats from the noisy Pan Island Expressway (PIE) while providing recreational and community space to the residents.

Food for Thoughts: Different green spaces

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Background: The southern coastline of Singapore from Kallang to Geylang, Eunos, Kembangang and Bedok used to be dotted by many Malay Kampongs; "Malay" being used to describe the people group of the Malay Archipelago. There used to be a "Kampong Pachitan" settled by Javanese in the early 1900s that lied between "Kampong Eunos" and "Kampong Kembangan". With urbanisation, these kampongs had been replaced by modern housing and flats. While the names Kembangang and Eunos were retained as estate names, all signs of "Pachitan" had disappeared.

Link: Learn more about Kg Pachitan here. 

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Background: The Singapore branch of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent humanitarian organisation was established in 1949 to train civilians in first aid, run homes for the less fortunate, carry out blood donation drives and prepare for local and international civil emergencies. At this campsite, our participants will also take part in 2 activities: (1) Go-bag and (2) Water purification.

This site used to house CHIJ (Opera Estate) until it was merged with CHIJ Katong Convent in 1989. 

Food for Thought: 

1. What are the various NGOs that operates in Singapore and what are their causes?

2. Do/Will you volunteer? Why? 

Links: 

1. Refer to Red Cross Activity page for more information. 

2. Refer to OPS Guide for campsite info.

3. Learn more about the former CHIJ Opera Estate.

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Background: An open Community Garden where anyone can walk through and pluck an edible as compared to gated ones ran by other Resident Committee.  

Food for Thoughts:

(1) How does community gardens try to bring back the kampong spirit of the past?

(2) Will small plots of farm like this help increase food security in Singapore?

Links: Learn more about community garden and urban farming.

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[Area currently closed for redevelopment]

Background: The empty flats at Dakota were constructed by Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) in the 1950s. The residents had been relocated to Cassia Crescent Blk 52 since 2017. Learn about the life of residents evicted not too long ago and what made this place special.

Links: Click to access Dakota Place Based Learning page.

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Background: Before there is Sports Hub / National Stadium, there was the Old National Stadium; and before that, this was the location of Singapore's second airport - Kallang Airport. At time of its construction, it was the most modern airport in the world. Its round aerodrome (where sports hub, indoor stadium, all the carpark up to Decathlon now stand) allowed airplane to land in all direction. The nearby Kallang River allowed Seaplanes to land and take off. Kallang airport became insufficient as planes got bigger and longer runways were needed. While most of the land were developed, its Passenger Terminal was preserved as heritage building and at one point used by People's Association as its HQ and holding area for annual Chingay parades.

Food for Thought: 

(1) How did Kallang Airport affected the development of nearby estates?

(2) How much bigger is Changi Airport (our 4th) compared to Kallang Airport? 

Links: Learn more about Kallang Airport here.

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Background: Before Raffles landed in Singapore, Kallang river was already teaming with life, with a Malay village Kampong Kallang built along the mangrove banks. With development in the colonial and pre-world war period, the mangroves were reclaimed for urban and industrial development and the villagers relocated to Johor. Being one of the industrial lifeline, Kallang river (together with Singapore river) was often polluted till the start of River Clean-up initiated by PM Lee Kuan Yew in 1977. 

Merdeka (or Independence) bridge which straddled Kallang river was completed and opened by then Chief Minister Lim Yew Hock in 1956 to ease traffic from east of Singapore into the city centre. Its name alluded to the call for greater self governance during that era. 

Links: Click to access WWS Place Based Learning page. Click to access OPS guide to Campsite.

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Background: 

Originally built in 1862 to provide piped gas to gas-operated street lamps, it was converted to supply gas for heating and cooking and industrial use after the switch to electrical lighting. It was given the Hokkien nickname huay sia, or "fire city", because of superstitious fears that it might explode. As with other dangerous infrastructures, it was relocated to the outskirt of Singapore as Senoko Gaswork, freeing up spaces near to city centre for residential and commercial development.  

Food for thought: How does Singapore get its Energy?

Find out More: Learn more about Kallang Gaswork here.

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Background: 

The first Chwe Kang Beo Temple was a simple wooden structure built on stilts on the riverbank in 1940 by 4 men from the nearby Kampong Pulau Minyak. It was said that one of the men's wife was sick and upon visiting a temple and being possessed by Dua Peh Kong, the man was "persuaded" to build the temple to save his wife. This Temple was rebuilt on firm land in the 1990s.

Links: Learn more about the temple here.

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Background: One of the oldest HDB estates in Singapore, it is small but infamous for supposedly being an urban ghetto. Blk Circuit Road 37, a 16 story block with 3 wings is one of Singapore biggest with 570 units.  Almost all flats in this estate are 2 or 3 rooms with slightly older population. As with many old estates, this place is also famous for its food centres.

Food for Thought: How are older estates such as these different from newer ones such as Punggol and Sengkang?

Links: Learn more about Circuit Road / Macpherson Estate here.

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Background: Named after Mohamed Eunos bin Abdullah (1876 - 1933). Eunos was one of Singapore most famous Malay leader. Born in a wealthy family, he studied at Raffles Institution and held various appointment such as Asian member of Legislative Council and Municipal Commissioner for Malay. He started Singapore first Malay newspaper, fought for education equality for young Malay and founded the Malay Union to represent the community in the political sphere.

Links: Learn more about Eunos Bin Abdullah and other Pioneers of Singapore. 

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Background: Telok Kurau is named after a fishing village along East Coast of the same name. "Telok" means bay in Malay while Kurau is a type of fish (Threadfin? Mango Fish?). Like many villages, the place had been developed but the name remained. Telok Kurau is the only public area where the roads are not specified by numbers but by alphabets (Telok Kurau Lorong L, Lorong M instead of Lorong 1, Lorong 7) 

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Background: Bedok lighthouse (since 1978) is visible along the stretch of East Coast Park near to Lagoon Food Centre. It was commissioned in 1978 to replace the Fullerton Lighthouse (which itself replaced the older Fort Canning Lighthouse. Beside being the only lighthouse fixed on top of high rise residential block, it was our first unmanned and fully automated lighthouse.

Food for Though: Where are Singapore's other lighthouses?

Link: Click here to learn about 9 lighthouses in Singapore. 

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Background: This campus was originally built for SPACKC - an OBS campus meant for Primary children. It was subsequently used by People Association (PA) as National Community Leadership Institute (NACLI) East Campus. The compound was returned to OBS in 2017 as OBS East Coast Campus (ECC). The facilities in ECC are mostly named after space and astronomical objects.

Link: Click here for Campsite OPS Guide. 

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