History

Did You Know?

This building is a prominent landmark in the Marsiling neighbourhood. It is located beside the Shell Petrol Station along Marsiling Road and is adjacent to Marsiling Secondary School. The place was formerly a Royal Malaysian Navy Barracks, and belonged to KD Malaya, or Royal Malaysian Navy and were the housing quarters for staff of the Malaysian Navy.

In 1998, the 13 acres estate with two 11 storey towers was developed into an apartment with services and is currently known as Marsiling Apartments.

Reference
http://www.marsiling.com.sg/history.html

Tucked in a recluse corner off Admiralty Road West, in the Sembawang area stands a three-storey building. Unknown to many living in Woodlands and the Marsiling area, this building used to serve as a subsidiary of the Woodbridge Hospital and was known as the View Road Hospital. .

Located on the elevated hilltop of View Road, the area surrounding the building luxuriates with lush greenery and overlooks the Causeway and Johore Bahru Town. As the name View Road suggests, it also offers an unparallel and beautiful view of the Straits and was thus selected as an ideal place for patients for rehabilitation.

Previously known as “Batu Rimau Gurkha”, the building was allotted by the British Bases Conversion Unit to the Ministry of Health around the late 1960s to early 1970s.

In 1969, the inpatient population of Woodbridge Hospital had reached a peak of 2,654 average daily occupancy. There was then a dire need to relieve overcrowding at the hospital and the location of the serene surroundings of the building made it ideal for the Ministry of Health to set up a secondary institution there.

In June 1972, the building was handed over to Woodbridge hospital. Concrete plans were then put in place in July 1973 to convert it into a secondary mental hospital. The hospital was officially completed on 27 May 1975 and commissioned on 1 August 1975. The first batch of patients were admitted to the hospital on 4th August 1975. A comprehensive programme to provide rehabilitation and training for the better long-stay male patients was then introduced. The programme aimed at eventually placing these patients in employment outside the mental hospital such as in areas like farming. It may be of interest to note that farm produce was put on sale in Woodbridge Hospital.

In the 1980s, the hospital’s function as a rehabilitation centre gained momentum. A day-release scheme was implemented in 1984 where resident patients went to work in jobs they were trained and selected for. They would then return to live in the hospital which served as a hostel to them. Employers of the patients worked closely with the hospital staff and the hospital ensured that pre-employment interviews were held for every patient.

In 1990, the hospital began to take in female patients and the next year saw the hospital undergoing major renovations. By 1994, there were close to 294 patients housed at the hospital. By this time, the scope of jobs taken up by the patients included cleaning jobs as well as basketry, rattan work and some menial labour. Staff at the hospital were keen to train the patients in production, computing as well as clerical tasks in line with the shifting needs of the economy and demands of the job market. However, the limited outlets made it rather challenging on the efforts of the staff.

The View Road Hospital ceased to operate after 2001 and currently the premise is used as a Foreign Worker Dormitory.

"Instead of the usual six-month postings, I must have made history in Woodbridge Hospital when I asked the medical director for permission to extend my stay at View Road Hospital. All in all I was there for two years! I enjoyed the work tremendously. Together with the medical social worker, Mrs Choo, and nursing staff, we worked out activities to bring out the best of our patients."- Dr Tan Kuan Hoo, 1998. Quote taken from Till the Break of Day : A History of Mental Health Services in Singapore 1841-1993

Did You Know?

Mediacorp actually did a coverage on the hospital in one of its programme, On the Beat, telecasted on 9th September 2008.

Reference
http://www.api.sg/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=117&Itemid=1 "Till the break of day: A history of mental health services in Singapore 1841- 1993" by Dr Ng Beng Yeong

Located within the Marsiling Industrial Estate are two Chinese temples – the Hong Tho Bilw Temple and the Shang Di Miao Chai Kong Temple.

The Hong Tho Bilw Temple was established in 28 June 1996 while the Shang Di Miao Chai Kong Temple was officially opened in 8 November 1996. The objectives of both temples are to enable the public and residents from the neighbourhood to offer their prayers to the Gods and Goddesses. Wayangs are staged at the Hong Tho temple at least four times a year.

This temple was founded in 1962, on a small piece of land at 832, Sembawang Road with some shrine and deities . In 1982, when the Urban Redevelopment Authorities claimed the piece of land to widen the road, this temple was relocated at Marsiling Rise.

The Sri Siva Krishna temple at Marsiling Rise was consecrated on 23 March 2008. The temple is popular with Hindu residents living in the north of Singapore. Extensive structural modifications were done to accommodate devotee worship. It was sanctified through a series of elaborate rituals, carried out according to age-old scriptures known as the Agama Sastras. The scriptures contain religious procedures for the construction of a Hindu temple and the consecration rituals.

Special efforts were taken to meet the growing needs of the Hindu congregation by adding new Sanctums. Skilled sculptors from South India have created aesthetically pleasing carvings through their painstaking and intricate work.

Activities and Rituals at Sri Siva- Krishna Temple

• The main festivals of the temple are Pongal, Vaigunda Ekathasi , Vinayaka Chathurthi , Aadi Perukku, Kandha Sashthi, Navarathri and Deepavali.

• Currently, Thevaaram (Thirumurai) classes are conducted regularly on Sundays . Also music and dance programs are arranged during Navarathri to encourage the budding as well as the young artistes of Singapore.

• Besides the above, there are plans to start dance classes, yoga classes, free legal and medical counseling and free homeopathy clinic in the new temple.

The An-Nur Mosque was built in 1980 and is a known landmark in Marsiling. In fact, it used to be the first landmark that greets drivers returning from a visit to Johor Baru.

The mosque can accommodate up to 2800 worshippers. Every Friday during Friday prayers and festivals such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Aidiladha, the mosque will be filled to its brim with many worshippers from various parts of Marsiling and the Woodlands neighbourhood. As a result of this, the prayers during festive occasions are now held at various locations such as at the void decks and the Woodlands Stadium to tackle the problem of congestion.

There are madrasah and kindergarten classes offered at the mosque to children of the neighbouring estate. Apart from enhancing religious learning for the Muslim community, the mosque has also been instrumental in facilitating better inter-religious understanding, resulting in stronger community bonds and religious harmony between the Muslim and non-muslim communities.

The Masjid has created a name for its outreach programme and grassroots activities through its Qaryah (outreach) initiatives. These activities, pillared by committed volunteers, have helped to bring the mosques’ Islamic learning and Social Development programmes closer to the Muslim households.

The An-Nur mosque is also one of the mosques, which provide strong support for the kidney donation campaign.

New Life Bible Presbyterian Church is located at 10 Marsiling Lane, Singapore. It was established in 1983 in Woodlands New Town as a Protestant and Reformed witness.

The Church has services in English, Mandarin and Tamil and has a kindergarten that was established and registered with the Ministry of Education since 1984.

The Church provides quality preschool education for children between ages 4 to 6 years old (Nursery to Kindergarten Two).

The Church is involved in volunteer work such as providing services to Ju Eng Home and has a team of faithful volunteers who organise various activities such as Bible-Study, Hymnsinging, and even a Worship Service, as part of the spiritual care programme to the home.

Besides that, New Life BP Church undertakes the sponsorship of the 58th Boys Brigade (BB) Company at Riverside Secondary School. The Boys Brigade Ministry has given the church the opportunity to evangelize to the Boys at the school where the Boys Brigade is a Co-Curricular Activity (CCA).

Hock Choon officially opened its doors on the 19th November 1962 and it was the First Rural Community Centre under PA’s wings. It was located at the end of Lorong Chikar, now Woodlands St. 13, in the vicinity of the current Block 102. It was named after a village of about 150 households, and the community centre was opened by none other than the first Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.

In 1981, due to the development of Woodlands New Town, Hock Choon Village was demolished and Hock Choon Village CC closed its doors the same year.

On 1 December 1988, the CC was re-opened at a shop unit at block 167 Woodlands Street 11. After consultations with Mr. Lee Yiok Seng, then Member of Parliament for Bukit Panjang, it was decided that the name ‘Hock Choon’ be retained in its Mandarin version. It was renamed Fuchun Community Centre. After the General Elections of 1997, Fuchun CC and Marsiling CC were placed under the Marsiling Constituency. The Advisor for both CCs is Mr Hawazi Daipi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Manpower and Health and MP for Sembawang GRC. On the 8th of June 2003, the Fuchun Community Club was officially opened by our then Prime Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong, at its new premises at Woodlands St 31.

Reference
Fuchun Community Club (Official Opening Commemorative Magazine)

Three Chinese Medium schools were built in this estate from 1945 to 1946; Duanren School in the present Marsiling Drive, Yitming School at the present Kranji Turf Club and Nanqiao School near the Woodlands Swimming Pool. Due to the development of Marsiling Housing Estate, all three schools had to be closed down.

Three Chinese Medium schools were built in this estate from 1945 to 1946; Duanren School in the present Marsiling Drive, Yitming School at the present Kranji Turf Club and Nanqiao School near the Woodlands Swimming Pool. Due to the development of Marsiling Housing Estate, all three schools had to be closed down.

"I had to travel out of the neighbourhood to get to school and will never forget the bus rides I took to go to and from school back then. I like the “kamponglike” and peaceful atmosphere of this neighbourhood." Mrs Soh Saw Eng, HOD Science, Marsiling Secondary School, resided in Marsiling for 11 years.

The oldest primary school in the Marsiling estate is Marsiling Primary School which was built in 1958 and provided instruction in English, Chinese and Malay. Previously, it was located along Marsiling Avenue, off Lorong Chikar. This was probably in the vicinity of Marsiling Secondary School’s back gate along Woodlands St 13.

Marsiling Primary School was then relocated to its present premise along Woodlands Centre Road in June 1986.

The first secondary school in this estate was Si Ling Secondary School and it was built in 1980. Over the years, many schools have sprouted in this area: Si Ling Primary School, Fuchun Primary School, Woodlands Secondary School and Marsiling Secondary School.

This wet market has served the Marsiling-Woodlands Community for many years before the sprouting of other smaller wet markets in the various neighbourhood clusters. After undergoing renovations, the market reopened on 28th February 2009. The residents were fully appreciative of the much cleaner and relatively spacious stalls in the market.