Tanjong Pagar GRC
19-598: Hong Lim Park , formerly known as Hong Lim Green and Dunman's Green , is a 0.94-hectare (2.3-acre) heritage park in the Downtown Core district of Singapore located next to the Parkroyal Collection Pickering hotel and Clarke Quay station . The park is notable locally as being the country's Speakers' Corner , whereby Singaporeans are able to freely engage in political open-air public speeches, debates and discussions. Dunman's Green
38-703: A cricket ground by members of the Singapore Chinese Recreation Club and the Singapore Cricket Club , and was also the venue for many of the first political speeches and election rallies in the 1950s. In 1951, two courthouses which were meant to be temporary were built near the Criminal District and Magistrates' Courts. With Singapore Chinese Recreation Club vacated the premises on 31 July 1959 and moved to Shenton Way, its former clubhouse's demolition started on
57-516: A decorative arch and two large moulded brackets , as well as a hip roof . It was closed from 1972 to 1973 due to renovations. In 1988, it was closed as it had been replaced by a newer post office on nearby Pickering Street . The building was initially to be demolished. However, it was instead reopened as the Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post on 15 January 1990, becoming the first neighbourhood police post within
76-399: A height limit of 280m. It is one of the eleven planning areas located within the most urbanised Central Area , forming the latter's dense urban core. It is bounded by Rochor to the north, Kallang to the northeast, Marina East and Marina South to the east, Straits View to the southeast, Bukit Merah to the south, as well as Outram , Museum and Singapore River to the west. As
95-531: A smaller area within the Downtown Core itself, taking up the south-western and western portions of the planning area, consisting largely of many skyscrapers. It is made up of eight subzones, Anson , Cecil, Clifford Pier , Maxwell, Phillip, Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar and Marina Centre . The core of the CBD has since extended well beyond its boundaries and the term is even often at times used to refer to
114-689: The Central Business District . By 1995, crime rates in the surrounding area had fallen by about twenty percent. As it was located between the Ministry of Labour building and the Pidemco Centre which housed the Singapore Immigration Department, the post was a popular place to report loss of work permits or passports. It was amongst the busiest neighbour police posts, averaging around 600 reports
133-739: The Central Area as a whole. As a fledgling colony, the area which is now known as the Downtown Core was the financial , administrative and commercial centre of the colony. In 1823, Singapore was reorganised according to the Raffles Plan of Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles , which specified elements like the Commercial Square (now Raffles Place) and the European Town as well as various other commercial and administrative entities located between them. This area later became
152-608: The Criminal District and Magistrates' Courts, was built on the grounds of the park. The North Canal Post Office was also built in the area, which was situated closer to the North Canal Road, while the Police Courts building was situated closer to the South Bridge Road. The first Straits Chinese Recreation Club clubhouse was built at the centre of the park, an octagonal pavilion designed by H.D. Richards,
171-721: The Downtown Core. Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post , formerly the North Canal Road Post Office , is a neighbourhood police post on North Canal Road serving the Kreta Ayer Precinct in Chinatown, Singapore . The North Canal Road Post Office was opened in 1908. It was built in the standard post office design used by the British Colonial Administration. It features
190-551: The Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post in the late 1980s. From September 2000, it also serves as a registration centre for anyone who wishes to give speeches or set up events at the Speakers' Corner. In 2005, the Hong Lim Park Open Stage was refurbished to incorporate a modern-looking pure Teflon tentage that preserved the historical stage layout of the 1950s. Hong Lim Park was selected by the government as
209-909: The Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Community Centre and the Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post . Downtown Core The Downtown Core is the historical and downtown centre of the city-state of Singapore and the main commercial area in Singapore excluding reclaimed lands with many integrated resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands , one of the most expensive buildings in the world, with a luxurious standalone casino at Bayfront Avenue. There are many skyscrapers in Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar and Marina Bay CBD with
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#1732801694293228-543: The banks of the Singapore River to set up a free port in Southeast Asia . As the old harbour grew along the mouth of the river bank, the city naturally expanded around it, creating what is now the Central Area. The name "Downtown Core" remains relatively unheard of and the term Central Business District ( CBD ) is commonly used in conversation instead. However, the area known as the CBD actually comprises
247-629: The financial Heart of Singapore, the Downtown Core houses the headquarters and offices of numerous corporations, as well as the Singapore Exchange . The area is also home to many governmental institutions, notably the seat of Parliament and the Supreme Court of Singapore . Singapore's modern history began in this area, when Stamford Raffles and representatives of the British East India Company landed along
266-495: The following day to make way for new developments. Hong Lim Green was refurbished by the City Council of Singapore with new grass turf, a sand filled children's playground, a fountain, park facilities, and an open-air theatre was built at a cost of S$ 173,000, it was renamed to Hong Lim Park and officially reopened by S. Rajaratnam on 23 April 1960. On the following day, the Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Community Centre, which
285-522: The two temporary courthouses, which had remained at the park for 90 years and 24 years respectively, was demolished soon after the Subordinate Courts was opened for operation on 15 September 1975, the site of the former police courts building is currently an empty field with a toilet facility to cater as part of the event venue. The park's playground had since been removed. The former North Canal Post Office had been renovated and converted into
304-404: The venue for Speakers' Corner on 1 September 2000. Since then, it is the currently the only venue in Singapore where one can legally stage public protests. The park was bounded by North Canal Road, South Bridge Road, Upper Pickering Street and New Bridge Road. Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Community Centre and the Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post lie adjacent to the park. Adjacent to the park are
323-407: Was behind the open-air theatre, was officially opened by Dr Goh Keng Swee . The storytelling tradition was once again resumed in another medium as Chinese operas were performed at the open-air theatre from the 1960s to 1970s. The park had also become an attractive location for cultural shows, outdoor movie screenings and election rallies once again. The Criminal District and Magistrates' Courts and
342-462: Was officially opened to members by Chinese consul Tso Ping Lung on 2 July 1887. In 1914, the original clubhouse was demolished for the construction of a new pavilion, which had improved lighting and facilities and had its entrance facing New Bridge Road. Hong Lim Green would start its first storytelling tradition during the Japanese occupation of Singapore in the 1940s. After the war, it was used as
361-446: Was one of the earliest public parks in Singapore, it was named after the first Superintendent of Police Thomas Dunman who retired in 1871. In 1876, it was renamed as Hong Lim Green in honour of Cheang Hong Lim ( Chinese : 章芳林 ; pinyin : Zhāng Fāng Lín ), a wealthy Chinese Hokkien businessman and philanthropist who bought and donated the land to the government. In 1885, a Mansard roofed Police Courts building known as
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