Queenstown Information

1. Former QT Driving Centre:

This is Singapore’s 2nd Driving Test Centre. Build at a cost of $285,000, the Driving Test Centre was officially opened on 23 Feburary 1969 by then Minister For Communications, Yong Nyuk Lin. This driving centre had 14 testers to conduct a daily average of 150 tests on driving proficiency and another 150 on the Highway Code. In 1995, the Queenstown Driving Test Centre ceased operations and it’s premises were taken over by Queenstown Neighborhood Police Centre in 1997. In 2005, the Police centre relocated to a brand new $30.6 million complex at Queensway.

1. Former Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market

The Former Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market is the only remaining market in Singapore that is designed by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT). The market was officially opened on 23 October 1960 to ‘keep the housing estate free of road side hawkers’. There are many distinct features of the Wet Market. For instance, it’s dome-shaped façade earns the site a reputation as ‘The Coffin Market’, for it’s striking resemblance to a traditional Chinese Coffin. Residents have also commented of a ‘live’ poultry slaughtering at the market. The wet market closed in 2005 where hawkers were relocated to other wet markets within the area. As a Queenstown icon, the Commonwealth Avenue Wet Market was gazette for conservation in 2013.

1. Queenstown Public Library

The Queenstown library is Singapore’s first branch library. Built at a cost of $595,000, the library was officially opened on 30 April 1970 to ‘provide access to books which most people could not afford to buy’ and offset a severe shortage in van drivers that provided mobile library services. The library was large enough to accommodate 280 visitors and 200,000 volumes of print materials. Some population series among them are the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. There were 13 public schools along Margaret Drive. Thus, the Public Library provided a sanctuary with students. The library had undergone major renovations in 2003 to provide more user-friendly features. It is still currently in operations and was gazette for conservation in 2013.

1. Former Queenstown Polyclinic

The former Queenstown Polyclinic was Singapore’s first polyclinic. Built at a cost of $400,000, the polyclinic was officially opened on 13 January 1963 to provide Queenstown residents with access to subsidized healthcare. The outpatient polyclinic combined with a maternity and child health centre provided midwifery and immunization services. Residents have recalled that the fee for consulting a doctor was $2.50 a visit and 50 cents more for every item of medicine prescribed. Immunization, which was free, was a popular service at the polyclinic. In December 2007, the polyclinic shifted to a new location in Stirling Road. It’s previous compound was converted into a dormitory.

1. Former Venus & Golden City Theatres

The Former Venus & Golden City Theatres were Queenstown’s first two cinemas. The former Venus Theatre was officially opened on 29 September 1965 and it could accommodate around 1,200 cinema goes. Wheares, the former Golden City Theatre opened a month later in November 1965. Both cinemas screened popular Cantonese, Teochew and Hokkien films. However, in the 1980s were facing profit losses in the face of competition from videotapes and color television. Golden city’s monthly net collections after entertainment tax had dwindled from $70,000 in 1979 to just $20,000 in 1984. Hence, Golden City ceased operations in August 1984 while Venus shut down a month later. Both cinemas were converted into churches into 1984.

1. 1st HDB blocks & HDB Terraces

Blocks 45,48 and 49 Stirling Road are the first public housing blocks constructed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). These blocks contained 331 one-room, two-room and three-room rental apartments with shopping provision on the ground floor. The three 7-storey blocks were launched under HDB’s First Five Year Programme, where The Board aims to embark on an ae’s mbitious plan to build 58,842 units in 5 years. This was to eliminate overcrowding and squatters wile providing low cost public housing. Visitors may spot cost efficient features such as the installation of cheaper, but slower lifts which stopped on every fourth floor to compensate for the slow speed and the positioning of refuse chutes at both ends of the residential blocks instead of having them built in for every apartment. Today, the seven storey blocks are home to rental residents.

1. Queenstown Sports Complex 

The Queenstown Stadium is Singapore’s first neighborhood sport’s complex, which was officially opened on 15 August 1970. It was served to provide more recreational facilities for Queenstown residents, with an elevated galley that has a sitting capacity of 3,000 spectators. Moreover, it was a premier location for national day parades and regional sporting competitions in the 1970s and 1980s. The stadium played hosts to the Singapore Armed Forces’ first color parade where 3000 soldiers took part in a 10-kilometer route march from Jalan Besar to Queenstown Sports Complex. The 1975 and 1983 National Day Parades were also held there to allow more Singaporeans to participate in the festive occasions. Today, the stadium is still in operations.

1. Mujahidin Mosque 

Mujahidin Mosque is Singapore’s first mosque designed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). The mosque was officially opened on 9 October 1977 to house a growing number of devotees and provide adequate facilities to conduct religious classes and workshops. The HDB faced difficulties while building the mosque. According to Islamic Principles, prayer halls must face Mecca. Since the building was located at the corner of Stirling Road, it was structurally challenging to align the mosque to Mecca and adjoin roads concurrently. Eventually, they found a clever solution by housing a rectangular prayer hall within a circular building. The Mosque was the result of 11 years of hard wo itsrk in planning and fundraising by the Muslim community in Queenstown who collaborated with Maijils Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) and HDB. Today, the Mujahidin Mosque is still serving it’s religious purpose.