HAVING read about the rezoning of Geylang ("Rezoning won't change character of Geylang area"; last Friday), I wonder if more could be done to preserve the uniqueness of the place.
I grew up in Geylang, in a part that is not Geylang Serai or the red light district.
Seldom is this area discussed even though it has a rich history. Back in the 1960s and 70s, this area - between Lorong 3 and Lorong 21 - was a hive of activity.
Walking along the five-foot way, one could find all kinds of shops, above which lived families; and in the back alleys, there were hawkers.
Besides the history, the buildings in the area will make you pause and look.
There is a beautifully decorated one in Lorong 19, the post-modern residential units in Lorong 17, and the smart greystone units that dot the area.
Then there is the Geylang English School, which reminds one of a Malay school of old.
Geylang will not be Geylang if its tree-lined, three-storey terraced houses disappear or are transformed.
Already, tall condominiums are invading the area, replacing the older buildings.
I hope the authorities will make a concerted effort to gazette and preserve more of this part of historical Geylang. After all, many of our pioneers laid down their roots in this area.
Lai Tuck Chong
I grew up in Geylang, in a part that is not Geylang Serai or the red light district.
Seldom is this area discussed even though it has a rich history. Back in the 1960s and 70s, this area - between Lorong 3 and Lorong 21 - was a hive of activity.
Walking along the five-foot way, one could find all kinds of shops, above which lived families; and in the back alleys, there were hawkers.
Besides the history, the buildings in the area will make you pause and look.
There is a beautifully decorated one in Lorong 19, the post-modern residential units in Lorong 17, and the smart greystone units that dot the area.
Then there is the Geylang English School, which reminds one of a Malay school of old.
Geylang will not be Geylang if its tree-lined, three-storey terraced houses disappear or are transformed.
Already, tall condominiums are invading the area, replacing the older buildings.
I hope the authorities will make a concerted effort to gazette and preserve more of this part of historical Geylang. After all, many of our pioneers laid down their roots in this area.
Lai Tuck Chong
