"Heritage bridges" to showcase Singapore's rich cultural history
Two overhead bridges in Singapore have been spruced up and decorated with photographs and information, so that people who use the bridges can know more about the historical significance of the area they are in.
The National Heritage Board (NHB) has installed galleries on the history of the Kampong Glam and Balestier precincts. This community outreach programme is driven by the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall and the Malay Heritage Centre.
Alvin Tan, who is the Director of NHB's Heritage Institutions, said: "Each heritage bridge features historical landmarks, as well as interesting information about the communities, the trades, the activities that were historically unique to each of the areas where the bridges are now located."
Mr Tan said the bridges were also chosen for their accessibility and high traffic flow.
The heritage bridge galleries were launched on Tuesday at two locations, one along a bridge connecting Nicoll Highway and Suntec City, and another connecting Thomson Medical Centre to Balestier Hill Shopping Centre.
The galleries will be available for the next three months.
Member for Parliament for Jalan Besar GRC Ms Denise Phua, said displaying Singapore's history on public spaces was an innovative way to connect Singaporeans to their roots.
Ms Phua, who was guest-of-honour at the launch, said: "We tend to take for granted our rich cultural heritage, our racial harmony, our ethnic make-up and our religious harmony in Singapore. And I think it's very important that we know that we are a product of our history as well. The part of history that's valuable, that's rich, that makes part of what Singapore is. We need to remember that and keep it in posterity."
That was what four young Singaporeans discovered in their research for the heritage bridge project. Ivan Yeo and three other Secondary Two students from Hwa Chong Institution trawled through archives and interviewed shopkeepers and residents in the Balestier area.
Ivan said: "I learnt about the social history of Balestier, and I also learnt that Singapore has a rich history. So we as teenagers should and can do our part to document this history so that our future generations can learn more about Singapore's history."
-News courtesy of Channel Newsasia-
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