Ang Mo Kio Town “When I first moved into Ang Mo Kio, there were minimal facilities. There was no proper bus interchange and there were only a few bus services. There were no cinemas either. If you wanted to swim then, the nearest pool was at Farrer Park. The facilities came up over the years. Before AMK Hub was up, we used to go to Thomson Plaza and later Northpoint.” Mr Salleh bin Masjor, who has lived in Ang Mo Kio since 1979. RD A ENT BO M EVELOP D ND A ING ANG MO KIO TOWN S HOU The seventh housing town built by the Housing Aerial view of Ang Mo Kio in 1981, stretching and Development Board (HDB), Ang Mo Kio from Avenue 1 to its boundary at Yio Chu is one of the largest such towns in Singapore. Kang Road. When plans were first drawn up for Ang Mo Kio in 1971, it was for it to be developed as a relocation area for small-time motor-car repair workshops operating in town. By 1972, the plans had expanded to include residential and have five-room flats in slab block forms, where community facilities. By 1973, Ang Mo Kio was units are lined up, instead of point blocks, where slated to be a full-fledged housing town with six units are clustered. It was where HDB’s New self-sufficient neighbourhoods. Flat design was implemented, an improvement Described by HDB to be a new generation over previous designs. Corridors were wider town designed for gracious living, Ang Mo Kio and flats were also bigger by about 10% than was built when the neighbourhood model, first flats in other estates. In 1983, Ang Mo Kio New applied in Queenstown and Toa Payoh, had Town received the Outstanding Building Award been refined and improved. from the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) The town, bounded by Ang Mo Kio Avenue for its design. 1, Upper Thomson Road and Yio Chu Kang Road, was based on a gridiron pattern, where AMK HUB streets run at right angles to each other. Signa- 701B ANG MO KIO AVENUE 8 ture landmarks and land use were planned at The first major suburban shopping mall in Ang the town’s fringe and key entrances, such as a Mo Kio, the opening of AMK Hub in 2007 was mosque along Avenue 6 and a clover-shaped met with great enthusiasm by many residents. block at Avenue 1. This allows for better naviga- The upmarket shops and cinemas housed in tion while creating a visual identity. Two town the mall revived the local shopping experience, parks, developed on hillocks, separate the which had grown increasingly quiet before the neighbourhoods, creating a sense of space mall’s opening. Built as part of the efforts to and providing relief in an urban landscape. The rejuvenate the housing town, AMK Hub is also layout of facilities in each neighbourhood was integrated with the bus interchange and Ang planned to ensure that they were within com- Mo Kio MRT station. It is currently owned by fortable walking distance. the Singapore Labour Foundation, National Ang Mo Kio also lays claim to several “firsts” Trades Union Congress Income Insurance Co- in design. It was the first HDB town to be de- operative and National Trades Union Congress signed in metric dimensions and the first to Fair Price Co-operative. Ang Mo Kio Town Centre ANG MO KIO AVENUE 6 The heart of the town, Ang Mo Kio Town Centre is one of the largest town centres in Singapore. It is built in an elongated valley, flanked on the east and west by two hillocks. Development of the town centre began in 1976 after a 36-hectare site was cleared. Ang Mo Kio’s key entertainment, commercial and community facilities are located here. Many RD A residents have fond memories of shopping ENT BO at the former Oriental Emporium, which was M EVELOP D popular for imported goods from China, and ND A ING dining at the former Oriental restaurant on spe- S cial occasions such as weddings and birthday celebrations during the 1980s. Residents living SOURCE: HOU in Yishun and Sembawang then would flock Ang Mo Kio Town Centre, 1980. here to shop as there were no major shopping facilities in their neighbourhoods then. In the town centre, there used to be a foun- tain with a circular pool with coloured lights at night. Three cinemas, opened in the late 1970s and early 1980s, served the town at first “We were very familiar with Oriental and – Broadway, Ang Mo Kio Cinema and Jubilee. the restaurant upstairs. It was a place where Besides being popular recreational and enter- people held their wedding dinners and tainment grounds, the theatres also doubled up as places where events such as graduation cer- birthday celebrations. When the festive season emonies for kindergarten children were held. drew near, we would buy new clothes and To remain relevant and fresh, the town cen- festive goods at the town centre. I would also tre was constantly rejuvenated. The former catch movies at Jubilee and Broadway now cinemas were later transformed into shopping and then. AMK Hub is a really convenient complexes and upgrading works were carried place! Our church, the markets, shopping out regularly. Today, the town centre continues to bustle with activity as the main commercial centres and transport facilities are all and community hub of Ang Mo Kio. nearby. With Ang Mo Kio Hub now, I don’t even need to go to the town as much as I used to.” Albuquerque Karen Anne, who grew up in Ang Mo Kio after moving here in 1978. Did You Know? During the 1980s, Block 710, in the town centre, was a “VIP” block where foreign dignitaries were brought to for a visit to Singapore’s model housing estate, Ang Mo Kio. In 1989, Queen Elizabeth II, on her second visit to Singapore, visited Ang Mo Kio and admired a panoramic view of the town from this block as well. Ang Mo Kio Town Centre BAN CHUAN KWAY CHUP HWA AIK GENERAL STORE Like many town centres in mature estates, Ang Mo Kio Town Centre also (BLOCK 724, #01-19) (BLOCK 711, #01-3501G) has interesting stories to tell through the long-time businesses that have Mdm Hao Hong Sheng , the first stall owner Looking for kitchen and household equipment, survived the maturing of Ang Mo Kio. Here are just a few to kick-start in Block 724 market, began her business here implements and accessories? Hwa Aik General your exploration! selling rice porridge. She switched to selling Store probably has whatever it is that you are kway chup after a friend of hers taught her how looking for, be it open forged cleavers, crockery to prepare the dish, which consists of various or industrial quality steel ware. Another inter- M S COLOR SERVICE pig organs and braised items. The trickiest part, esting feature of the shop is its structure. When (BLOCK 711, #01-3501C) according to her, was cleansing and preparing Mdm Toh Kim Hui, affectionately referred to as For over 30 years, M S Color Service has been the offal to rid of its taste. Kway chup is also an Auntie Kim by locals, bought the unit in 1980, catering to the evolving photography needs of illustration of the thrifty values of Chinese mi- it was nothing more than a pergola-kiosk. She residents. The first business run by the owner, grants, many of whom were formerly peasants, took on the challenge of converting the open a photography enthusiast himself, was a studio for whom life was harsh and resources were space into functional shop space, and went on called Meilim Studios. Photography as a hobby usually fully utilised. Every part of a slaughtered to run the “to-go-to” shop for kitchenware in and service was uncommon then, and the shop animal was put to use, as seen in this dish. Ang Mo Kio. provided a vital service by taking passport pho- tos and studio shots. Later, demand for film YUNOS N FAMILY ELSIE DEPARTMENT STORE processing and printing services grew and the (BLOCK 724, #01-01) (BLOCK 709, #01-2607) shop became a film processing hub. Today, the (Below): Ban Chuan Kway Chap , Yunos N When in Ang Mo Kio Town Centre, order a Named after its owner, Elsie Lim, this store shop has again reinvented itself to meet chang- Family, Tua Pek Kong Shrine plate of mee rebus tarik or mee soto dino. Yunos has been around since 1980. Armed with a ing needs by offering digital cameras and acces- N Family has been serving up innovative halal passion and talent for design and sewing, El- sories at competitive prices. food at this market for the last 30 years. Here, sie started the store with dreams of designing traditional food served with a twist keeps cus- boutique clothes for working professionals. CENTRE SATAY BEE HOON tomers coming back. A plate of mee rebus tarik However, customers were more interested (BLOCK 724, #01-12) will get you noodles piled with satay (barbe- in replicas of existing conservative designs, When residents in Ang Mo Kio have a craving qued meat) and topped with gravy which is and Elsie decided to convert half of her store for satay bee hoon, this is the first stall most head a mix of traditional mee rebus gravy and satay into a craft retail outlet. She began giving to. A fusion dish of Chinese and Malay cuisines, peanut sauce. As for Tarik or pull, all you have craft lessons and introduced trends, such satay bee hoon combines rice vermicelli with sa- to do is to mix the stuff.