Punggol

Punggol
Planning Area and HDB Town
Other transcription(s)
• Chinese	榜鹅
• Pinyin	Bǎng'é
• Hokkien	Pn̂g-gô
• Malay	Punggol
• Jawi	ڤوڠڬول
• Tamil	பொங்கோல்
From top left to right: Panoramic view of Greendale Secondary School, Flats in Edgedale Plains, Flats in Punggol Cove, Punggol Town Centre, Watertown, Punggol Plaza, Punggol Waterway Park
Punggol Location of Punggol within Singapore
Coordinates: 1°23′53.8″N 103°54′32.3″E
Country	Singapore
Region	North-East Region
CDC	North East CDC
Town council	Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council
Constituency	Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
Government
• Mayor	North East CDC Desmond Choo
• Members of Parliament	Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Janil Puthucheary Ng Chee Meng Sun Xueling
Area
• Total	9.57 km2 (3.69 sq mi)
• Residential	3.74 km2 (1.44 sq mi)
Population  (2017)
• Total	146,640
• Density	15,000/km2 (40,000/sq mi)
Demonyms	Official Punggol resident Colloquial Punggoler Punggolian Punggolite
Postal district	19
Dwelling units	43,385
Projected ultimate	96,000

Punggol (Chinese: 榜鹅, Template:Lang-ta), alternatively spelled as Ponggol, is a planning area and new town situated on the Tanjong Punggol peninsula in the North-East Region of Singapore. The town directly borders Sengkang to the south and shares riverine boundaries with the planning area of Seletar to the west and Pasir Ris to the east. Bounding the town to the north and north-east is the Straits of Johor, with Coney Island included as a part of the Punggol planning area.

Under the Punggol 21 initiative, plans to turn the area into a new residential town were announced in 1996 and development of the town started in 1998. Due to the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the financial troubles within the construction industry in 2003, the plan did not fully materialise. In 2007, a new initiative, the Punggol 21-plus plan, was introduced to redevelop the area into a waterfront town. Punggol is divided into 7 subzones, namely, Matilda District, Waterway West District, Northshore District, Punggol Point District, Canal District, Waterway East District and Crescent District

Etymology

Punggol Point or Tanjong Punggol appears as Tanjong Rangon on Franklin and Jackson's 1828 map of Singapore. Punggol, also spelled Ponggol, means "hurling sticks at the branches of fruit trees to bring them down to the ground" in Malay. It could also refer to a place where fruits and forest produce are offered wholesale and carried away. These possible names indicate that Punggol was a fruit growing district. The place is said to take its name from the river Sungei Ponggol.

Ponggol also means "a stump of a tree", especially "a high stump". There are suggestions that the word is Tamil (Pongal, "the feast of the boiling rice", is celebrated when the sun enters the sign of Capricorn). However, the word Ponggol or Punggol is definitely Malay.

History

Early history

The Punggol West LRT is located in relatively undeveloped surroundings in 2006. As of 2015, one can no longer view the LRT Station directly from this point of view. The plain area with Matilda House shown here, has been developed into new HDB flats and condominiums.

Located in the vicinity of the Punggol Jetty, Punggol was believed to have existed 200 years ago before Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore. The Punggol area used to be a well-established rural district dotted with farmhouses and farm structures, which were serviced by roads and dirt tracks. It was one of the oldest settlements in Singapore. The original settlers were predominantly Malays. The early Chinese immigrants, who settled in Punggol from the mid 19th century onwards, were engaged in plantation work, mainly rubber. As the population of the Chinese increased, many Chinese villagers were then engaged in poultry, pig or fish farming, as well as farm produce. The last pig farm closed down in 1990. Hydroponic non-pollutive vegetable farms and orchid farms used to flourish along the Cheng Lim Farmways and Buangkok Farmways, along with old kampongs and low-rise residential areas. Most of these farms have given way to the high-rise HDB flats of Sengkang New Town and Punggol New Town.

Historically, Punggol was populated mostly by Teochews and Catholics. However, the original settlers were predominantly Malays. The end of Upper Serangoon Road is known to Teochews as kangkar or "river bank" or "river mouth". Ferries were used on the Serangoon River as transport. An old market was also located here. The Catholic missionaries arrived here 140 years ago and set up churches and schools. A Malay kampong, which has since been cleared, could also be found at Tanjong Punggol. At the end of Punggol Port Road, Indonesian and Malaysian fishermen auctioned their catch at the wholesale fish market.

World War II

During the Second World War in 1942, about 400 Chinese civilians were massacred by the Japanese military forces at Punggol Point, the northern tip of the area, in what was to be known as the Punggol Beach Massacre as part of the Sook Ching massacre during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. Today, that location has been marked as a national heritage site, and a war memorial now exists at the area.

Post-war Punggol

In the 1960s, basic amenities like piped water, electricity, paved roads, and drainage systems were introduced through government and self-help programmes. It was also at this time that television became popular and antennas could be seen installed on many kampong rooftops.

Punggol was also known for its sumptuous seafood and boatels that provided services like docking and renting of boats for boating, water skiing and skindiving lessons. These seafood restaurants and boatels have since been relocated in the mid-1990s to facilitate land reclamation works. Poultry and pig farms were also gradually phased out when redevelopment commenced in the 1970s. The last pig farm closed down in 1990. Land vacated by resettled farmers were then tendered out on short term leases for non-pollutive agricultural activities, which included hydroponic non-pollutive vegetable and orchid farms that used to flourish along the Cheng Lim Farmways and Buangkok Farmways. These farms existed along with old kampongs and low-rise residential areas. Most of these farms have given way to the high-rise HDB flats of Sengkang New Town and Punggol New Town.

Today

Punggol 21

Punggol in 2002, with the first phase of the Punggol 21 plan completed

In his National Day Rally speech on 18 August 1996, then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced the Singapore Government's plan to develop Punggol, known as "Punggol 21". Punggol 21 was a new model for housing Punggol, which would feature a new concept in housing as a model for new towns in the 21st century. It would have a mix of private houses, executive condominiums, and high-grade HDB flats grouped into smaller, distinctly designed estates. Each estate would contain between 1,200 and 2,800 units, with a common neighbourhood green. Every housing unit would be located within 300 metres of the nearest LRT station. Schools, libraries, and community clubs would be clustered for convenience, and there would be three commercial centres, including shopping centres.

A few months after the speech, Punggol 21, which was part of Cheng San Group Representation Constituency then, became an election carrot for the People's Action Party (PAP) to beat a Workers' Party team led by J.B. Jeyaretnam and Tang Liang Hong. At the general election in 1997, the five-man PAP team managed to retain Cheng San GRC with 54.8% of the valid votes.

However, Punggol 21 did not materialise fully as Singapore's economy was affected by the Asian economic crisis in 1997. Although construction began the next year, it was stopped when demand for new flats fell sharply. Plans were again delayed when the construction industry in Singapore experienced financial troubles in 2003. As a result, only some 16,000 flats, out of the 80,000 planned units, have been built as at 2007. There was only one shopping mall in the estate, Punggol Plaza, and there were no recreational facilities like cinemas or swimming pools. As of January 2016, a second shopping mall in the estate, Waterway Point, has opened, and recreational facilities have since been planned within the estate.

Punggol 21-plus

The Punggol Discovery Cube is a visitor's centre for residents and visitors to learn about Punggol's history.

In his National Day Rally speech on 19 August 2007, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong offered a new vision for Punggol New Town, and introduced the "Punggol 21-plus" plan to re-vitalise the town.

Under the new plan, Sungei Punggol and Sungei Serangoon, which flank the town, will be dammed up to create a freshwater lake and serve as a reservoir. A 4.2-kilometre long, 20-30-metre wide man-made waterway will run through the estate, linking both rivers. Work on it will start in 2009, and had been completed on 26 October 2011. When built, there will be recreational facilities like water sports for kayaking and canoeing, gardens and parks with jogging and cycling tracks, rooftop gardens, eateries for al fresco dining and a floating island.

The "Punggol 21-plus" project involves 18,000 new HDB and private flats, and about 3,000 new flats will be built in Punggol New Town every year. Punggol New Town is projected to have 96,000 units when fully developed in the long term. Waterfront housing will have stepped courtyards. There will be a promenade on the northern sea front, stretching about 8.7 km. An integrated waterfront commercial and residential development has also been planned at the town centre, which will be built on both banks of the waterway. The site for this project was put up for sale and named Waterway Point with condominium – Watertown. There will also be other facilities within the town centre, which includes a community club, regional library and hawker centre in the future.

Punggol Central will be converted into a tree-lined boulevard with landscaping. Coney Island, on the other hand, was opened to the public in 2015.

Subzones

Subzone	Population	Population density (/km²)	Area (km²)
Coney Island	0	0	1.33
Matilda	42,490	29,895	1.42
Northshore	290	203	1.43
Punggol Canal	0	0	1.11
Punggol Field	48,440	35,132	1.38
Punggol Town Centre	14,560	14,560	1.23
Waterway East	40,860	28,059	1.46
Total	146,640	15,695	9.34

Public housing blocks

Oceanus at Edgefield Plains

• Punggol Field (榜鹅域):
  • Blocks 101-119
  • Punggol Edge (榜鹅边缘) - Blocks 120,120A&B, 121,121A&B, 122,122A-C
  • Blocks 126-138
  • Blocks 162-166B
  • The Sundial (日晷) - Blocks 167,167A-D, 168A&B, 169D, 170D
  • The Nautilus (鹦鹉螺) - Blocks 168C&D, 169,169A-C, 170A-C
  • Blocks 171-193
  • The Periwinkle (长春花) - Blocks 194, 195,195A-E
  • Blocks 201-206B
  • Punggol Sails (榜鹅驶) - Blocks 207,207A-207D, 208,208A-C
  • Punggol Crest (榜鹅冠) - Blocks 209,209A-C, 210,210A-C
  • Punggol Ripples (榜鹅皱) - Blocks 211,211A-D
  • Punggol Wave (榜鹅浪) - Blocks 212,212A&B, 213,213A-C

• Matilda District
  • Matilda Portico (马蒂尔达门廊) - Blocks 217,217A-D, 218, 219
  • Matilda Edge (马蒂尔达边缘) - Blocks 220,220A-C, 221,221A&B, 222,222A, 223,223A, 224,224A-C
  • The Verandah @ Matilda (马蒂尔达阳台) - Blocks 226,226A-D, 227A&B
  • Matilda Sundeck (马蒂尔达日光甲板) - Blocks 228,228A&B, 229A&B (U/C)
  • Matilda Court (马蒂尔达阁) - Blocks 231,231A&B, 232,232A-C, 233,233A-D, 234,234A&B
  • Punggol Opal (榜鹅乳) - Blocks 256,256A-D, 257
  • Punggol Topaz (榜鹅玺) - Blocks 258,258A-C, 259,259A-C, 260A-C, 261,261A-C

• Punggol Town Centre
  • Punggol Emerald (榜鹅翡翠) - Blocks 264,264A, 265,265A-D, 266,266A-D
  • Punggol Sapphire (榜鹅蓝宝石) - Blocks 267,267A-C, 268,268A-D, 269,269A-C, 270,270A-C
  • Punggol Residences (榜鹅住所) - Blocks 271,271A-D, 272,272A-D
  • Punggol Regalia (榜鹅粉墨) - Blocks 273,273A-D, 274,274A-D, 275
  • Punggol Arcadia (榜鹅阿卡迪亚) - Blocks 288,288A-D, 289,289A-C
  • Punggol Grove (榜鹅林) - Blocks 292-299
  • Coralinus - Blocks 301,301A-D, 302,302A-D, 303,303A-D
  • Treelodge @ Punggol (绿馨苑) - Blocks 305,305A-D, 306,306A-D

• Waterway West District
  • Waterway Terraces I (水路台1) - Blocks 308,308A-C, 309A&B
  • Waterway Terraces II (水路台2) - Blocks 310,310A-C, 311A&B
  • Punggol Parcvista (榜鹅展景) - Blocks 312,312A-C, 313,313A-C
  • Waterway Cascadia (水路卡斯卡迪亚) - Blocks 314,314A-C, 315,315A-C, 316,316A-D
  • Punggol Bayview (榜鹅湾景) - Blocks 321,321A, 322,322A-D, 323A-D, 324,324A, 325,325A&B (U/C)
  • Punggol Vue (榜鹅意见) - Blocks 326,326A-D, 327,327A-C

• Northshore District (U/C)
  • Northshore Edge (北岸边缘) - Blocks 401,401A&B, 402,402A&B (U/C)
  • Northshore Residences I (北岸住所1) - Blocks 405,405A&B, 406,406A-C,407A (U/C)
  • Northshore Residences II (北岸住所2) - Blocks 407B&C, 408,408A-C, 409,409A-D (U/C)
  • Northshore Trio (北岸三重奏) - Blocks 410,410A, 411,411A&B (U/C)
  • Waterfront I @ Northshore - Blocks 413,413A-C, 415,415A-D, 416, 417 (U/C)
  • Waterfront II @ Northshore - Blocks 418, 419,419A-D, 420,420A-D (U/C)
  • Northshore Straitsview (北岸海峡景) - Blocks 421,421A-C, 422,422A&B (U/C)
  • Northshore Cove (北岸拱) - Blocks 423A-C, 425,425A-C (U/C)

• Punggol Point District (U/P)

• Canal District (U/P)

• Waterway East District
  • Punggol Vista (榜鹅景) - Blocks 601,601A-D,602,602A-C
  • Punggol Lodge (榜鹅苑) - Blocks 603,603A-C,604,604A-C
  • Damai Grove (达迈林) - Blocks 612,612A-D,613,613A-D
  • Punggol Spring (榜鹅春季) - Blocks 614,614A-C,615A&B
  • Punggol Breeze (榜鹅劲) - Blocks 616,616A&B,617A-D,618A-D,619A-D
  • Punggol Spectra (榜鹅谱) - Blocks 621,621A&B,622,622A-D,623,623A-C,624,624A-C
  • Edgedale Green (埃奇德尔埔) - Blocks 632,632A-C,633,633A&B,635A-C,636A&B
  • The Meadows (草甸) - Blocks 637A-D,638A-C,639,640A&B,641,641A-C,642,642A-D
  • Eastdale (东山谷) - Blocks 643-652
  • Waterway Sunrise II (水路朝阳2) - Blocks 653,653A-D,654,654A-D (U/C)
  • Waterway Sunrise I (水路朝阳1) - Blocks 655,655A-C,656,656A-C,657,657A&B (U/C)
  • Waterway Sunray (水路蕾) - Blocks 658,658A-C,659,659A-D
  • Waterway Sundew (水路菜) - Blocks 660,660A,661,661A-C,662,662A-D
  • Waterway Sunbeam (水路阳光) - Blocks 663,663A-C,664A&B
  • Waterway Woodcress (水路木水芹) - Blocks 665,665A-C,666,666A&B,667,667A&B
  • Waterway Ridges (水路脊) - Blocks 668,668A&B,669,669A-C,670,670A-D
  • Waterway Banks (水路组) - Blocks 671,671A&B,672,672A-C,673,673A-D, 674
  • Waterway Brooks (水路容忍) - Blocks 675,676,676A-D,677,677A-D,678,678A-C,679,679A-D
  • Waterway View (水路景) - Blocks 682,682A-C,683,683A-C,684,684A-D

• Crescent District (U/P)

Amenities

Transportation

Punggol Interchange

Urban development into the area has been accelerated with the introduction of better transportational options. The Tampines Expressway (TPE) links Punggol New Town up with Singapore's expressway network. The Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway, which provides a direct route to the city area via TPE, was fully opened in September 2008. New roads were also built to ease traffic congestion on Punggol Road.

In terms of public transport, the opening of the North-East line on 20 June 2003, the Punggol LRT Line (East) on 29 January 2005, and the temporary Punggol Bus Interchange adjacent to the Punggol MRT station on 30 November 2003, The S$1.9-million temporary Punggol Bus Interchange, which took 10 months to construct, was opened on 30 November 2003 by Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Teo Chee Hean while the West Punggol LRT Line was opened, with the last 3 stations (Nibong, Sumang and Soo Teck) currently in operation, on 29 June 2014. As of April, Sam Kee has also opened up, allowing residents to go to the new Punggol SAFRA Club This is a large improvement over what was once only a single bus route, SBS Transit (now operated by Go-Ahead Singapore)'s Service 82, which used to serve the area along Punggol Road. In 2017, it was announced that an additional station on the North East line, Punggol Coast, would commence operations in 2023, serving commuters in Punggol North.

Commercial facilities

Punggol Plaza

Punggol Plaza

Main article: Punggol Plaza

Strategically located near Coral Edge LRT Station, Punggol Plaza is the first shopping mall in Punggol New Town. Opened in September 2004, it offers residents the convenience of fulfilling all their marketing needs at one place, with an NTUC FairPrice supermarket located on the third floor of the plaza and a food court operated by Koufu on the ground floor. Free shuttle services between Punggol Plaza and Sengkang New Town have been provided since September 2004.

Waterway Point

Waterway Point

Main article: Waterway Point

Located beside the Punggol Waterway and Punggol MRT/LRT Station, Waterway Point is the largest mall located in Punggol New Town. It is integrated with a town square and a visitors' centre which provides an avenue for residents and the public to learn more about the heritage of Punggol through exhibitions and civic and community events and also features the first underground and largest suburban cineplex in Singapore. The mall had a soft launch on 18 January 2016, and was officially opened on 19 April 2016.

Recreational facilities

Punggol Town Square, located in the town centre of Punggol

Punggol Waterway Park

Main article: Punggol Waterway Park

Punggol Waterway Park is a riverine park located along the Punggol Waterway. Opened in October 2011, the park is designed with four themes to cater to residents of all ages. It also provides residents opportunities for leisure activities such as jogging and cycling which can be carried out along the promenade at both sides of the waterway.

Safra Punggol Clubhouse

Located near Punggol Waterway Park beside Sam Kee LRT Station on the Punggol LRT West Loop, the Safra Punggol Clubhouse is a five-storey recreational facility. Announced to be built in June 2014, the clubhouse caters to mainly NS men and their families features an indoor water playground and a large eco-themed childcare centre. Completed in 2016, the clubhouse houses 10 F&B outlets such as themed restaurants, alfresco dining and quick-service outlets. Its other amenities includes a gym, bowling alley and a karaoke outlet.Punggol Safra was officially opened on 24 April 2016.

Religious institutions

Masjid Al Islah

Main article: Masjid Al Islah, Singapore

Masjid Al Islah is located within the densely populated Punggol New Town at 30 Punggol Field. The mosque serves the Muslim community in Punggol.

Church of the Transfiguration

The Church of the Transfiguration is the latest Catholic church to be built in Singapore and will serve an estimated 15,000 Catholics and is expected to be one of the largest parishes in Singapore.

Educational institutions

There are currently nine primary schools and three secondary schools in Punggol New Town.

Primary schools

• Edgefield Primary School (育德小学) originally opened in January 2001 but could not attract enough students to make even one class. It opened in January 2002.
• Greendale Primary School (绿苑小学), was one of the six new primary schools built in new housing estates and towns so as to cater to smaller class size.
• Mee Toh School (弥陀学校) moved from Race Course Road to Punggol New Town in January 2006.
• Horizon Primary School opened in 2012.
• Oasis Primary School opened in 2016 along with Punggol Cove and Waterway Primary Schools.
• Punggol Cove Primary School opened in 2016 along with Oasis and Waterway Primary Schools.
• Punggol Green Primary School opened in 2013 to serve the Punggol West community. It is located at 98 Punggol Walk, next to Punggol Sapphire and Punggol Ripples.
• Punggol View Primary School, opened in 2013, operates as a single-session school so as to commit more space and time for holistic education.
• Waterway Primary School opened in 2016 along with Oasis and Punggol Cove Primary Schools.

Secondary schools

• Greendale Secondary School opened in January 2006.
• Punggol Secondary School
• Edgefield Secondary School

Tertiary institutions

• Singapore Institute of Technology (under development). On 23 August 2015, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in his National Day Rally that SIT will have a new centralised campus in Punggol. The University will be integrated with a creative industry cluster to be built by JTC Corporation, and into Punggol Downtown and the Housing Board's upcoming Northshore district.

International schools

• Global Indian International School (under development)

References

Bibliography

• Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2003). Toponymics – A Study of Singapore Street Names. Singapore: Eastern Universities Press. ISBN 981-210-205-1.
• Tommy Koh, et al. (eds.) (2006). Singapore: The Encyclopedia. Singapore: Editions Didier Millet in association with the National Heritage Board. ISBN 981-4155-63-2. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
• "Transcript of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally English Speech on 19 August 2007 at NUS University Cultural Centre". Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. 19 August 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

External links

• Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council
• Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Town Portal
• Punggol History and Community updates
• Punggol News