Jurong East- A neighbourhood within the town of Jurong, which houses the 2nd largest resident population in Singapore. It has had a long history- developed as an industrial town in the early 1960s, it played a key role in Singapore's early industrialisation efforts. Since then, it has grown into a bustling and vibrant heartland, stripping away old stereotypes of 'low class' or 'industrialized' associated with the Jurong name.
Under the HDB's Remaking our Heartland plans, the government has come up with an ambitious $1 billion project to rejuvenate the Jurong Lake District. The 'Jurong Gateway' , which includes Jurong East Central, is set to be the largest commercial hub outside of the city centre. Plans include the newly completed JCUBE mall that adds to a projected 250,000sqm of retail, F&B and entertainment , an integrated healthcare hub, 500,000 sqm of office space, 3,000 hotel rooms and 1,000 more homes.
Should you visit Jurong East Central, which I define as the area between Jurong East MRT and Jurong Town Hall Road, you will be greeted with a lively and busy atmosphere. There are 4 major areas there: the MRT with the bus interchange, the Jurong East Town Centre, the newly opened JCube mall, and the Jurong Regional library. At the Jurong East Town Centre, which has been largely unchanged since the starts of the 2000s, there is an abundance of neighbourhood shops, tuition centres, hawker centres, push-cart stalls, supermarkets, banks- a very good place in terms of catering for the needs of the resident population. The Jurong Regional Library, reopened in 2004 to become the largest public library in Singapore, is a favourite for residents living in the west. The MRT and Bus interchange makes Jurong East Central very accessible from people all over the island. Foreigners and Singaporeans, of all ages and races walk in the same streets. In terms of being a common space, I feel that Jurong East Town Centre is an exemplary example- children and parents meet in front of tuition centres, the elderly sit in kopitiams drinking coffee, there are long queues for 4D and Toto, and people of all backgrounds buy groceries in Fairprice. The identity of Jurong and sense of community is strong.
Beside the Jurong East Town Centre, separated by a narrow walkway, stands the newly opened JCube. Formerly known as the Jurong Entertainment Centre, it was torn down in 2010 to make way for the the JCube, which is twice as big. It is now home to Singapore's first Olympic-sized ice skating rink, and the first IMAX theatre in the suburbs. The JCube is one of the first few of the government's Jurong Gateway plans to be completed- marketed as 'the new chic mall' and with its distinct cubic shape, it certainly stands out in the area and draws many people to the Jurong East area.
With plans for development in motion, there is no denying that Jurong East Central has changed drastically from what it had been a few years ago- but for the good or better? Interviews on the street indicate that most people feel that the development has been positive- residents in the area feel that the place is now more convenient, with more shopping and entertainment choices. Some feel that the development of Jurong East is in fact long overdue- this sentiment is repeated on many online forums, where Singaporeans compare the disparity in development between the East and the West (e.g. The East has Tampines One, Tampines Mall, Century Square, Whitesands etc, all situated beside MRT, while the West has very limited choices, with only Jurong Point and IMM beside MRTs before the building of JCube). This divide is further accentuated by the history of the 2 areas: the East has long been established as a middle-class to higher-class living area, while the West, initially established as an industrial estate, housed more working-class families in the past. By planning such development and making Jurong a more desirable area to stay, the government is doing a good job of improving and diversifying the residential profile of the west.
However, according to the people interviewed, it has gotten 'noisy' and 'crowded', with lack of parking now a prevalent problem. Many feel that the JCube is too small and cramped, and - 'just another generic mall'. Non-residents interviewed indicated that they would not be coming back specially for this mall, for there are others in Singapore far more impressive. One resident who had lived in the area for 9 years remarked that JCube was uninteresting, mainstream and made Jurong East feel unfamiliar, compared to the 'cosy' feeling she had felt here in the past. Furthermore, I noticed that there was a considerably higher proportion of youths in JCube, with a higher proportion of the elderly in Jurong Town Centre. One 85 year old lady commented that such new developments were 'for the young', and that she felt much more comfortable in her old haunts.
Has the government's plans actually made Jurong East Central too crowded, cramped, and threatening to erase the identity of Jurong East as an old-style, residential area? Should such rapid development continue, will old common spaces be lost? Although the JCube is a potentially good common space as well, it is not patronised by all age groups and is often too crowded for relaxed interaction.
As Minister Mah Bow Tan said, there is a need to "achieve a sustainable balance between supporting economic needs and improving the living environment for our people". The development of Jurong East so far has definitely been positive- It has brought employment, leisure facilities and everyday needs to the doorstep of residents, cutting down on commuting time and striking a better balance between work and play. Increase of traffic and crowding of the area is perhaps inevitable and something that residents will eventually get used to. The government has done a commendable job in improving the image of Jurong, from a low end residential area, to a self-sufficient area with full set-up that will provide all the needs for its residents. It is fast forming an identity of a vibrant, convenient and a unique destination for all Singaporeans.
Yes, the new is necessary, but too much of the old should not be sacrificed in the process. At the present, it is a good combination- the Jurong East Town Centre has a homely, old-style Singaporean feel and is a vital common space for residents to interact, while the more modern JCube beside it has brought new life by attracting many visitors and bringing more leisure facilities to the residents. In order to maintain this balance of the old and the new and to ensure that the precious sense of commonality is not lost, I would suggest for the Jurong East Town Centre to be modified minimally- no replacing of current shops with pedestrian malls as was suggested in the 'Redeveloping our homeland' plans, no demolishing as what had happened with Jurong Entertainment Centre. Jurong Town Centre should be made a 'protected space'.
In the midst of developing Jurong East into a big commercial hub, the government should also keep in mind that Jurong East IS a residential area, with many residents living there decades and many emotional attachments to the old. With the additional 1,000 more homes to be added to the area, there is bound to be an influx of new residents, whether Singaporean or immigrants. In order to increase the sense of commonality and identity associated with Jurong East, integration should be encouraged between new and old residents, perhaps by holding more community events. Also, future plans should be introduced and endorsed by the residents before implementation- this would give residents a greater sense of involvement in the development of their home. All these changes would definitely surmount to some problems, for example overcrowding, hence the residents' feedback should be collated and taken into consideration. During my survey of the area, I found out that most residents of the area were aware of the government's plan to develop Jurong East into a new commercial hub- but most were clueless on what exactly it entailed and how it was going to affect them.
Jurong East has come a long way from what it had been in the past, and i can safely say that it is not the low class, industrialized place it is often stereotyped to be. Development and change is necessary, but in the midst of all these it is important to preserve our culture and common spaces. A balance must be struck between these two.
What will Jurong East become?
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