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Haig Road

History
Haig Road was named after Douglas 1st Earl Bemersyde who won the war of attrition for the British and worked to better the lives of wounded and retired servicemen. Haig Road and Still Road once straddled the Confederate Estate, owned by Chew Joo Chiat. The road was thus part of a large coconut plantation, for which the estate was known. Haig Road was also part of Kampong Amber until the 1950s. At about that time, the Eurasian community came to be located along this road and Haig Road soon became kampong serani or "Eurasian village". Kampong Serani consisted of little wooden terrace houses set in three rows, making up three sides of a rectangle. The fourth side consisted of a mansion where the owner of the kampong lived which was segregated from the rest of the kampong. Kampong Serani soon became a landmark to taxi drivers and trishaw riders. The Serani residents shared a tight communal bond strengthened by their activities, and Kampong Serani remains a much remembered community amongst Singaporeans who lived in that area in the 1950s. With the development of flats, residents moved out of the kampong gradually. Whitewashed government quarters, a defining feature of Haig Road, exudes charm till today. During the Japanese occupation, the government offices were used as a social site by the soldiers. The road continues as Amber Road after its junction with East Coast Road.

Description
From a sleepy seaside suburb, the area developed into a traditional low-rise residential place. The landscape of the area changed dramatically after reclamation works. Land reclamation gave the much needed space for a public park i.e., the East Coast Park, a man made lagoon and a small jetty. Better lifestyle in the area prompted a demand for better living quarters, and condominiums and luxury chalets soon cropped up round the area. With its proximity to Geylang and Tanjong Katong, Haig Road became a property hotbed in the early 2000. A defining feature of Haig Road is the Geylang Serai Bazaar that stretches from Haig Road to Kampung Ubi Community Centre. During the Hari Raya festival season, some 300 stalls selling clothes, shoes and food light up the bazaar, creating a festive buzz. The Katong Shopping Centre, popular with the Malays, is located at the junction of East Coast Road and Haig Road. Other buildings found along this road are the Lion City Hotel, Tanjong Katong Secondary School, Fowlie Primary School and the Geylang Serai Community Club. The premises of Tanjong Katong Secondary School was formerly occupied by Dunman High School. As with its neighbour Katong and Geylang, Haig Road has many popular eating places.



Author
Naidu Ratnala Thulaja



References 
Braga-Blake, Myrna, & Ebert-Oehlers, A. (Eds.). (1992). Singapore Eurasians: Memories and hopes (pp. 62-65). Singapore: Times Editions.
(Call no.: SING 305.80405957 SIN)

Dunlop, P. K. G. (2000). Street names of Singapore (p. 98). Singapore: Who's Who Publications.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 DUN)

Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1996). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (p. 291). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 EDW)

Kong, L., & Chang, T. C. (2001). Joo Chiat: A living legacy (pp. 39, 43, 49, 63). Singapore: Archipelago Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 KON)

Savage, V. R., & Yeoh, B. S. A. (2003). Toponymics: A study of Singapore street names. Singapore: Eastern Universities Press.
(Call no.: RSING 915.9570014 SAV)

Ciao Leonardo, hi Tanjong Katong. (1996, December 6). The Straits Times, Life, p. 9.

Hari Raya light-up. (1998, January 12). The Straits Times, p. 28.

Ho, K. (2002, July 8). New kids on the block; Di-Tanjong may not be blue anymore as the rustic skyline of the once sleepy seaside suburb is invaded by high rise apartments. But the glut in supply has resulted in a slow pick-up rate. The Straits Times, Life.


Further Readings
Loh, K. F. (2000, April 30). The lure of Tanjong Katong. The Straits Times, Sunday Plus, pp. 1, 6. 

The information in this article is valid as at 2002 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Streets and Places
Street names--Singapore
Urbanization--Singapore
Arts>>Architecture>>Public and commercial buildings
Law and government>>National development>>Land use



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