Old Buildings Quiz No. 8

The building in the photos below are of the Econ Nursing Home. It is located between Bukit Timah Plaza and Jalan Jurong Kechil.

Map of the vicinity from 2007 street directory

This is Bukit Timah Avenue leading to the Econ Nursing Home

I have two questions for you.

1) What was the name of this place before it was converted to the Econ Nursing Home?

2) There used to be a white building between Bukit Timah Avenue and Jalan Jurong Kechil, facing the Bukit Timah Food Centre cum Market (see blue question mark in map). What was it?

Answers (Posted on 6 June 2008)

1) Yes, it's the Bukit Timah Community Centre. I went there to play badminton in their indoor court once during the early 70's. At that time, my younger brother James and his team mates from one of the infantry battalions (I think it was 7 SIR) used to train there. Below is a photo from the National Archives of Singapore collection showing the official opening in 1959.

2) The answer to the second queston, as most of you know, is the Bukit Timah Post Office. It was there until not long ago. I remember it had a very small car park. The design was one of the very standard ones built in that era. You can still a few post offices in Singapore which are of this type of design; such as the ones at Serangoon Gardens and MacPherson Road. There's another one at Alexandra Road near Prince Philip Avenue. I passed by it just a couple of weeks ago and it looked like they are going to demolish it soon. So if you want to take one last look, better not wait.