By Shabnam Muzammil:
The iconic Queenstown cinema and Bowling Centre (pictured) which closed in 1999, is set to be demolished to make way for a new residential or commercial development.
Built in 1977, the property located along Commonwealth Avenue was zoned for commercial use under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) 2008 Master Plan and is privately owned by Crescendas Group.
According to media reports, reactions on the issue have been mixed, with some calling for the demolition of the building.
“It’s an eyesore. Once they tear it down it will free up the area and can possibly make way for developments that can serve the community today,” said Kenneth Ng, director of an education company.
However, Kwek Li Yong, founder of civic group My Community, said: “Queenstown, Singapore’s first satellite estate, has been rather under the radar. It contains a lot of memories and we hope that more can be done to recognise that it has an important place in Singapore’s history.”
Responding, Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, co-author of non-fiction book Singapore: A Biography, commented: “The community is looking for spaces they can relate to and for a landscape that isn’t merely dotted with skyscrapers.”
Meanwhile, the company refused to comment on the issue.
Shabnam Muzammil, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact her about this or other stories email shabnam@propertyguru.com.sg
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