Janice Lim Channel NewsAsia 10 Oct 14;
SINGAPORE: Idyllic, rustic and homely - Changi Village is one of the few places in Singapore that truly deserves such a description. On weekends, the area teems with crowds, from cycling enthusiasts to people having supper.
However, before it became a popular location for leisure pursuits, Changi was known as a military base set up by the British for its Far Eastern defences in the 1930s. It only flourished when the British Royal Air Force (RAF) was firmly established at the base after World War Two.
Ex-RAF serviceman Mr Mike James used to be stationed at Changi, and remembers the days when Changi Village was part of the RAF camp. "The Village was our shopping centre, you might say. I used to go to the Village at least once a day and try to do some shopping. If we wanted any clothing, we went there."
BUSINESSES SET UP TO CATER TO SERVICEMEN
Eventually, more and more local businesses were set up to cater to the needs of the servicemen. One of these establishments belonged to the father of Mr Charlie Han, a long-time resident of Changi Village.
"My father was learning how to cook Western food. After graduating, he came back and opened a shop here. They set up shop here because they wanted to do business with Caucasians," he recalled. "At first we were Milk Bar, after that we became Millie Bar. After Millie Bar, we changed to Millie Coffee House."
Helping his father at the cafe while growing up, Mr Han had front-row seats to the life of the British servicemen. He said: "During weekends, some of them were not working, so they brought their wives and children out to eat. On weekdays, those who were not married, once they finished work, around 7pm, they came straight here without even changing out of their uniform.
"So the tables were all put up, with everybody happily drinking beer and singing. Morning and lunch time was quite normal. Most people would leave after they finished eating. People started streaming in about 3pm. They came to sit, eat and drink until 8 or 9pm before heading home. Their wives came as well."
CHANGES FROM 1971
Things changed in 1971 when the British withdrew and the Singapore Government took over the reins. "This whole area was totally dismantled. The Housing Board came, reclaimed the land and built new buildings," said Mr Han. His family business moved out of the area, but he returned to Changi in 1979.
By then, low-rise HDB flats and other amenities had sprung up, and the area was designated a recreation and tourist spot. Many of the old RAF buildings have since been re-purposed into hotels, chalets, clubs and restaurants.
Mr Lim Tow Soon, president of the Changi Village Merchants Association, feels that Changi's combination of good food and relaxing scenery is what makes it unique. "People can take scenic walks, enjoy the beach. It is something quite different from what you have in town, in the city."
Even as they grow, the businesses in the area are only too aware that Changi's appeal lies in its laidback charm. "Everything is changing. We do like to preserve the way the life is also," said Mr Lim. "What we are also concerned about is the area suddenly becoming too urbanised. Then I would say that our paradise here would be lost. Because you must maintain this kind of charm, the way it is."
- CNA/xy
