Dear seletarian:
Whenever one mention Seletar Hills Estate to an outsider, immediately it conjures an homestead for well-to-do retirees. As a matter of fact, this tend to be true to some extent, as the earlier purchases were civil servants as in the case of Teachers' Estate.
Thus, when I immigrated to this homestead in the early eighties I chanced upon acquaintances whom I knew from the civil services. The good majority of these acquaintances were from St. Vincent de Paul. Today, they are being replaced by newer group of acquintances; presumably as result of migration either to another estate or to another country to help finance their childdren higher education, a fallout for children poor scoring in their second language. I had to sell my 5-room flat in ang mo kio to do just that and use my CPF to purchase this terrace house.
Present;y, this house remains an investment.
Today, I find the homely, cottage-styled and single storied houses are being solely replaced by "monstrously" huge buildings. Well, their appearance here signify an altogether new breed of house owners. This conversion will certainly enhance the status of the estate.
We have two community clubs and I am a member of both; the Seletar Hills East and the Shera(first established in 1968). Both are staffed by very capable community members with the ability to plan, organised and undertaken diverse activities to provide community services,
though Seletar East has the backing of Cheng San with Dr. Balaji Sadasivan as their adviser.
It has a small club house situated at 32, Jalan Selaseh but has the capacity to conducted their various activities.
Shera, on the other hand is represented by duly elected communities members annually whose
members pays a yearly subscription of $5.00. They do not have a club house and yearly meeting are held at either one of the three restaurants. Both clubs complement each other in community services. Like Seletar East, Shera too has relatively fewer younger members.
The primary sore issue of these established residents given their persistent and callous questioning directed at visiting MPs was "sanity" of the authorities in their untimely demolishing of their beloved MARKET, their get together hub. Among other activities, the site was a meeting hub where residents gathered and sicialize more especially for the "seniors" and not so
seniors. Over their favourite "cuppa" the gossiped and advised. The authorities took their "discussion corner" away without battering an eyelid prematurely. That was a corner when new residents got to "blend in" with the established. The atmosphere was very homely, caring and ONE, no matter what were their religion and race.
Vendors within the market haggled and coater-offered with no malice with the residents, and more often than the "seniors" get their way. Notwithstanding these daily scenes, car-owners gladly offered lifts to those living within their vicinity. This "kampong" culture was uprooted; and today we hardly know our immediate newly arrived neighbours. Upcoming community activities forward through "flyers" - necessary as we do not get to meet them - received no response. Those who usually participated in our activities are the established residents.
So say an old adage "NOTHING LASTS FOR EVER".
Whenever one mention Seletar Hills Estate to an outsider, immediately it conjures an homestead for well-to-do retirees. As a matter of fact, this tend to be true to some extent, as the earlier purchases were civil servants as in the case of Teachers' Estate.
Thus, when I immigrated to this homestead in the early eighties I chanced upon acquaintances whom I knew from the civil services. The good majority of these acquaintances were from St. Vincent de Paul. Today, they are being replaced by newer group of acquintances; presumably as result of migration either to another estate or to another country to help finance their childdren higher education, a fallout for children poor scoring in their second language. I had to sell my 5-room flat in ang mo kio to do just that and use my CPF to purchase this terrace house.
Present;y, this house remains an investment.
Today, I find the homely, cottage-styled and single storied houses are being solely replaced by "monstrously" huge buildings. Well, their appearance here signify an altogether new breed of house owners. This conversion will certainly enhance the status of the estate.
We have two community clubs and I am a member of both; the Seletar Hills East and the Shera(first established in 1968). Both are staffed by very capable community members with the ability to plan, organised and undertaken diverse activities to provide community services,
though Seletar East has the backing of Cheng San with Dr. Balaji Sadasivan as their adviser.
It has a small club house situated at 32, Jalan Selaseh but has the capacity to conducted their various activities.
Shera, on the other hand is represented by duly elected communities members annually whose
members pays a yearly subscription of $5.00. They do not have a club house and yearly meeting are held at either one of the three restaurants. Both clubs complement each other in community services. Like Seletar East, Shera too has relatively fewer younger members.
The primary sore issue of these established residents given their persistent and callous questioning directed at visiting MPs was "sanity" of the authorities in their untimely demolishing of their beloved MARKET, their get together hub. Among other activities, the site was a meeting hub where residents gathered and sicialize more especially for the "seniors" and not so
seniors. Over their favourite "cuppa" the gossiped and advised. The authorities took their "discussion corner" away without battering an eyelid prematurely. That was a corner when new residents got to "blend in" with the established. The atmosphere was very homely, caring and ONE, no matter what were their religion and race.
Vendors within the market haggled and coater-offered with no malice with the residents, and more often than the "seniors" get their way. Notwithstanding these daily scenes, car-owners gladly offered lifts to those living within their vicinity. This "kampong" culture was uprooted; and today we hardly know our immediate newly arrived neighbours. Upcoming community activities forward through "flyers" - necessary as we do not get to meet them - received no response. Those who usually participated in our activities are the established residents.
So say an old adage "NOTHING LASTS FOR EVER".
REGARDS.
THINGS THEY ARE DOING.
CHENG SAN COMMUNITY IN BLOOM:
An on-going project: inviting enthusiastic re esidents to participate in beautying their gardens
come down to Venus 32 Jalan Salaseh, Seletar Hills. to register.
Please donate your used : clothes, bags, Come down to the clubhouse and
books toys, newspaper, mags. this Saturday 23rd bet. 8.45 to 6.30pm. and
households' item.
For bulky items, please call 62885438.
TAJ JU EXERCISE: EVERY WEDNESDAY.
SHERA'S ACTIVITIES:
WEB : http://www.shera.org.sg/
November's issues: HEALTH TIPS, PETS CARE.
TRIPLE "T" ACADEMY SOCCER CLINIC.
EVERY SUNDAY evenings from 4pm - 6pm @ vacant field along Seletar Road.
Clinics for Juniors and Seniors.
SERVICES : Both provide important announcements and messages via their journals.
Such as Singapore Police, National Environment Agency and Civil Defence.
Marketing/advertisements of products, services within the estate and those outside our Estate
Residents Feedback: Please contribute ideas and views to ncsel@singnet.com.sg for our
upgrading.
Directory of Helplines and Hot lines are available within their issues.
Till then adios.
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