Sengkang

Sengkang is a sub-urban town in the north-eastern part of Singapore, where it is still considered the eastern part of Singapore. The Sengkang Planning Area, an urban planning zone under the Urban Redevelopment Authority, covers the Housing and Development Board satellite new town of Sengkang New Town and rural Jalan Kayu.

Etymology and history

Meaning "prosperous harbour" in Chinese, Sengkang was derived from a small road called Lorong Sengkang, off Lorong Buangkok. Prior to this, the area was also known as Kangkar (港脚, pinyin: Gǎngjiǎo) or "foot of the port" as there was once a fishing port located along Sungei Serangoon. Fishing villages and rubber and pepper plantations flourished in the area in the old days.

Before the Sengkang New Town was built, vegetable and pig farms were located in the area, dominated by tropical rainforest. The only public housing estate then was the Punggol Rural Centre, comprising a few low-rise residential blocks, namely blocks 1-5, 206 and 207 located along Punggol Road. These blocks at the rural centre have since been demolished in 2005, to make way for future high-rise residential apartment blocks.

Due to Sengkang's meaning, many locations within Sengkang have names related to the sea such as Compass Point Shopping Centre, Anchorvale and Rivervale.

Sengkang New Town

The North East Line (NEL) at Sengkang MRT Station connects Sengkang New Town to the downtown area. The Sengkang LRT intersects with the Sengkang MRT Station at the Sengkang Town Centre, providing residents with convenient public transport within Sengkang New Town itself and other parts of the island.

Amenities in this new town include primary and secondary schools, three shopping malls, a public library, a polyclinic and community centres. Compass Point Shopping Centre, a shopping mall attached to the bus interchange and MRT/LRT station, is a popular place for Sengkang residents to hang out and congregate. Other shopping areas include Rivervale Mall, Rivervale Plaza, Fernvale Point and Kopitiam Square with the latter three housing a wet market.

As announced in Budget Speech 2011, a new general hospital that has been planned in Sengkang to serve residents in northeastern Singapore will be ready by 2020 and will come with adjoining community hospital facilities. The new general hospital will be located along Sengkang East Road right next to the Cheng Lim LRT Station. It will also be within walking distance of Sengkang MRT Station. Next to the general hospital will be a community hospital that will provide sub-acute care and rehabilitative services for patients.

Sengkang in Popular Culture

A book named The Singapore Kid tells about a boy named Inn Kiat lives in Sengkang with his sister, Mei Mei, his mother, father and his grandmother which is known as 'Ah Ma'. He goes to a fictional school called Sunshine Primary School and also features Compass Point Shopping Centre. He once said when he went to Compass Point Shopping Centre, he thought that the whole Sengkang was invited for a huge carnival.