I've just received this news in my email. How can a small island like Singapore, forget that they have an abondoned reservoir. This is beyond me. Anyway, I'm glad they found it.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ST Daily News
Date: Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 7:40 AM
Subject: Abandoned reservoir off Telok Blangah Road discovered; Feeling unwell? Wait in blue box for MRT train
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From: ST Daily News
Date: Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 7:40 AM
Subject: Abandoned reservoir off Telok Blangah Road discovered; Feeling unwell? Wait in blue box for MRT train
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| . News Article http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/abandoned-reservoir-telok-blangah-road-discovered-201409#3
Published on SEP 17, 2014 12:09 PM
by MELODY ZACCHEUS
The National Heritage Board (NHB) has discovered a reservoir that dates back to the colonial period in Singapore's history and survived the two World Wars as well as Singapore's rapid industrialisation after independence.
-- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
SINGAPORE - An abandoned and forgotten reservoir dating back to 1905 has been discovered by the National Heritage Board (NHB).
Nestled in the Mount Faber forest, and not marked out in maps today, it served as a source of water for the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company, which was the forerunner of today's Port of Singapore Authority.
The reservoir, which is an oasis of calm and a green pocket in the built up area, also used to be a swimming pool according to pre-war and post-war maps. Remnants of a diving board and a bathing area still stand today.
The place, known to some as the Keppel Hill Reservoir, made the news when two soldiers and a 17-year-old boy drowned there on separate occasions - in 1936 and 1948.
The 2m deep pool of water, which has a working filtration system today, was discovered by a team of researchers from the board in February while doing a study on the topographical changes in Singapore over the past 100 years.
"We were poring over old maps of the area and saw a body of water marked out on them,'' said Dr John Kwok, 36, an assistant director of research at NHB.
The team spent four months piecing together more details about the site from old maps and news stories. A documentary on the place, which is about one-third the size of an Olympic-sized swimming pool, will be uploaded on its website on Thursday.
Based on a 1924 map by the former Singapore Harbour Board, the researchers also found it is one of three small reservoirs that used to be in the area. It most likely served residents of a nearby settlement.
The land the reservoir sits on is zoned as park land.
Singapore has 17 reservoirs which are managed by the Public Utilities Board.
Meanwhile, the NHB said the discovery is historically significant because of the building materials and methods used. The bricks used to build the reservoir show that the body of water was constantly in use, said Mr Alvin Tan, 42, its group director of policy. Some were handmade and date back to the colonial period while others come from Jurong Brickworks which was established in 1934.
Mr Tan advised people to be careful about exploring the place as its terrain is slippery and overgrown with heavy foliage. He said guided tours may be organised if there is demand.
People with stories about the forgotten reservoir may write to the board at ... nhb_feedback@nhb.gov.sg.
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I found on internet someone was reminiscing about this place...
Jungle Lake
https://ssl.panoramio.com/photo/17889747
https://static.panoramio.com.storage.googleapis.com/photos/1920x1280/17889747.jpg
other Links → Link 1 or Link 2
https://static.panoramio.com.storage.googleapis.com/photos/1920x1280/17889747.jpg
other Links → Link 1 or Link 2
Hi. I hope this message get to you. I chance upon your nice photos as I was goggling "google earth". You see I used to stayed in Wishart road from 1973 to 1976 in one of those low flat which has all been demolished except one last block left standing just opposite the Methodist church. In reference to your "Jungle Lake" picture. This was actually a "pool" used for the nursery during my time. Sometimes my friends will sneak in and have a swim and I heard of story where some got drown so that's a reason why I choose not to swim there. However I remembered one morning I went in thru the side fence with my older brother. We were there to collect some sands n water for our fish tank. It was "low tide" at that time and we were able to walk alongside the pool. I remembered seeing cobra. From the back of the "Keppel House" there stood a Japanese tomb on the way up Mt Faber.
This area holds alot of fond memories for me --- so much so I still visit the place whenever I am in that area. I am still residing in the western part of Spore. There wasnt so much forest tress in those days and we could walk up to Mt Faber from the back of the last block. Wishard Rd used to be called Morse Road but they have since switch both road names where Morse Rd became Wishard Rd and vice verse.There were a few tunnels around that area. When I grew older I actually work in the shipyard just opposite the place where the Caribbean Condo now stood. My wife still works at the Harbour Front and so just yesterday while waiting for her I was standing just below the cable car "pillar" just behind the hawker centre at Seah Im Rd. This is the best child hood place I grew up. I hope my sharing gives you some "history" behind this place. Feel free to email me at xxx.
Cheers! Jamy
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