some old buildings in changi

we went with mdm ow - my guest blogger - on a nostalgic tour of the area around changi village. our first stop was the quarters where she stayed when her late father was working for the royal air force (raf) as a fitter. we found out that the buildings were 70 years old; they were built in 1938. according to her, the front of the house has been extended, otherwise everything has remained much the same.

the house had one bedroom and a kitchen. so, with four siblings and her parents sharing the limited space, she had to sleep on a foldable canvas bed in the space between the kitchen and the living room.

to supplement their household income, her enterprising parents used to operate a drink stall at the changi golf course. part of the golf course could be seen from the back of the 70-year old house.

we tried to locate the other house, the one they had stayed in prior to moving to the 70-year old quarters, but could not really identify the building at hendon road. we came across some other buildings that would have been used to house the non-commissioned officers in the royal air force.

two other buildings which we could not locate and which could have been demolished are the changi grammar school, which was featured in chun see's blog, and a small church. she said it was not the marantha church.

we also drove past the naafi shop along netheravon road. she took us to see the big field where they used to screen movies on a friday or saturday night when the british forces were still in singapore. that is where we came across a 1934 building which has been converted into a seafood restaurant. the building next to it, which appeared to have been a clubhouse, seems to have been abandoned.

we also went to have a look, from the outside, at the old changi hospital located at halton road. the land transport authority has plans to lease the property for commercial uses. there is also a meteorological station along hendon road.

the area where these old buildings are located is unusually quiet and deserted. no wonder this is a favourite haunt of the paranormal investigators.