Walking Down on Memory of Sembawang Park

Remembering the times I went with my colleagues to Sembawang Park in 2000 to visit the farming and watch the beach near the Beaulieu House Restaurant now changed to Beaulieu House. How time flies!
Beaulieu House is a Seaside Restaurant managed by Sembawang Seafood Paradise Pte Ltd serving Western cuisine, Chinese seafood and local delights.
The once Beaulieu House Restaurant is believed to built in 1910s, was originally the seaside house of a David’s family, who were in the mining business, It was acquired by the colonial government when the Naval Base was planned but however this was not known yet.

In 1923, works on the Naval Base was started, ‘Beaulieu House’ that housed the senior engineers and surveyors. After 1939, the Naval Base was up and running. Beaulieu House was used as a residential by the second in command of the China-British Naval fleet, Admiral Layton for 2 years from 1940/42.

During the Japanese Occupation in 1942, It was said to be used by the Japanese as a Headquarters which were the watch towers built behind the building overlooking the Naval Base. Rumours has it that there was a tunnel leading to the bomb shelters that used to be located behind the park.

After the Japanese Occupation in 1945, Beaulieu House that housed for Naval officers and their families till “Complete British Withdrawal” in 1971. During early in 1970s, it was gazetted to URA. 

Beaulieu House is one of the 10 top restaurants in 1999 as quoted by the readers.

Beaulieu House Restaurant taken in 2000 (Then)

In this photo, my colleagues and I went to have a dinner at the once known 'Beaulieu House Restaurant in 2000. Over the years, this restaurant has changed to 'Beaulieu House' and currently re-opened on their makeover.

Beaulieu House taken in 2013 (Now)

It has been thirteen years since I went there and I eventually came back to take a look around as if it's been changing ever since. The facade of the retro window grilles has changed into window shades and the foreground was once a greener grass atmosphere and now transformed into red bricks footpath.

Wide angle shot of the Beaulieu House

I shot the wide angle of the spectacular of the Beaulieu House including the park on the right that could be the playground that once had.

Sembawang Beach

Sembawang Beach is one of the remaining sandy beach in Singapore and it's still under renovation since till now. We went there on the hot sunny afternoon and expected to see the greener and soothing breeze along the sandy beach when I went there in 2000. Now it's changing overtime before that they were many people around in 2000 and the sandy beach more spacious as it was then but now it it isn't any more. 

Sembawang Jetty

Nowadays, at the Sembawang Jetty, there are enthusiastic fishermen by day and night, has another interesting fact to its history. With its stone walkway leading from the Beaulieu House steps in front of it. Sembawang Jetty is a interesting place and Its construction in front of Beaulieu House that facing the beach, with the stone walkway leading to it, was started by the British in the final phases of Naval Base construction. But somehow it could never be completed and thus it would bring back to the old times of British Naval Base indeed.

Fishing Jetty

Fishing Jetty is one of the important elements of the seafront and beach for many people, which will definitely not be able to exist after the land reclamation.

Soothing sandy beach was once had

In those times in 2000, there were crowded people gathered together at the sandy beach when I went with my colleagues and joined in an event that organised by my company to the Sembawang Park to Chicken Farming and others which you never seen it before as if you have been there in 2000 or early.

Chicken Farm taken in 2000

Rare Chicken on top of the shelf taken in 2000

My colleagues and I managed to capture those chickens while we were having a good time of roaming the farm, but now it's been relocated to other location since.

Indian Foreigners spotted fishing below the bridge

Narrow staircase beside the bridge

Before long, the bridge was once an open space with the narrow staircase below now disappear. The land reclamation on the beach at Sembawang Park and all along to the Simpang Kiri Canal will obviously disappear in times to come. The fishing jetty at Sembawang Park will no longer exist. The walls along the seafront at Sembawang Park and Wak Hassan will probably change. I am sure the residents who lives at Sembawang especially one of my colleagues and classmates who stay at Sembawang for many years and would voice out their voice of unhappy at the loss of the changing paradise beach that was once had. Either one of you have in mind and would advise you to feedback to URA about how you feel. I had been there a couple of time since 2000 till April 2013. The changing of the beach surely make me feel disappointed of the fun times we had in the past. People who love the beach dearly, would bring their voice up or the written words to them before everything gone for good.
There is Sembawang Memorial which sits at the Sembawang wharfs near old Admiralty House (known as Admiral Hill Country Club) which was opened in 2005 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II and in memory of the brave men of the two HMS war cruisers which sunk during the Japanese attack in 1941.

Old Wooden Playground

Behind the Beaulieu House was an old wooden playground, been there many years and had been closed for renovation since.

Shophouses - Crab Village

The Crab Village located at 1018 Sembawang road is one of the most famous restaurants where most people love chili crabs and  black pepper crabs back then in old times and get winded of it and thus must try salt eggs crab and butter crabs thus savouring the food, like buttery taste comes out.

Sembawang Village

Along the Sembawang road, this forest is clearly seen with kampong village (known as Sembawang Village) just opp Crab Village within shophouses as if it did look like my late grandma's villages where there were deep forests with a huge land among her big families' living at kampong villages. Well, her villages were not at Sembawang but at Jurong before those MRT stations were built.

Terror Sea Scout

Walking along the Sembawang road just opposite St. Helena Road, there is  Terror Sea Scout among with other buildings namely Leadership Dorm and Legacy Hall that surrounded a huge field - Camp Challenge. Before this, the camp-site is a few stones away from the shophouses (above pic) that located along Canberra Sembawang Park Connector.

Simpang Kiri Park Connector

Long Wide of Simpang Kiri Park Connector

This long connector is divided into two connectors adjoining  - Canbarra Sembawang Park Connector and Simpang Kiri Park Connector.  The first pic of Simpang Kiri Park Connector, on the left side (hidden) is Canberra Sembawang Park Connector that linked to path of the shophouses. Simpang Kiri Park Connector which runs along the Sungei Simpang Kiri that is rich in natural vegetations on both sides of the riverbanks.

German Shepherd and his master

Along the Simpang Kiri Park Connector is where many people would jog and cycle along the footpath, some people even bring their dogs along for exercise or for a walk under the sun.

Woman looking for Oysters

Elderly man seen holding fishing nets with oysters and other seashells

Family at riverbanks along Simpang Kiri

Some people young or old are seen down on the riverbanks, searching and looking for oysters and other seashells and was told by bystanders whose family or friends are at riverbanks searching for oysters.

Former Bottle Tree Village

The most heritage site where we almost forgotten that exists till 2012, the restaurant was once the spectacular and pleasant surrounding along the Sembawang beach to where the Sembawang jetty was located - Bottle Tree Village. This former Bottle Tree village was built in 2004 after completion and in the same year the Bottle Tree Pte Ltd was established. Relocated at 81 Lorong Chencharu Yishun and renamed "Bottle Tree Park" after being 8 year in business, closed in 2012, their lease expired in March according to the Straits Times.

Fishing at corner of Former Bottle Tree Village

Sembawang Jetty 

At the corner of former Bottle Tree Village, lies beach sand facing the straits of Johore where few people fishing at the riverbank that linked from Simpang Kiri Park Connector.

Wooden Bridge in front of former Bottle Tree Village

In front of former Bottle Tree Village, there is wooden bridge that fenced up to prevent people walking towards it. There are some foreigners - Indian nationals are spotted under the bridge as if they are hid away from being seen by us during night times or took as shelter.

Deities of different religions

The corner that lies under the tree, are Deities of different cultures and religions that left behind by the owners or the bottle tree village owners. I do see the Deity of Indian origins and Hindu Elephant Deity and it could be from Indian nationals who are passing by under the 'fenced-up' bridge that left it there.

Stray dog posed!

I saw some stray dogs hidden inside and outside the former Bottle Tree Village as even it's been abandoned after its closure in 2012. I walked towards the dogs who are not aggressive at all as if it thinks I brought the food for them.

People's Assn. Water - Venture

People's Association Water-Venture (Sembawang) located at 57 Jalan Mempurong, occupying a stretch of a beach in the northern part of Singapore, Water-Venture (Sembawang) caters to resident in the North West region. Opened in 2008 and situated close to the Sembawang Park, the outlet is the perfect getaway from the concrete jungle. Enjoy kayaking and soak in the beauty of diverse flora and fauna along with numerous bird species that have made the area their home.

Masjid Petempatan Melayu Sembawang

Surrounded by lush greeneries and a reasonably huge compound, there is an air of serenity at this old generation Masjid built in 1970. Located at Jalan Inggu (small road) junction of Jalan Selimang, it offers weekend Madrasah classes as well as religious classes on a weekly basis. It has a capacity of 300 people. As you can see lots cars parked within this mosque's compound area. Some taxi drivers drove passengers there too.