Story of Joo Chiat: Changing Landscapes & Community
About Project
This collection details Joo Chiat’s dramatic landscape transformations and rich heritage, its sense of community and accounts of multicultural interaction, as well as the changes to its trade and economic activities over the years.
Some topics that were discussed include the entertainment that was available to Joo Chiat residents, the impact of modernisation on the way of life, how business was conducted in the past, and the differences in lifestyle compared to now. Interviewees also shared about their experiences interacting with their grassroots leaders and how the numerous changes shaped their identity.
Interviewees include Brother Joseph McNally, who was the founder of the LASALLE College of the Arts, Dr Natarajan Varaprasad, who talks about frequenting the Joo Chiat Library as a child, and Heng Ee Thiang, a grassroots leader who speaks of the traffic conditions in Joo Chiat in the 70s.