[This is a press release that I am putting up on behalf of Red Dawn Communications for City Square Mall]
Singapore, 27 January 2011 – The New World Gate was officially unveiled today at City Green, the state-owned park adjacent to City Square Mall, Singapore’s first eco-mall. With the support of National Parks Board (NParks), National Heritage Board (NHB) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), City Square Mall, owned and managed by City Developments Limited (CDL), has carefully reconstructed the gate for Singaporeans to remember the history of the former New World Amusement Park.
The reconstructed New World Gate will be a symbolic reminder of the historic New World Amusement Park. Photo credit: City Square Mall.
The original New World Gate in 1962 (source: http://www.picas.hnb.gov.sg).
The gate, installed at the entrance of City Green on Serangoon Road, features the words “The New World” on its gateway arch to symbolise the interconnectivity of Singapore’s past, present and future.
CDL’s efforts to restore the gate stems from its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) conviction to conserve the environment care for the community and to promote Singapore’s cultural heritage.
“We have always been relentless in our CSR initiatives to create value for communities while ensuring we are responsible developers. Our initiative to install the reconstructed New World Amusement Park gate will help remind visitors about the history of the site,” said Mr Chia Ngiang Hong, Group General Manager of CDL.
Reminiscing about his childhood days spent at the amusement park, Mr Chia said, “I would visit the New World Amusement Park regularly with my family to enjoy the diverse entertainment options. As the “pioneer amusement park in Malaya”, there was something for everyone on the fairground. There were rides and carousels, open-air cinemas, Chinese and Malay opera halls, boxing arenas, dance halls and travelling performances from overseas. One could literally spend a whole day at the park to take a family photograph, get a haircut at the barber, enjoy hawker fare, or even go for a romantic walk in the park with a loved one!”
“This gate is symbolic of the memories attached to the former New World Amusement Park, and its presence at the entrance of City Green will bring about a sense of nostalgia of the days where the amusement park was a bustling activity hub. These shared memories are a great way for the community visiting the mall to bond, where now, City Square Mall is the new community hub for families living in the neighbourhood to visit to shop, dine and relax,” said Edward Tan, Director of Operations & Human Resource & Admin at Metro, the anchor tenant of City Square Mall.
With its focus on the community and the environment, City Square Mall, like the former New World Amusement Park, is the perfect setting as a community hub where families and friends gather for social activities.
The New World Gate at City Square Mall (lion dance). Photo credit: City Square Mall.
About The New World Amusement Park
The New World Amusement Park was first opened in 1923 by the two Straits Chinese merchant brothers, Ong Boon Tat and Ong Peng Hock, who were sons of prominent businessman, Ong Sam Leong. The New World Amusement Park attracted visitors from all walks of life. Whether they were Europeans and affluent local merchants to labourers, families and local residents, New World was a destination of fun and entertainment until the 1950s. It featured many exciting programmes and attractions from boxing and wrestling matches to variety shows, operas from various ethnic groups and a small cabaret with Filipino artistes.
In the mid-1930s, Shaw Organisation went into a 50/50 joint venture with the New World’s parent company, Ong Sam Leong Ltd before later taking on full ownership of the amusement park. New World closed its doors in the mid-1980s when it was sold to CDL.
About City Square Mall
City Square Mall is located at the junction of Serangoon and Kitchener Roads and is directly connected to Farrer Park MRT station. Owned & managed by CDL, City Square Mall is Singapore’s first eco-mall and is one of the largest malls in Singapore with 700,000 square feet of gross retail space. The mall has some 200 tenants that cater to the lifestyle needs of everyone in the family and offers the perfect setting for the community to meet, shop and play while at the same time, acquiring an eco-learning experience.
City Square Mall is a family-friendly mall recognised by the Businesses for Families Council and is Singapore’s first shopping mall to be awarded the prestigious Green Mark Platinum Award by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore.
For more information on City Square Mall, please visit www.citysquaremall.com.sg
For media enquiries, please contact:
Florence Ang
Red Dawn Communications
on behalf of City Square Mall
E: florence@reddawnpr.com
T: 9691 1404 / 6222 4704
Maeva Sauve
Red Dawn Communications
on behalf of City Square Mall
E: maeva@reddawnpr.com
T: 8101 6855/ 6222 4704
The Long and Winding Road 