Bishan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
| English | Bishan |
| Chinese | 碧山 |
| (Pinyin | bìshān) |
| Malay | Bishan |
| Tamil | பீஷான் |
Bishan is a neighbourhood of the city-state of Singapore situated in the Central Region, measuring approximately three by three kilometres. Primarily a housing estate, Bishan houses the upper-middle classes. Flats here are relatively more expensive compared to other estates due to its central location. The current Members of Parliament for Bishan are Wong Kan Seng and Zainudin Bin Nordin.
Contents |
[edit] Etymology
Bishan derived its name from the large Cantonese burial ground, known as peck san ting (in pinyin is bi shan ting), which used to cover the area.
[edit] Transportation
Bishan is connected to the rest of Singapore via the Central Expressway. In addition, it has its own Mass Rapid Transit station, the Bishan MRT Station, on the North South Line. The station will also serve as an Interchange Station for the Circle Line which will be completed in 2011.
Bishan also has a bus interchange, with SBS Transit services 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 410. Bus services 13, 88,156 and 162 runs along Bishan Road.
[edit] Education
Currently, Bishan contains four primary schools, seven secondary schools, and two tertiary institutions that are part of Singapore's education system. These are: Ai Tong School, Bishan Park Secondary School, Catholic High School, Guangyang Secondary School, Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School, Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School, Peirce Secondary School, Raffles Institution, Whitley Secondary School, Raffles Junior College and ITE College Central (Bishan Campus).
It is also the site of the Ministry of Education Language Centre (MOELC), a place for officially learning foreign languages and getting credit for them in Singaporean education system.
[edit] Shopping centres
Bishan currently has 3 shopping centres.
- The Junction 8 Shopping Centre, which is run by CapitaLand, is situated at Bishan Central near the Bishan MRT Station and Bishan Bus Interchange.
- The Bishan North Shopping Mall is a non-airconditioned mall which incorporates a wet market.
- Thomson Plaza is located on Upper Thomson Road.
[edit] Bishan Park
The Bishan Park is divided into two major parts — Bishan Park 1 and Bishan Park 2 — with Marymount Road serving as the main divider between these two portions. The Kallang River canal separates the park from the apartment blocks in Bishan New Town which is accessible across the canal via a number of foot bridges. The park has ponds and fishing spots, and serves residents from Ang Mo Kio New Town, Bishan North, Sin Ming and Bishan New Town.
Bishan Park 1 is smaller in area than Bishan Park, and is about 1.7 km in length from end to end. A park-spa has been newly built in this park. This park primarily serves walkers in the morning. Bishan Park 1 is more accessible than Bishan Park 2.
Bishan Park 2 sprawls over a larger area than Bishan Park 1 but is only about 1.1 km in length from end to end.
[edit] Bishan New Town
Bishan New Town is public housing estate in the approximate geographic centre of Singapore. Bounded by Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, the Central Expressway, Braddell Road, and along the west of private housing off Upper Thomson Road to Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1. Its main transport arteries into the city are the Bishan MRT station, and the Central Expressway.
[edit] References
- Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2003), Toponymics - A Study of Singapore Street Names, Eastern Universities Press, ISBN 981-210-205-1
