Padang, Singapore
Encyclopedia
Playing field
A playing field is a field used for playing sports or games. They are generally outdoors, but many large structures exist to enclose playing fields from bad weather. Generally, playing fields are wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand without many obstructions...
located within the Downtown Core
Downtown Core
The Downtown Core is a 266-hectare urban planning area in the south of the city-state of Singapore. The Downtown Core surrounds the mouth of the Singapore River and southeastern portion of its watershed, and is part of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district...
of the Central Area
Central Area
In Singapore, the Central Area or Central Business District contains the core financial and commercial districts, including eleven urban planning areas, namely Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South, Museum, Newton, Orchard, Outram, River Valley, Rochor, Singapore River and Straits View as...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, at the heart of Singapore's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. It was formerly known as the Padang Cricket Ground. The Padang is surrounded by several important landmarks, which include Saint Andrew's Cathedral, City Hall
City Hall, Singapore
The City Hall in Singapore is a national monument gazetted on 14 February 1992. Located in front of the historical Padang and next door to the Supreme Court of Singapore, it was designed and built by the architects of the municipal government, A. Gordans and F. D. Meadows from 1926 to 1929...
, the Old Supreme Court Building
Old Supreme Court Building
The Old Supreme Court Building is the former courthouse of the Supreme Court of Singapore, before it moved out of the building and commenced operations in the new building on 20 June 2005...
and the City Hall MRT Station
City Hall MRT Station
City Hall MRT Station ' is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, that is part of the North South Line and the East West Line in Singapore, and serves as an interchange station between the two lines....
.
Due to its prime location and historical significance, it has been used as a venue for a variety of events, including the National Day Parade in 2005
National Day Parade, 2005
The National Day Parade, 2005 was a national ceremony in Singapore on August 9, 2005 to commemorate Singapore's 40 years of independence....
and National Day Parade in 2010
National Day Parade, 2010
The National Day Parade 2010 was a national ceremony held on 9 August 2010 at the Padang to commemorate Singapore's 45th year of independence.-Logo:...
, due to The Float@Marina Bay hosting the opening ceremony for the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
2010 Summer Youth Olympics
The 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, officially known as the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games , were an international multi-sport event for youths that took place in the city-state of Singapore from 14 to 26 August 2010, in the XXIX Olympiad. They were the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics, a major...
.
History
In June 1819, modern founder of Singapore, Thomas Stamford Raffles instructed the first Resident of Singapore, William FarquharWilliam Farquhar
Major-General William Farquhar was an employee of the East India Company, and the first Resident of colonial Singapore.-Early life:Farquhar was born at Newhall, Aberdeenshire, near Aberdeen in 1774, and joined the East India Company as a cadet when he was 17...
, to reserve the whole space within the Old Lines and the Singapore River
Singapore River
The Singapore River is a river in Singapore with great historical importance. The Singapore River flows from the Central Area, which lies in the Central Region in the southern part of Singapore before emptying into the ocean...
(i.e. the northern bank) for public purposes. However, Farquhar found it expedient to allow Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
s to encroach the reserved space as this appeared to be the only suitable site for mercantile firms and godowns, since the southern bank was then too swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
y. Farquhar also built a temporary home
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...
with an attap roof and kajang
Kajang
Kajang, is a town in the eastern part of Selangor, Malaysia. Kajang is the district capital of Hulu Langat. It is located from of Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur.The current locational gravity of growth in Kajang would be Sungai Chua...
wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
s on the current Singapore Cricket Club
Singapore Cricket Club
The Singapore Cricket Club is one of the premier sports and social clubs in Singapore. Its clubhouse is located at the Padang in Singapore's central business district....
site, on the edge which came to be known as Raffles Plain. When Raffles returned to the island in October 1822, Raffles disapproved of the encroaching by mercantile interests of land he had set aside for public use. Raffles immediately countermanded Farquhar's permit
Permit
Permit may refer to:*Permit *Various legal licenses:*License*Work permit*Learner's permit*Permit to travel*Construction permit*Home Return Permit*One-way Permit*Permit is the common name for the Trachinotus falcatus, a type of Pompano....
s, put a stay on all buildings in the area and appointed a committee with strict and explicit instructions on how he wanted the town of Singapore to be planned. As the Esplanade
Esplanade
An esplanade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The original meaning of esplanade was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide clear fields of fire for the fortress' guns...
plan had been broken, it was necessary to designate a new site for the town's public buildings. The area chosen was the Padang Besar or simply the Padang, as it is known today.
During the 1820s, there were four houses that faced the Padang, what is now the Old Supreme Court Building
Old Supreme Court Building
The Old Supreme Court Building is the former courthouse of the Supreme Court of Singapore, before it moved out of the building and commenced operations in the new building on 20 June 2005...
were two houses built in 1823 houses of Edward Boustead
Edward Boustead
Edward Boustead was an English businessman and philanthropist, who founded Boustead Singapore Limited and played an active role in the development of Singapore as a business and trading centre. Boustead was born in Yorkshire, England...
, and the site of the City Hall formerly the houses of Resident Councillor Thomas Church
Thomas Church
Thomas Church may refer to:* Thomas Dolliver Church, American landscape architect* Thomas Haden Church, American actor* Thomas Langton Church , Canadian politician...
and William Montgomerie who is Residency Surgeon. In 1845, Gaston Dutronquoy moved into the Boustead houses and converted into his second London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Hotel. The place became Hotel de l'Esperance and later Hotel de l'Europe and was demolished in the year 1900. The Grand Hotel de l'Europe was built in 1905 and demolished in 1935 due to financial problems. The hotel made way for the Old Supreme Court Building which was the last Classical architecture
Classical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
building built in Singapore. The statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of Stamford Raffles
Stamford Raffles
Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles, FRS was a British statesman, best known for his founding of the city of Singapore . He is often described as the "Father of Singapore"...
was unveiled at the plain on 27 June 1877, but it was moved to Victoria Memorial Hall (now Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
The Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall is a complex of two buildings and a clock tower joined together by a common corridor and is located in the civic district of Singapore...
) on 6 December 1919.
In the past, Padang was referred as The Plain, Cantonment Plain, Raffles Plain or the Esplanade. In modern times, Esplanade refers to the cultural centre known as Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is a waterside building located on six hectares of waterfront land alongside Marina Bay near the mouth of the Singapore River, purpose-built to be the centre for performing arts for the island nation of Singapore...
and before that the Esplanade Park
Esplanade Park
The Esplanade Park is a historic park located in the Esplanade within the Downtown Core of the Central Area in Singapore's central business district....
. Today, the Padang is a field located between two clubs in front of City Hall
City Hall, Singapore
The City Hall in Singapore is a national monument gazetted on 14 February 1992. Located in front of the historical Padang and next door to the Supreme Court of Singapore, it was designed and built by the architects of the municipal government, A. Gordans and F. D. Meadows from 1926 to 1929...
. After Raffles' founding of Singapore, this was where the Sepoy Cantonment was first located (hence the name Cantonment Plain), before the sepoy
Sepoy
A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...
s were shifted to Cantonment Road/Sepoy Lines area. Around 1890, the Esplanade was widened by reclaiming
Land reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
land, and constructed a road known as New Esplanade Road (now Connaught Drive
Connaught Drive
Connaught Drive is a one-way road linking Stamford Road to Fullerton Road on the northern side of the Singapore River within the Downtown Core in Singapore. On the left side of the road, it is Esplanade Park, and on the right is The Padang...
). In 1907, the area became known as the Padang and the roads in that area were renamed. Esplanade Road was renamed St Andrew's Road and New Esplanade Road was known as Connaught Drive. Before reclamation, the sea shore
Shore
A shore or shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In Physical Oceanography a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past and present, while the beach is at the edge of the shore,...
was where Connaught Drive is currently located. Near the current Singapore Recreation Club
Singapore Recreation Club
The Singapore Recreation Club is one of Singapore's oldest social clubs with a strong sporting tradition, located at the Padang in heart of Singapore's Civic District.-History:...
, was a Saluting Battery mounted on a knoll
Hillock
A hillock or knoll is a small hill, usually separated from a larger group of hills such as a range. Hillocks are similar in their distribution and size to small mesas or buttes. The term is largely a British one...
, which was known in the early days as a Scandal Point. The paintings of the Esplanade by J. T. Thomson in 1847 and 1851 were done at this point. The Padang was threatened to be used for development several times but it was abandoned due to public outcry.
Surprisingly, the administration sector of the Padang area began to take shape only in the late 1920s, replacing houses built by G.D. Coleman. The Grand Hotel de l'Europe was demolished and made way for the courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
in 1936. Today, the Padang is used for many events such as the National Day Parade
National Day Parade
The Singapore National Day Parade is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore's National Day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore's independence that is usually held at the Padang , the National Stadium, various decentalized venues all over...
and others as well. The Padang was where the victory parade of the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese surrendering Singapore back to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and the surrender forces by Lord Louis Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
ending World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Singapore. The Padang is used for sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s such as soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
.
Cricket
The Padang became a major recreationRecreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
al area when two clubs, the Singapore Cricket Club
Singapore Cricket Club
The Singapore Cricket Club is one of the premier sports and social clubs in Singapore. Its clubhouse is located at the Padang in Singapore's central business district....
in 1870 and the Singapore Recreation Club
Singapore Recreation Club
The Singapore Recreation Club is one of Singapore's oldest social clubs with a strong sporting tradition, located at the Padang in heart of Singapore's Civic District.-History:...
in 1883 were established at both ends of the field. It was used for exercising horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s in the 1920s and became the scene for the New Year
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
ing activities.
Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
's development in the colony took a back seat due to the world wars, However after World War Two
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the ground played host to teams such as the touring Australians of 1959. In 2003 came the club was given the go-ahead to pursue extensive re-development to the cost of $17 million, the first change to its structure for nearly 120 years. Improvements include the appropriately named Stumps bar which boasts an outdoor seating area and views of the ground. Further modernisations have improved the gym and other sporting facilities, In 1996 Padang Cricket Ground
Cricket field
A cricket field consists of a large circular or oval-shaped grassy ground on which the game of cricket is played. There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its diameter usually varies between 450 feet to 500 feet...
became the first venue in Singapore to host One Day International (ODI's). The first ODI saw Pakistan play Sri Lanka in the 1995/96 Singer Cup. Four further ODI's were held during the tournament, which also involved India.