Yishun
Encyclopedia
Yishun, or Nee Soon as it was initially named, is a suburban town in the northern part of Singapore
, encompassing the Yishun Planning Area, in the North Region, which includes Yishun New Town
and the Nee Soon private residential estate.
Population of Yishun New Town and Nee Soon private estate:
1990 Population Census: 181,036
2000 Population Census: 176,689
Under the 1996 Land Use and Urban Design Planning, the total land area of the Yishun Planning Area was 2108 ha.
king" and rubber
magnate, Lim Nee Soon
(b. 1879).
Lim Nee Soon was also a banker, contractor
and general commission
agent. He was the first general manager of the Bukit Sembawang Rubber Company Limited, formed in 1908. Nee Soon and Company was formed in 1911.
Nee Soon was one of the pioneers that opened up Sembawang
. Nee Soon served on the Rural Board from 1913 to 1921 and was also appointed a Justice
of Peace
. In the field of education
, he was one of the founders of Chinese High School
and also a member of the Raffles College Committee. Nee Soon Road was officially named in 1950 by the Rural Board to facilitate postal services
. Nee Soon also owned a large plot of land in the area and several roads in this area are named after his business concerns and family members. Nee Soon was a leading member of the Teochew
clan association poit ip huay kwan, and was a close friend of Dr Sun Yat Sen.
The name Nee Soon was one of those changed at the height of the campaign to replace dialect
names with Mandarin ones. While the government later revoked some of its decisions and reinstated names like Bukit Panjang
(for Zhenghua), Yishun remained unchanged and is now the name attached to streets, roads, park
s and a well-known cineplex
within Yishun New Town, Golden Village
Yishun.
Instead of Northern General Hospital, the new general hospital has been named Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
after receiving a S$125 million donation from the late Mr Khoo's family. Spanning over 3.5 hectares in the Yishun Central Area, the 550-bed hospital will offer a full range of comprehensive healthcare services for residents living in the north. A new feature of the hospital includes overlooking the scenic Yishun Pond. This will be the first hospital in the north after the nearest one which is at Thomson
.
Yishun Polyclinic is located at 100 Yishun Central beside Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and is managed by National Healthcare Group Polyclinic (NHGP). It is accessible by Bus 812, 853 or 858 from Yishun Bus Interchange
.
Currently, the Yishun estate is well served by the Yishun Polyclinic as well as many private medical clinics and dental clinics.
Nee Soon East Park.
It is located opposite Block 407 Yishun Avenue 6. It consist of a basketball court, fitness corner, and many more facilities.
Sports Facilities
Located at the Southern end of the town, the Yishun Stadium was opened on 2 January 1992. In 1993, it played host to the Karate event during the 1993 SEA Games in Singapore. In 1996, it was the home ground for the Sembawang Rangers FC
in the S-league. Eventually the team was dropped from the league in 2003. Later on, it hosted the Young Lions
in 2005 season, Sporting Afrique FC
in 2006 season and currently it is the home for Korean Super Reds FC for the 2007 season. Other than the main stadia with the soccer field and 8-lanes running track, it also houses a ClubFitt gym. The sport hall seat 800 and it can be use for badminton, basketball or other indoor sports.
Opened in 1988, it has a competition pool (with 430 seating), a children pool and a training pool.
, Maxtor
, Agilent, Avago Technologies
, ATS
, ASM-Frontend, STATS, Inc.
and many other smaller companies. It can be reached by Bus service 811 from the Yishun Bus Interchange
.
There are 11 primary schools, 9 secondary schools, a junior college & an ITE college in Yishun.
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...
, encompassing the Yishun Planning Area, in the North Region, which includes Yishun New Town
Yishun New Town
Yishun New Town is a housing estate in the north of Singapore. The Lower Seletar Reservoir is found there.Shopping centres in Yishun include Northpoint Shopping Centre, which is situated next to Yishun MRT Station and Yishun Bus Interchange....
and the Nee Soon private residential estate.
Population of Yishun New Town and Nee Soon private estate:
1990 Population Census: 181,036
2000 Population Census: 176,689
Under the 1996 Land Use and Urban Design Planning, the total land area of the Yishun Planning Area was 2108 ha.
History
Yishun is the Mandarin romanization of Nee Soon, named after the "pineapplePineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
king" and rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
magnate, Lim Nee Soon
Lim Nee Soon
Lim Nee Soon was a Chinese merchant who promoted social and community matters, and was a respected community leader in Singapore. Lim was of Chinese Peranakan descent, with ancestry from Chao-chow-fu in Guangdong, China....
(b. 1879).
Lim Nee Soon was also a banker, contractor
Independent contractor
An independent contractor is a natural person, business, or corporation that provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract or within a verbal agreement. Unlike an employee, an independent contractor does not work regularly for an employer but works as and when...
and general commission
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
agent. He was the first general manager of the Bukit Sembawang Rubber Company Limited, formed in 1908. Nee Soon and Company was formed in 1911.
Nee Soon was one of the pioneers that opened up Sembawang
Sembawang
Sembawang is an area in the Northern-most portion of Singapore, encompassing the largest land mass within the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency. The incumbent Member of Parliament for the Sembawang Constituency is Khaw Boon Wan. The constituency jurisdiction extends into the Woodlands...
. Nee Soon served on the Rural Board from 1913 to 1921 and was also appointed a Justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
of Peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
. In the field of education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, he was one of the founders of Chinese High School
The Chinese High School
The Chinese High School , formerly Singapore Nanyang Overseas Chinese Middle School was an independent school in Singapore offering secondary education. The school was founded by Tan Kah Kee on 21 March 1919 and it merged with Hwa Chong Junior College on 1 January 2005 to form Hwa Chong Institution...
and also a member of the Raffles College Committee. Nee Soon Road was officially named in 1950 by the Rural Board to facilitate postal services
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
. Nee Soon also owned a large plot of land in the area and several roads in this area are named after his business concerns and family members. Nee Soon was a leading member of the Teochew
Teochew people
The Chaozhou people are Han people, native to the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong province of China who speak the Teochew dialect. Today, most Teochew people live outside China in Southeast Asia especially in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. They can also be found almost anywhere in the...
clan association poit ip huay kwan, and was a close friend of Dr Sun Yat Sen.
The name Nee Soon was one of those changed at the height of the campaign to replace dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
names with Mandarin ones. While the government later revoked some of its decisions and reinstated names like Bukit Panjang
Bukit Panjang
Bukit Panjang is a suburban area situated in the Central North-Western part of Singapore. The Bukit Panjang Planning Area, located in the West Region, encompasses the Housing Development Board's housing estate of Bukit Panjang New Town and the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.-Etymology:Bukit in the...
(for Zhenghua), Yishun remained unchanged and is now the name attached to streets, roads, park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s and a well-known cineplex
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
within Yishun New Town, Golden Village
Golden Village
Golden Village is a cinema operator based in Singapore which is a joint venture by Golden Harvest of Hong Kong and Village Roadshow of Australia. It operates nine multiplexes and cineplexes in the country including a largest cineplex at VivoCity. It joined hands to open a cinema at Great World...
Yishun.
Shopping/commercial areas
- Northpoint Shopping CentreNorthpoint Shopping CentreNorthpoint Shopping Centre is the first major suburban shopping mall in Singapore, and was opened in November/December 1992.Northpoint is conveniently located opposite the Yishun MRT Station and next to the Yishun bus interchange. It completed asset enhancement works in early 2010 to refresh the...
→ The only shopping mall in Yishun, was located just beside the Yishun MRT StationYishun MRT StationYishun MRT Station is a Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, built above ground level. It is the northernmost of 2 stations serving Yishun New Town and is part of the North South Line. This used to be the terminus of the line until the Woodlands extension was completed which connects the...
. It underwent an expansion completed in 2010 which included a new building connected to the main shopping mall built on a plot of land next to it. The expansion increased the size of Northpoint Shopping Centre and hold more shops as well as a new library at its top floor. The shopping centre was opened in 1992 making it the first modern sub-urban mall in a major housing estate (new town). Currently, sub-urban malls are almost a standard feature in all housing estates.
- Yishun 10 Cineplex → Adjacent to Northpoint Shopping Centre is the Yishun 10 Cineplex. Opened in May 1992, it was then the largest multiplex with the most screens (10 in all) in Asia. It is operated by the Golden Village group.
- Chong PangChong PangChong Pang is a precinct located at Yishun, Singapore. It has precincts of Neighbourhood 1 and Neighbourhood 7.-Politics:Chong Pang is part of Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency . It is anchored by K Shanmugam....
City → Chong Pang City is located in Neighbourhood 1. It has a collection of shophouses, a hawker centre and a market. There are the usual small, family-run businesses as well as a Shop n Save supermarket, CK department store, MacDonald's, Watson's and Guardian phamacies, 7-Elevens...etc. Chong Pang City was by far the biggest and most complete of the neighbourhood centres until the arrival of Northpoint Shopping Centre and Yishun 10.
- Other Neighbourhood Shopping Areas → There are various other neighbourhood centres at Nee Soon East (Neighbourhood 2), Khatib City (Neighbourhood 8) and Neighbourhood 4. A typical "heartland" neighbourhood centre consists of mom and pop shops, eateries (commonly called coffeeshops), supermarket chains, mini-marts, clinics, local banks, salons...etc. In the last decades, fast food outlets like MacDonald's, KFC as well as pharmacies are finding their way into these areas.
- Yishun Community LibraryYishun Community LibraryYishun Public Library, is a public library located in Yishun in the northern region of Singapore, initially opened in 1998.Formerly situated in the third level of the Sembawang Town Council building, it was closed on 23 October 2008 and reopened to the public on 14 November 2008, currently within...
→ The previous Yishun Community Library was located at Yishun Street 22. The library has since relocated to the new Northpoint Shopping Centre. The new library featured a bigger area which caters to the different needs of the Yishun population, and has books for both children and adults. It had been open to public on 14 November 2008 at 11am.
Neighbourhoods
Within the Yishun vicinity, There are 9 neighbourhoods.- Yishun Neighbourhood 1 or Yishun North
- Yishun Neighbourhood 2 or Taman Yishun
- Yishun Neighbourhoods 3, 4 and 5 or Yishun East
- Yishun Neighbourhood 6 and 9 or Yishun Central
- Yishun Neighbourhood 7 or Yishun West
- Yishun Neighbourhood 8 or Yishun South
Medical Facilities
- Khoo Teck Puat HospitalKhoo Teck Puat HospitalKhoo Teck Puat Hospital is a 550-bed hospital located at Yishun in Singapore. The hospital was officially opened by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on 15 November 2010, but began seeing outpatients and day surgery patients on 28 March 2010. Spanning over in the Yishun Central Area overlooking the...
Instead of Northern General Hospital, the new general hospital has been named Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is a 550-bed hospital located at Yishun in Singapore. The hospital was officially opened by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on 15 November 2010, but began seeing outpatients and day surgery patients on 28 March 2010. Spanning over in the Yishun Central Area overlooking the...
after receiving a S$125 million donation from the late Mr Khoo's family. Spanning over 3.5 hectares in the Yishun Central Area, the 550-bed hospital will offer a full range of comprehensive healthcare services for residents living in the north. A new feature of the hospital includes overlooking the scenic Yishun Pond. This will be the first hospital in the north after the nearest one which is at Thomson
Thomson, Singapore
Thomson is a relatively narrow area stretching from Novena in the Central Region of Singapore up north till Yishun. The area is mainly located within the central catchment area where some of Singapore's reservoirs are located, including MacRitchie Reservoir, Upper Peirce Reservoir and Lower Peirce...
.
- Yishun Polyclinic
Yishun Polyclinic is located at 100 Yishun Central beside Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and is managed by National Healthcare Group Polyclinic (NHGP). It is accessible by Bus 812, 853 or 858 from Yishun Bus Interchange
Yishun Bus Interchange
Yishun Bus Interchange is located in northern Singapore, across Yishun Avenue 2 from Yishun MRT Station and it is operated by SMRT Corporation. This existing bus interchange will be demolished to make way for a new airconditioned bus interchange that is integrated with a new shopping mall and...
.
- Other Private Clinics and Dental Clinics
Currently, the Yishun estate is well served by the Yishun Polyclinic as well as many private medical clinics and dental clinics.
Country clubs
- SAFRA Yishun Country Club → SAFRA Yishun Country ClubSAFRA National Service AssociationThe SAFRA National Service Association is an organisation in Singapore.First known as the Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association , the organisation was inaugurated on 2 July 1972 by Dr Goh Keng Swee. From a small club house in 1972 with 1,904 members when started...
is a country club owned by SAFRA, which aims to build morale and camaraderie amongst NSmen in Singapore. The club is strategically located in Yishun Park to offer a feel of nature. It also has a wide range of amenities like bowling centre, gym, tennis court, wall climbing, Western restaurant and Party World KTV. In order to create various choices among NSmen, SAFRA Yishun Country Club is destined as an Adventure Sports Hub within the group of SAFRA club houses.
- Orchid Country Club → Located near the scenic Seletar Reservoir. The club aims to improve the social status of its members. Activities there include Paintball. There is also a Chinese restaurant, bowling alley. Members facilities include a gym, swimming pool, golf driving range as well as tennis courts.
Community centres and clubs
- Nee Soon East Community Club
- Nee Soon South Community Centre
- Chong Pang Community Club
- Nee Soon Central Community Centre
- Nee Soon East Toastmasters Club
- Nee Soon East CC Youth Executive Committee (YEC)
- Chong Pang Toastmasters Clubhttp://chong-pang-toastmasters.ning.com
Transport
- Yishun MRT StationYishun MRT StationYishun MRT Station is a Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, built above ground level. It is the northernmost of 2 stations serving Yishun New Town and is part of the North South Line. This used to be the terminus of the line until the Woodlands extension was completed which connects the...
NS13, situated along Yishun Ave 2 and Yishun Ave 5, Yishun Central. - Yishun Bus InterchangeYishun Bus InterchangeYishun Bus Interchange is located in northern Singapore, across Yishun Avenue 2 from Yishun MRT Station and it is operated by SMRT Corporation. This existing bus interchange will be demolished to make way for a new airconditioned bus interchange that is integrated with a new shopping mall and...
Linked to the Yishun MRT station via the underpass at Northpoint Shopping Centre - Khatib MRT StationKhatib MRT StationKhatib MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the North South Line in Singapore. It is the southernmost of 2 stations serving Yishun New Town...
NS14, situated along Yishun Ave 2 and Yishun Ring Road
Parks, Garden and other Recreational Facilities
2 Major Parks:- Yishun Park (managed by National Parks Board) - a 13 ha park in the centre of the housing estate. Used to be a rubber estate, it is thickly covered with natural vegetation. Part of the land was developed into the SAFRA Yishun Country Club.
- Lower Seletar Reservoir Park (managed by NParks and PUB) - this small 3 ha park at the southern edge of the housing estate bordering the northern edge of the reservoir. Under the PUB's Active, Beautiful, Clean Water for all (ABC) programme, there are plans to open up the reservoir to more water sports. Currently there is a smaller water sports rental facility there. Occasionally there are dragon boat competition. Viewing benches, riderside deck and possibly a stage will be in the works if the project take off.
Nee Soon East Park.
It is located opposite Block 407 Yishun Avenue 6. It consist of a basketball court, fitness corner, and many more facilities.
Sports Facilities
- Yishun Stadium and Sports Hall:
Located at the Southern end of the town, the Yishun Stadium was opened on 2 January 1992. In 1993, it played host to the Karate event during the 1993 SEA Games in Singapore. In 1996, it was the home ground for the Sembawang Rangers FC
Sembawang Rangers FC
Sembawang Rangers Football Club was a football club in Singapore, based in Yishun. The club is also referred to among supporters as the "Stallions"....
in the S-league. Eventually the team was dropped from the league in 2003. Later on, it hosted the Young Lions
Young Lions (Singapore football team)
The Courts Young Lions are an under-23 football team from Singapore. Most of the members of the squad are players from Singapore's national under-23 team. The team comes under the direct control of the Football Association of Singapore , but is managed as a football club and has competed in...
in 2005 season, Sporting Afrique FC
Sporting Afrique FC
Sporting Afrique Football Club is a defunct professional football club which played in Singapore's S.League in 2006. The team was made up not of Singaporeans, but of players of African descent. Its squad consisted of players from Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya and Ghana. The club finished in 9th place...
in 2006 season and currently it is the home for Korean Super Reds FC for the 2007 season. Other than the main stadia with the soccer field and 8-lanes running track, it also houses a ClubFitt gym. The sport hall seat 800 and it can be use for badminton, basketball or other indoor sports.
- Yishun Swimming Complex
Opened in 1988, it has a competition pool (with 430 seating), a children pool and a training pool.
Industrial activities
The Yishun Industrial Park is a small industrial park situated between Avenues 6 and 7 which comprises some well known companies such as MurataMurata Manufacturing
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic components, based in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto.Honorary Chairman Akira Murata started Murata Manufacturing as a personal venture in October, 1944. On December, 1950 reorganized the company into Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd...
, Maxtor
Maxtor
Maxtor Corporation, founded in 1982 and acquired by Seagate Technology in 2006, was an American manufacturer of computer hard disk drives, the third largest in the world immediately prior to acquisition...
, Agilent, Avago Technologies
Avago Technologies
Avago Technologies is an American company which was earlier the semiconductor products division of HP and later Agilent Technologies, before being spun off into a distinct legal entity. It holds more than 5,000 patents.- Products:...
, ATS
ATS
-Societies:*Adventist Theological Society*American Temperance Society, an early American civic organization promoting temperance*American Thoracic Society, a society for lung physicians, health related professionals and researchers-Systems:...
, ASM-Frontend, STATS, Inc.
STATS, Inc.
STATS LLC is a global sports statistics and information company – the company name originated as an acronym for "Sports Team Analysis and Tracking Systems". It was founded on April 30, 1981 by John Dewan, who became the company's CEO...
and many other smaller companies. It can be reached by Bus service 811 from the Yishun Bus Interchange
Yishun Bus Interchange
Yishun Bus Interchange is located in northern Singapore, across Yishun Avenue 2 from Yishun MRT Station and it is operated by SMRT Corporation. This existing bus interchange will be demolished to make way for a new airconditioned bus interchange that is integrated with a new shopping mall and...
.
Educational institutions
Schools:There are 11 primary schools, 9 secondary schools, a junior college & an ITE college in Yishun.