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\nView of Little Guilin, a scenic spot in Bukit Batok. (Photo: Michael Gwyther-Jones; Flickr)
\nOther neighbourhoods in the west of Singapore have become very crowded, but Bukit Batok remains a haven of peace.
\nBy Joanne Poh
\nA stroll around Bukit Batok Central or one of the area\u2019s subzones such as Guilin or Hillview reveals a peaceful residential area swathed in greenery.
\nWith easy access to some of Singapore\u2019s most luxuriant natural spaces, residents enjoy an escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life while still being within easy reach of the lively Jurong East commercial hub.
\nA turbulent past
\nSome say the name Bukit Batok means \u201ccoughing hill\u201d. As quarrying used to be carried out in the area, the reference to coughing is an allusion to the blasts that were frequently heard in the vicinity.
\nThe hilliness of the area is emphasised probably because the area was built upon norite, a type of plutonic rock that made Bukit Batok such an important quarrying location at the turn of the last century. Spectacular traces of former granite quarries can be found today at Little Guilin and Bukit Batok Nature Park.
\nBukit Batok also played a significant role in World War II, being the site of the Battle of Bukit Timah from 10 to 12 February 1942, when British, Indian and Australian soldiers attempted to repel the Japanese invasion following their landing on Singapore\u2019s western shores just days earlier.
\nThe Old Ford Motor Factory, located on Upper Bukit Timah Road, was the site where the British officially surrendered to Japanese forces on 15 February 1942. The original building has been converted to Memories at Old Ford Factory, a museum run by the National Heritage Board.
\nIn December 1975, works to turn the quarrying village into Bukit Batok New Town commenced, with the first HDB blocks being completed in 1985. 1987 saw the completion of HDB blocks in Bukit Gombak. In 1998, the area\u2019s main shopping mall West Mall was opened.
\nPeace and quiet
\nThe Bukit Batok today has not changed tremendously since the late 1990s when West Mall was opened. And that is how residents like it.
\nCharmaine Tan, a 32-year-old bank executive, is grateful that she got to grow up in the relative peace and quiet of the Hillview area.
\n\u201cThe Bukit Batok area is a lot greener than many of Singapore\u2019s other neighbourhoods. There are lots of great spots where residents can take long walks, have picnics or sit down to an al fresco kopi without having to worry about being swamped by crowds,\u201d she said.
\nShe cites Bukit Batok Nature Park as one of her favourite places in the area. \u201cIn my opinion, this park is one of the most beautiful places in Singapore. The view of the quarry is amazing, and you can often see people meditating or doing yoga on quiet weekday afternoons. Little Guilin over at Bukit Batok Town Park is also very scenic.\u201d
\nRecent hype in the area has been centred on the gentrified subzone of Hillview, where most of Bukit Batok\u2019s private condominiums are located. New shopping mall HillV2 has been a breath of fresh air for the Hillview area\u2019s residents, who appreciate the stylish offerings such as Dean & Deluca and Wine Connection Bistro.
\nDespite the decidedly upmarket feel of the Hillview area, Bukit Batok manages to retain a down-to-earth character that residents cling to in an increasingly fast-paced society.
\nTan said: \u201cThere are many hidden gems in the area that only residents know about. At the Civil Service Club across the road from the bus interchange, there are a bowling alley and spa that are both open to the public. West Mall, our neighbourhood mall, has the advantage of never being too crowded. It houses a library, supermarket and cinema.\u201d
\nFor those residents who prefer the buzz of big shopping malls, Jurong East is just one MRT stop away, and even reachable on foot in under\u00a045 minutes from Bukit Batok MRT station. Jurong Gateway and the Jurong Lake District are being developed into Singapore\u2019s second Central Business District (CBD). The former is already a bustling commercial hub thanks to big shopping malls like Westgate and JEM.
\nThe area has reaped the benefits of the new Downtown Line, with Hillview MRT station cutting travelling time to the CBD in half for residents who previously relied on feeder bus services to ferry them to stops on the North-South and East-West lines.
\nIn addition to the Downtown Line, residents are also served by the Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak stations on the North-South Line, which connects swiftly to the East-West Line at Jurong East station in a couple of minutes.
\nAn MRT ride from the Bukit Batok area to the city centre takes only about half an hour. In addition, there are various bus services like 77 and 171 that connect the area directly to the city\u00a0centre, enabling residents to shuttle seamlessly between the energy of the city and the serenity of home.<\/p>\n