I went for a heritage walk at Fort Canning Park on 17 Sep 2010, Friday (3 pm – 5.30 pm). The event was organized by the LAS Social Committee and our guide was Ms Lee Wei Ling from National Parks Singapore.

I enjoyed hearing many good tips on plants, some legends and interesting stories about Fort Canning.  Ms Lee was surprised to note that what she thought as uncommon or not easy to guess were well answered by the group.  I think we have librarians who love and know plants very well.

It was a leisurely stroll back into time to rediscover Fort Canning and its rich heritage within this verdant oasis in the heart of the city. We found out about the many historical layers of this hill which is irrefutably intertwined with the history of Singapore. We visited some interesting sites:

Fort Gate and the nearby sites: Once the seat of Malay royalty in the 14th century and home to colonial governors in the 19th, it became a military base during the Second World War. Today, a display of ancient relics dating back to the 14th century as well as the Fort Gate, remnant of the fortress built in the 1860s, are reminders of Singapore’s rich past.

Spice Garden: We explored the world of spices which was part of the original tract of Singapore’s first botanical and experimental garden, we learnt about the importance of spices back then as well as how it is integrated into our lives today.

Whether it is botanical or historical, learning about our heritage is not possible through just one walk in the park, yet, it is a good starting point for some and good revision for me.

On a personal note, the walk brought back memories of the time when I was a resident of Tan Tye Alley (a small lane that no longer exists in Singapore’s street directory after the mid 70s).  It was adjacent to Tan Tye Place just opposite Fort Canning Hill.  Some of the 3 storey units and a big ware house on the alley became part of Liang Court (Chinese: 亮阁) at Clarke Quay, near Singapore River.

During my childhood, my family lived on the third story of one of the units. Fort Canning was my childhood playground. I have wonderful memories of watching the fireworks while lying down on the small roof-top balcony cum garden after dinner.

Contributed by Dexterine Ho