Padang to be gazetted as S'pore's 75th national monument today

The Padang - a site of countless historic events in Singapore's history - will officially be gazetted as the nation's 75th national monument today, the 57th anniversary of the Republic's independence.

Yesterday, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said that while the site has no physical structures, its open space is the site of many shared memories as a nation.

The gazette protects the site from alteration and change that would affect its character and significance, while allowing it to continue to be a social and community space enjoyed by Singaporeans, he added.

Mr Tong was speaking at the National Gallery Singapore, which occupies the former Supreme Court and City Hall that sit next to the Padang.

The National Heritage Board (NHB) said the Padang is the first green, open space on Singapore's list of national monuments - the highest form of recognition for a structure or site's significance.

Located in the heart of Singapore's civic district, the Padang is a green patch of about 4.3ha - about the size of six football fields - surrounded by St Andrew's Road, Connaught Drive, as well as the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) and the Singapore Recreation Club's (SRC) clubhouses.

"Generations of people have gathered to witness key milestones in Singapore's history. It stands as a testament to Singapore's historical journey, our journey, our trials, our tribulations, our progress, all have been witnessed by this open space that we see here," said Mr Tong, who cited victory parades celebrating the Japanese surrender during World War II in 1945, as well as the merger with the Malaysian Federation in 1963 and the post-independence National Day parades.

"It anchors our Singaporean identity and reflects our place in the world," he added.

During the colonial period, the Padang - which means field or open ground in Malay - was initially known as the plain, and then the esplanade, a site for recreation.

It also became a venue for horse races and performances, and hosted New Year's Day celebrations in the 1840s.

In 1966, it was the venue of Singapore's first National Day Parade. The National Day Parade will be held at the Padang next year.

Ms Jean Wee, director of the NHB's Preservation of Sites and Monuments division, said that together with Singapore's other national monuments, the Padang "will contribute to the architectural and cultural diversity of our nation's built heritage, and be celebrated as one of the many places that define Singapore and our people".

The NHB said key community stakeholders are involved in the maintenance and use of the site.

SCC president Zoher Motiwalla said: "We take very seriously our role as one of the stalwart custodians of this newest national monument, the Padang, and will continue to help maintain it as a place that brings communities together to interact and play through sports and leisure activities."

SRC president Chang Yeh Hong said that besides maintaining the site, the club has continued its tradition of promoting sports for all.

"This is a tradition we will proudly uphold," he added.

NHB said that following the gazette, it will promote greater awareness and appreciation of the Padang's significance in Singapore's history through various commemorative initiatives to be launched from this month, including tours and interactive games for students and the public.

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The Padang's history

From tug-of-war and football games to war victory parades and the unveiling of Singapore's state symbols, the Padang has fielded all these events. In view of its historical significance, the open field of about 4.3ha will from today be Singapore's 75th national monument. Here are some milestones it has witnessed.

The Padang was a key recreation and commemorative space for members of all communities. Chinese New Year, royal birthdays, jubilees and coronations, and occasionally Thaipusam would be commemorated with fireworks displays at the Padang.

The Esplanade from Scandal Point (right, above) is an 1851 painting by John Turnbull Thomson, the first government surveyor in Singapore from 1841 to 1853. Scandal Point was a small knoll near present-day Connaught Drive that has since been levelled. The painting is on display in the Singapore History Gallery at the National Museum of Singapore.

Following the British surrender on Feb 15, 1942, the Japanese showcased their power at the Padang, which they used as a parade and ceremonial ground. The Padang was used to cultivate tapioca for food in 1944.

On June 5, 1959, Singapore's first Cabinet was sworn in at a closed-door ceremony in City Hall, a milestone in Singapore achieving self-governance from the British. The nine Cabinet members, seated in front of City Hall facing the Padang, were (from left to right): Yong Nyuk Lin, Ong Pang Boon, Goh Keng Swee, Toh Chin Chye, Lee Kuan Yew, Ong Eng Guan, Ahmad Ibrahim, S. Rajaratnam and K. M. Byrne.

On Aug 9, 1966, independent Singapore held its first National Day Parade at the Padang, which included 23,000 people. Thousands lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the event.

The first Formula 1 night race was held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Sept 28, 2008. Cars whizzed by the Padang along St Andrew's Road, and the green patch featured in images of Singapore's civic district that were broadcast globally.

On Aug 9, 2015, Singapore celebrated 50 years of independence with a grand birthday bash at the Padang. It included a mobile column with 177 vehicles and an aerial display involving 50 aircraft.