5 ways Mount Pleasant’s Old Police Academy will get a new lease of life
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An artist’s impression of how physical structures from the Old Police Academy will be reused in the new Mount Pleasant estate.
PHOTO: HDB
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SINGAPORE – Heritage elements of the Old Police Academy, which occupied the grounds of Mount Pleasant for nearly eight decades from 1929 to 2005, will be incorporated into an upcoming Housing Board estate.
Six buildings were retained after a heritage study assessed them to be the most representative of the police’s historical, social and architectural heritage.
Physical structures from the academy’s old drill shed and swimming pool were also salvaged and will be reused in the new Mount Pleasant estate, whose first Build-To-Order (BTO) flats will be launched in October.
Here are five ways the Old Police Academy will live on.
New uses for four blocks
Four buildings built between 1926 and 1930 will be repurposed.
Blocks 1 and 2 were the main administrative buildings situated at the original main entrance of the academy in Whitley Road, and provided the backdrop for parade ground events and graduation photo shoots.
Blocks 27 and 28 were colonial-style bungalows used as senior officers’ accommodation. Each bungalow has a unique butterfly-shaped semi-detached layout with full-length verandahs, and were designed to suit the tropical weather while retaining English-style design roots.
An artist’s impression of Blocks 27 and 28. HDB said agencies are studying appropriate uses for the colonial-style bungalows, which will be integrated into the new Mount Pleasant estate.
PHOTO: HDB
Block 1 will be used as a neighbourhood police post and Singapore Police Force heritage gallery, HDB said.
As for the remaining blocks, HDB said agencies are studying possible appropriate uses for them, such as community or commercial facilities, which will be integrated into the new estate.
Drill shed
An artist’s impression of how the trusses and columns from the old drill shed will be reused in the new Mount Pleasant estate.
PHOTO: HDB
The trusses and columns from an old drill shed will be reused in the Mount Pleasant Crest BTO project’s precinct pavilion.
To extract the components, workers on scissor lifts removed the connection bolts between the roof trusses and supporting columns, while an 85-tonne lorry crane kept the roof trusses under tension to stabilise them.
The old drill shed was once a popular space for police events and activities such as foot drills, medal ceremonies and band performances.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Designed as a semi-outdoor training space with a metal roof structure, the shed was once a popular space for police events and activities such as foot drills, medal ceremonies and band performances.
Swimming pool starter blocks
An artist’s impression of how starter blocks from the old swimming pool will be repurposed as seating at a drop-off porch.
PHOTO: HDB
Six starter blocks from an old swimming pool will be repurposed as seating at the drop-off porch in Mount Pleasant Crest.
A machine was used to break the concrete around each block, and they were secured with protective padding and lifting straps before being lifted by an excavator.
The 50m by 30m Olympic-size swimming pool was opened in February 1977 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
The 50m by 30m Olympic-size swimming pool was opened in 1977 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. It was used by trainees and officers from police divisions.
PHOTO: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF SINGAPORE
On weekdays, the pool was used by trainees and officers from police divisions. It was open to members of the police force and their families in the evenings and on weekends.
Mr Lee Chee Chiew, 67, who was part of the Old Police Academy Workgroup that was consulted by the authorities, recalled learning swimming and life-saving skills at the swimming pool in 1977 when he was undergoing officer cadet training. The group had suggested retaining the starter blocks, said the retired deputy commander.
“We are honoured and privileged to be remembered for our training and contributions (to) the Singapore Police Force,” he added.
Senior Police Officers’ Mess
Block 153, built in 1931, will continue to serve as the Senior Police Officers’ Mess. It is located outside the housing estate’s boundary.
Many formal gatherings, official functions and events were held here, including festive celebrations, weddings, and networking and socialisation events for serving and retired officers.
Former clinic and hospital ward
Block 13, a former clinic and hospital ward that falls outside Mount Pleasant estate, will be integrated into future developments.
Construction of Block 13 began in 1928. Built in the style of plantation houses, the building was designed with surrounding verandahs and large timber shutters for natural ventilation.