My earliest visits to Toa Payoh were for my majong sessions with my Poly classmates. I don’t think I could remember which Lorong Jeffrey Heng stayed… Every trip there brought excitement to me. I loved the big old bus interchange and the hawker centre besides it. We ate there before going to his house for majong.
- Bus Interchange
Sad that the old bus interchange was demolished in 1999 to make way for the HDB Hub (HDB shift their HQ from Jalan Bukit Merah to here). So the bus interchange relocate to a temporary location opposite its original site and then shift back after the Hub was completed.
Here is how the old bus interchange looked like in 1988;
Photo credit : National Archives of Singapore, PICAS
Below the temporary bus interchange in 2002;
Photo credit : dgf6928 (definitely not me in the photo, so don’t be mistaken – just someone off the net that I don’t know)
The new Toa Payoh air-conditioned bus interchange (first in Singapore) at the HDB Hub;
- Toa Payoh Library
Of course, the nearby Toa Payoh Library was another must visit then when I needed to borrow some books. In front of the library, there was a fountain but now it’s replaced by amphitheatre. The library together with the fountain was built in 1973;
The fountain in front of the library in the 80s;
Photo Credit : HDB, Designed For Living
The above photo you can see the cinema besides it and the old bus stop on the right hand side.
How the library looks like after a face lift;
Below the amphitheater in front of the library;
Below you can see the HDB Hub building behind the library;
Photo credit : Jakrapong
- Toa Payoh Garden
Remember this was the landmark of most wedding couples having their wedding photos taken here then.
This was the Toa Payoh Garden Restaurant in the 80s;
Photo credit : Yiho
How it looks now;
Above 2 photo credit : Sophiazz
Photo credit : Chyeo1979
Oh, that was a blast from the past. Thanks, Laokokok!
I remember taking the 56 after school back to Bishan ‘cos there was no direct bus from SJI to Bishan in those days. Also, I go to the church across the road from the library, so these photos bring back memories.
The photo of the library being built… Singapore was so spacious back then.
My 2nd elder brother took his wedding photos at the Toa Payoh Garden and I was there. That must have been in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
You are right Victor. Many couples took their wedding photos at the Toa Payoh Garden then. Wonder if it’s still a trend now?
I worked for nearly 6 years up to 1984 at the Philips Audio Factory in Lorong 1. My colleagues and I knew where the cheapest coffee house set lunches in TP. Also the best Hainanese beef noodles (Lorong 6) and chicken feet noodles (just next to our factory on the hill top)
Do you know about the famous Adrian Lim case? It happened in Lor 7 Toa Payoh.
Oh yeah, there was also HDB club next to the Stadium and the Safra. We used to go jogging at the Stadium and play squash at the HDB club.
Yes, is Philips factory still there?
Yes. It’s still there. Actually it’s a huge complex of 3 factories. The few blocks of flats across Lor 1 from my former workplace have been rebuilt into 30+ storey flats. I visited a friend who stayed in the upper floors. Fantastic view. Can see MacRitchie even.
Hi Laokokkok, my first visit here (found you in my technorati results, dunno how come)..
OMG, I used to live in Toa Payoh until I was 8 (which is more than 20 years ago) and have hardly gone back since I started living in Tampines (and now, abroad)! These photos just bring back a flood of memories! I totally forgot about the fountain in front of the library, but thanks for the reminder! Haha!! Out of this world, man! I even have a picture of myself in Toa Payoh garden that my mom took possibly around my 1st or 2nd birthday! Wah lau, I can’t believe how much Toa Payoh has changed, but when I used to live here, McDonald’s hadn’t yet encroached!
Will come back for more when I can…
You are most welcome Shilpa! Though you are now out of Singapore, your “Wah Lau” still very Singapore haha!
I remember there was a Chinese restaurant located in the white structure in one of the photos of TPY Garden. Extremely popular too! Never ate there but every time I happened to take a walk in the gardens, it was always busy, especially in the evening.
I went to school at CHIJ for 10 years, then another two years in CJC, living first at Sennett Estate then Bishan and Yishun. I knew by heart where the different bus stands at the old bus terminus were; there was a shortcut that only the students and residents in the area knew of from the back school gate to another bus stop along the highway; I spent afternoons after school and even on weekends at the library; my favourite pisang goreng store is at the kopitiam near the library; on weekends my family would buy groceries at the NTUC then we will have dinner at the big square-shape hawker centre next to the small cinema, which has now been replaced by a park, the very same one near the HDB offices.
So I practically grew up in TPY without living there. Seeing these photos brought back many memories…
hi,
any idea where Toa Payoh Garden Restaurant moved to?
used to eat there.
thanks
Anyone has a photo of the now demolished Block 79?
I grew up there and regret not taking a photo b4 they tore it down!
i spent my childhood days at Toa Payoh from 1972 to 1985. i went to this blk 79 many times, 4th storey visit my friend an indian penang muslim family, his name is Ahmad Kamil. Last 2 years he passed away in early 40 years of age, i missed him so much and also missed his blk 79. This is a curved flat isnt it ? i regret too never took picture of this flat.
Hi, I lived at Toa Payoh since 1967 and it’s a memory I could not forget.The Toa Payoh Garden is the place for us to relax and the library is where we love to borrow books.
I just bring back lots of memories. We should have a Toa Payoh resident club.
Hi MKT,
Welcome here. Woh another one staying at Toa Payoh…good.
I stayed at Toa Payoh for 20 years plus. I was previously from Poi ching School which has now shifted to Tampines. I remember walking to my primary school when I was young. Happily walking in the rain after school.
Thank you for sharing the photos on Toa Payoh. I missed the old days, the old buildings and all my childhood memories come back after seeing all those photos. The market at Lorong 4 is still there though. I used to go to the swimming pool when I was young and we always have our Sports Day at Toa Payoh Stadium.
HI bbll,
Welcome here. Many schools have since shifted from their original place but retaining their old names. Sometimes, childhood memories are best.
Hey laokokok,
jus get 2 noe of ur blog thru a future neighbour (Toa Payoh Central Blk 79).
I grew up in TPY. My good & bad times, all had happened in TPY. I had lived in TPY 24yrs then shifted out. Now, 10yrs later, ‘I’l b back’.
Cant deny, ur pix really brings back memories. After looking thru e pix (though limited) & reading thru’ e replies, my eyes r red.
Lookin 4ward more pix & replies. Hopefully, can find my long-lost childhood frnds. :~ :rolleyes:
Hi Jacky777,
Welcome here and hope you enjoy reading this blog. Glad you are back in your old hometown after 10yrs.
Hi laokokok,
I am also looking for the pictures of block 79, toa payoh. I heard it’s pretty iconic and would be very keen to see how it looks. Thanks!
Hi Mark,
Welcome here. Anyone got photos of that block 79?
Hi there,
Thanks for putting up those pictures of Toa Payoh. It brings back memories and tears to my eye. I grew up exactly in the blocks next to the library and fountain.
I remember my childhood vividly and fondly now, playing hide and seek by hiding over the ledge on the point block and walking into the middle of the fountain to catch the fishes in there.
Where did you get those pictures by the way. They really jolted me. Makes you realise how fast time flies.
Appreciate you for sharing these again,
Joe
Hi Joe,
Thank you for visiting my blog and glad you like it. Some of the old photos are from National Archives of Singapore and others are searching through the internet.
Thanks for the memories – I lived in TP for about 23yrs before shifting.
Philips factory used to be a brown builing isn’t it? I believe it has moved a few times to its current location at Blk 620A
Oh, and the Toa Payoh hospital at the top of the hill!! Any pictures of that? I accompanied my mum to work sometimes, and I miss the hospital really.
Nice pictures. My wife and I lived in Toa Payoh for some time in one of those 40 floor HDB flats behind the MRT. Nice place to be, good food and lots of memories. Hope you come back there some time!!
Hi Grace,
Welcome to my blog. Yes the current Philips factory seems to be a different location than the past – thanks for bringing that out. I’ll try to look for the photo of Toa Payoh Hospital photo.
Hi Emile,
Thanks and glad to hear you are staying in Toa Payoh too.
Hi! I was browsing around for old photos of TPY and happen to drop by your site. Those photos indeed brought back many childhood memories.
My family have been living here since 1970 and we’ve seen lots of changes, so much that at times we can’t really recall some of the previous structures. Thanks for bringing back the wonderful times I’ve once had during childhood.
Hope you could share more photos with me if you had any. I’m also hope one of these day we can have a meet up and chat of this memorable place hee hee…
domheng@yahoo.com.sg
Hi Tracer,
Thanks for surfing by my blog. Yes, in fact many heartlands have too drastic structural changes until we can recognise it.
i lived through all that you mention in your blog and i’m still staying in toa payoh currently! thanks for all the good memories, i like it better back then actually!
The dragon in TP gardens was the longest most exciting thing in my childhood (sounding wrong already)….
TP garden was like THE place to be on mid autumn, with our cheesy ultraman (with and inverted condom like contraption to stuff the battery into) electric lanterns.
My first kiss was in Toa Payoh Central next to the library. How can I ever forget!
Wah first kiss at the Toa Payoh Central???
Wow… I never thought I can see all those pics again. Thanks laokokok. I remember the Toa Payoh Garden Restaurant. Never go on weekends, alway crowded. Toa Payoh Garden is where my uncle brought my aunt to walk walk. I was about 6 or 7 years old when my uncle drag me to date my aunt. heheheee….
hi just to share i’m staying in Toa Payoh for many year.When i was born my first blk was 141 cos of enblock then move to 139 then got married bought 140 enblock again now stay at 147.
Hi, I love ur blog on athe
Memories of tpy.
I moved here 3 years ago from woodlands (25yrs there)
Like tis new place. I tried to search for some
Old photos of BLK 79A-E.
Do u happen to have any?
Tks man
I used to stay at blk 64 (one of the rental blocks) in the 80s as a child, can barely recognize the area after the 90s. At least these landmarks are still intact: the CC and NPC, library, and the three-way junction nearby I need to cross in order to get home, and the hawker centre at blk 75