The Civic District I

Esplanade : a wide open space by the sea which is used for public walks or drives.

The Transformation

1819 : The area where the Esplanade currently is was covered with a low jungle and had a few huts.

1819 onwards : Although the area around the Esplanade was designated for government buildings by Raffles, European businessmen started building their homes along its frontage and the locals were not in favour of this. The shoreline actually came up to the edges of the current Padang and the Esplanade was about 64 meters wide.

1843 : After the land reclamation, the Europeans started holding their annual New Year Regatta there and this soon expanded into a full-scale Sports Day.

1840 : Horse-riding and pony races were introduced here.

1845 : It was enclosed with posts and chains to cordon off the area to protect pedestrians from being injured by pony-racing, drunken sailors and passing traffic.

1890 : Landfill and reclamation widened the Esplanade with a sea wall. A new road was built called the New Esplanade Road.

1922 : More land reclamation took place and this new land was called the Esplanade Park. The land separated by Connaught Drive (former New Esplanade Road) was differentiate as Padang and Esplanade Park.

1953 : The Esplanade Park was renamed Queen Elizabeth Walk to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and her assent to the British Throne.



In the Park...

Esplanade Park houses many of the colonial monuments such as the Cenotaph, the Lim Bo Seng Memorial, the Tan Kim Seng Fountain and the former Satay Club.

At this Moment...

It was hoped that this simple park called Queen Elizabeth Walk which had evolved into Marina Bay would met into The Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay. But, it looked pretty deserted as the only activity that can be carry out is photography. This seems rather wasteful of the amazing history of the park.

As it was then the park is still an excellent place for people to relax. Maybe we should take the cue from history. Just as in 1953, as part of the Coronation Celebrations, the seafront promenade was refurbished and renamed Queen Elizabeth Walk..Perhaps, more monuments can be built on this park to commemorate more of our local heros like Elizabeth Choy? Since was the park where our former colonizers used for leisure, perhaps the National Heritage Board could showcase some of the activities which were played out in the past.



Trivia

Did you know that Connaught Drive commemorates the visit by Prince Arthur who was the Duke of Connaught? Prince Arthur and his brother of King Edward II came for a visit in 1906 and the New Esplanade Road was renamed to commemorate that visit.

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