Welcome to Toa Payoh Town
Ang Mo Kio | Bishan
Historical Origins
Toa Payoh in the Hokkien dialect means "big swamp land".
The word 'Payoh' originates from the Malay word 'paya' for swamp. This extensive district was quite notorious for
the numerous squatters who were mainly engaged in farming and rearing pigs.
The squatters started moving out in 1962 due to inducements (including increased compensation rates) offered
by the Government. Redevelopment of the district started in early 1964. Toa Payoh New Town, HDB's second
satellite town, was built in 1970. The housing estate was designed to be
self-contained with a town centre acting as a
focal point for the shopping and entertainment needs of the residents. Industrial developments were also built
within the town to provide residents with job opportunities close to home while schools were
established within the six neighbourhoods.
Location and Layout
Toa Payoh town is just 6km away from the city centre. It is well-served by the expressways and major
roads as well as excellent public transportation. The town is bounded by Braddell Road and Bartley Road to the north,
Upper Paya Lebar Road to the east, MacPherson Road and Jalan Toa Payoh to the south and Thomson Road to the west.
Transport Facilites
There are two MRT stations within the town, namely, Toa Payoh MRT station and Braddell MRT
station. Situated above Toa Payoh MRT station is the new air-conditioned Toa Payoh Bus Interchange,
itself integrated with the HDB Centre. The bus interchange is a major transportation hub
serving not only the needs of town residents in and around Toa Payoh, but also
links residents to other parts of the Singapore.
ERS for Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh town has more than
36,600 units of flats with the majority 3-room followed by 4-room type flats.
This is in contrast with the newer towns where the majority of the flats are the
4-room type. As the first new HDB town, the emphasis then had been on simplicity
and speed. However, as buildings and facilities get older, the contrast between
the old and new estates had become increasingly stark.
First announced in Sep 1995, the ERS is an integrated and systematic approach to
rejuvenate older HDB towns to make them more compatible with the newer estates.
ERS allows town residents to continue staying in their estates and enjoy a
quality lifestyle. At the same time, it allows land to be developed to its
maximum potential.
To date, the ERS has successfully revitalised the town with the following
major changes:
 Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS).
Redevelopment of Toa Payoh Town Centre
- HDB Centre & Bus Interchange.
Main Upgrading Programme (MUP).
New housing, including private
developments Oleander Towers & Trellis Tower.
New communal facilities - new Regional
Sports Centre & neighbourhood park.
Improve road networks.
With upgrading and bigger housing built, flats in Toa Payoh are therefore not less valuable
than those in the newer towns.
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More Housing Options
Toa Payoh has underdone much transformation with
the upgrading of the older precincts and the redevelopment of the town centre. From humble 3-room flats,
successively taller public housing blocks have been built in Toa Payoh - the most
recent being four 40-storey blocks at Toa Payoh Lorong 2.
With only 0.2% or approximately 7,000 housing units in Singapore being located at
the 25th storey or higher, the prices of these dwellings notably escalate
exponentially with its height, resulting in hefty premiums being paid for these high-rise units.
According to HDB’s figures (The Business Times, 16 June 2001), dwellings on the top two
floor levels of the pioneer batch of 40-storeys public housing blocks in Toa Payoh are priced
between 12% to 15% higher than those units located on the first 20 storeys within the same building.
This price differential translates to an average of S$31,000 to S$41,000 more.
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Town Attractions
Toa Payoh has developed a
distinct character through the years. The area bustles with activity and is a
great place to soak into the local lifestyle. It boasts Singapore's only
air-conditioned bus interchange and both residents/visitors are spoilt for
choices with a wide range of merchandise, food and entertainment options. Here
you can pick up garments at attractively low prices - T-shirts and shorts at SGD
10 for three items or children's clothes for as little as SGD 2. Toa Payoh town
centre has its own cinemas, hawker centres, coffee shops, a community library
and a nearby neighbourhood park.
One of Singapore's oldest HDB estate, Toa Payoh houses many historical features
little known to its residents. Now, residents of Toa Payoh need to pay just one
dollar to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the area and its rich
traditions and culture. Organised by the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council
and the Central CDC, the Toa Payoh Trail includes
some of the Singapore's oldest landmarks:
Chung Hwa Free Clinic
Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery
Mosque Muhajirin
Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple
Toa Payoh Town Garden
Toa Payoh Town Centre
Tree Shrine
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Schools
Secondary schools include Beatty Secondary School,
Braddell-Westlake Secondary School,
Convent of Holy Infant Jesus Secondary School, and
First Toa Payoh Secondary School.
Primary schools include Braddell Primary School,
Convent of Holy Infant Jesus Primary School,
First Toa Payoh Primary School,
Kheng Cheng School,
Marymount Convent School,
Pei Chun Public School,
Poi Ching School.
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