Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station 1st Anniversary Celebration

Mr Kelvin Lim, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Coliwoo,

Partners, Residents,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

• Good morning. It is my pleasure to join you at Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station. Today, we mark not one, but two milestones: it’s the first anniversary since this site was given a new lease of life, and this iconic fire station’s 70^th anniversary since it opened its doors in October 1956.

  • When the fire station was built, it served a very different Bukit Timah, surrounded by attap houses, factories, and quarries.

  • It was opened to provide fire protection to the then-fast-growing Bukit Timah area, which was served by fire engines from the Central and Alexandra fire stations.

  • Much has changed over the past 70 years. Yet this distinctive building continues to serve the community around it, now in new and meaningful ways.

Giving Heritage a New Purpose

• This former fire station has been transformed in fresh and creative ways. Its continued relevance as a compelling destination shows that preserving our past and serving present needs can go hand in hand.

  • Through adaptive reuse, the building’s architectural character and social memory have been retained. This is even as the site has taken on new functions in housing, enterprise, and community life.

  • This successful transformation is especially beneficial in land-scarce Singapore. It shows how a conserved building can remain active, useful, and connected to the community, while standing out as a meaningful reminder of the past.

  • By giving a heritage icon a fresh purpose, we ensure that it remains part of our everyday lives, appreciated by future generations.

Creating a Vibrant Place for People

• Beyond accommodation and housing, Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station is also home to several communities.

  • Alongside its co-living units, the conserved site is host to artisan studios, F&B outlets, and experiential workshops.

  • Together, the diverse mix of tenants has created a vibrant work-live-play environment where residents and members of different communities live, work, create, connect and hang out.

  • We will have a chance to see this in action during the planned activities for this morning. I am looking forward to the bee education workshop. We will get a glimpse of how this old fire station is being brought to life by the people living in it and the businesses on site.

• This is the kind of thoughtful placemaking we want to encourage and see more of. It also shows what can be achieved when public agencies and private sector partners work together to unlock the potential of older buildings for new community uses.

  • It optimises the use of land while safeguarding the character and legacy of a significant building

  • More importantly, it creates a welcoming third space that is connected to a wider community.

Supporting the SG Youth Plan

• Supporting and nurturing the wider community is Coliwoo’s broader commitment to creating spaces that bring people together. It works with partners to contribute to the needs of the communities it serves.

  • In that same spirit, Coliwoo is creating meaningful spaces for people beyond this site. It is one of our partners contributing to the Flexible Accommodation initiative under the SG Youth Plan.

  • To this end, Coliwoo’s two other properties also offer discounted rooms to young Singaporeans. We have heard from our youths that they would value opportunities to try living independently as they enter adulthood. This initiative gives them the chance to do so, while building confidence, resilience, and practical life skills.

• Partnerships like these to support the SG Youth Plan reflect our whole-of-nation effort. The government, businesses, and the community have come together to give our youth the support, experiences, and opportunities they need to shape their future. Above all, we want our youth to know that we have their backs as they navigate the journey ahead.

  • I thank Coliwoo for being part of this journey, and I hope that more partners will join us in opening doors and creating exciting possibilities for our youth.

Conclusion

• Congratulations to the Coliwoo and LHN teams on achieving this happy and significant first milestone. A big thank you too, to  SLA, URA, NParks and our other partners, tenants, and residents who have contributed to this site’s remarkable start.

  • On this first and 70^th anniversary, I wish that Coliwoo Bukit Timah Fire Station will continue to be a place where heritage is appreciated, new ideas are created, and people, especially our youth, flourish with energy and hope.

• Thank you, and I wish everyone an enjoyable morning ahead.