Imagine this experience… EC in Tampines after Aurelle, already a hive of activity now looks forward to something completely different. Everyone is talking about Aurelle. The feeling has been building. From kids coming back after school to housewives in the supermarket – and residents’ own families anxiously looking forward to taking possession of their new homes- there is sheer elation in the air and excitement on every face.
So what ’s all the fuss about? Singapore ’s Executive Condominiums have a special attraction. They provide what is needed in condominiums combined with certain fruits fencing off public housing bringing a good deal for various eager home buyers. And Tampines, with its wide range of facilities such as shops and green squares abound, looks more like rough-hewn architecture to come.
Take Audrey for example – the bibliophile who managed to deliberate her way through War and Peace twice all without so much as budging from her armchair. Last week we had coffee together and one conversation he had with me was this nature of Tampines, possibly grabbing a bit of Time Square. “Can’t that be done?” she mused as we both laughed. Maybe an exaggeration but at least this EC buzz does add a touch of brightness to the suburban scene.
But what ’s boiling the pot is not just steel and lath supporting walls. It is homes to be designed in one ’s own mind and dream. Not just another development site. It ’s a treasure chest of opportunities. Families will do their first year trees up, their first midnights going to bed in the new room. Couples can live a * romance: meals on a smooth beckoning terrace.
Let ‘s indulge Uncle Jim for a moment. Stopping his morning Taiji at the local park, he makes out, “You watch! This EC will have more functions than a Swiss Army knife.” Spun or not, it’s an exciting whirlwind that’s brewing. Conversations are active in internet communities about new developments. From curiosity or astonishment at the printshop; to minutes of MRT walking distance, each thing receives its height of attention.
And let’s talk about education. Parents who are eager to see their little Suzy get an outstanding examination this year are all fascinated by Tampines’ features – in which schools receive acclaim and how to get them to a good n* school for tomorrow.
But beyond these discussions, the real love comes from the feeling for community itself. In the buzz, shared friendships can be seen by get-togethers of neighbors in their front yards and warm weather runs around Bedok Reservoir. It’s a lively tune: you just get caught up in it.
At the same time as jollies of yesteryear burst from old ladies’ knitting needles and young children look on entranced by aeroplane wakes up in the clear sky, Tampines carries on developing its own story. A new chapter unfolds and the sense of anticipation is heavy in others ‘ minds – sounds like a book worth reading!