When you think of Tanjong Pagar, the first thing that comes to mind is the high-rise towers, commercial building and offices. But did you know that Tanjong Pagar used to hold the nation’s largest swimming complex back then? Yeap, and that’s what we’re here to find out.
Today we’re in the heartland of Tanjong Pagar where this playfield used to stand thousands of crowds during its glory days as a swimming complex.
This is Yan Kit Swimming Complex. Built in 1952 and it became the largest public swimming facility in Singapore after Mount Emily Swimming Complex close its door in 1982. (that’s literally post-Japanese Occupation and pre-Singapore’s Independence)
It is located along Yan Kit Road, opposite Tanjong Pagar Community Club. Both the road and swimming complex were named after Chinese pioneer and dentist Look Yan Kit.
It was constructed at the cost of $513,000. Close to 15,000 square metres of land were dedicated to the complex. That’s almost as big as Wild Wild Wet at 20,000 square metres, before it got extended twice its size.
It was furnished with three contiguous pools, amenities such as a clubhouse, shower rooms, refreshment kiosks and children’s paddling pool.
When the complex was opened to the public in 1953 — it came with an entrance fee of 10 cents for swimmers under 18 years old and 15 cents for adults.
And here’s the thing, I found out that back in the day, the immensely popular pools were standing room only, and a two-hour time limit was imposed on the swimmers.
The complex eventually closed its doors in 2001, due to a decline in attendance, coupled with an increase in maintenance costs. And swimming complex was left abandoned for 10 years before they demolished the entire site.
Sitting in the shadow of the Pinnacle@Duxton, the now-defunct Yan Kit Swimming Complex has turned into a community sports facility.
The iconic single-storey “C”-shaped Art Deco building is all that remains of Yan Kit Swimming Complex — once the nation’s largest and most up-to-date swimming facility.
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