Clementi: Singapore’s Education Hub
Mention Clementi and many will immediately associate it with the National University of Singapore (NUS). That is hardly surprising as NUS has a large campus in Clementi. What many forget is there are two other tertiary educational institutions in the neighbourhood.
However, Clementi is not just all about schools and studying. There are a surprising number of interesting places and hidden little gems in the estate.
Photo: Jurong KTMB Railway Line (Photo: Calvin Teo, Wikimedia Commons)
History of Clementi
Clementi is located in the western region of Singapore. The neighbourhood is bounded by Bukit Batok to the north, Bukit Timah to the northeast, Queenstown to the east and Jurong East to the west.
Many historians think that Clementi was named after Sir Cecil Clementi Smith, who was the first British High Commissioner of the Straits Settlement. But there are those who think that it was named after Sir Cecil Clementi, a former Governor of the Straits Settlement who initiated the construction of Kallang Airport. While historians cannot agree who Clementi was named after, many would definitely agree that Clementi is a vibrant town!
The area where Clementi New Town stands today was once a military camp named Colombo Camp where the Singapore Guard Regiment was stationed. The camp was demolished in 1975 after the regiment was disbanded. Not long after, HDB started developing Clementi New Town.
In the mid-1950s, the area around Clementi Avenue 1 was known as Sussex Estate which housed many families of senior British non-commissioned officers. The estate was demolished in 1997 to make way for new developments.
There is also a decommissioned steel truss railway bridge in Clementi. It was once part of the railway line to transport goods between Jurong and Malaysia. The railway was active from 1966 to the early 1990s. Today, the disused railway track attracts many photographers and nature lovers.
What’s in Clementi
While non-residents know Clementi merely as the neighbourhood with lots of schools, residents know that their neighbourhood offers a lot more. Clementi has a well-established and comprehensive public transport network, numerous amenities and popular hawkers selling all manner of delicious and affordable food.
The Clementi Mall is a recent development in the neighbourhood. The six-storey retail development enjoys direct linkage to Clementi MRT station and Clementi Bus Interchange. Other popular places include West Coast Plaza and the food centre at 448 Clementi Avenue 3.
There have been a number of new residential projects launched for sale in Clementi. Examples include Whistler Grand, Parc Clematis and The Clement Canopy. In February 2019, URA launched a residential site along Clementi Avenue 1 for sale. Bids from many developers are expected when the tender for the site closes in July 2019.
Clementi is also well-know for the Ang Chee Sia Ong Temple (a Taoist, Mahayana Buddhist and Confucian temple located along West Coast Drive), Darussalam Mosque (Islamic mosque along Commonwealth Avenue West) and Community of Praise Baptist Church along Boon Lay Way.
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Clementi in 10 years
Exciting things are being planned for Clementi! Although Clementi is a mature housing estate, it is still constantly evolving to keep up with the times!
Residents of Clementi can look forward to the up-and-coming Cross Island Line, which will ramp up the connectivity of their estate. The development of the Jurong Lake District into Singapore’s second CBD can only mean more spillover benefits for Clementi. At the same time, the continuous developments and new innovations pouring out from the nearby one-north research hub would only add to Clementi’s appeal.
Those looking to move to this exciting neighbourhood will be pleased to know that more residential units can be expected from the recently launched URA site along Clementi Avenue 1 and upcoming Parc Clematis condominium.
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Clementi is a popular housing choice with home buyers because it is a well-established housing estate with a comprehensive transport network, excellent schools and lots of amenities. At the same time, the neighbourhood is constantly evolving which ensures that it will always play an important and relevant role to the overall growth story of Singapore.
