Cedar Girls’ will lose their 400m track when the lease expires in 2017. They have used the field since 1957. The land will be used to develop the new Bidadari Estate. (Photo: Google Earth)
Singapore Parliament, Monday, October 21, 2013 – Cedar Girls’ Secondary, a track and field powerhouse, look set to lose their 400m track in 2017, according to the Ministry of National Development (MND). The school has used the track since 1957. This year, they finished as the B and C Division champions at the National Schools Track and Field Championships.
In a written reply to a question by Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, the Potong Pasir member of parliament, who asked if the “Ministry could reconsider its decision to remove the 400-metre running track”, MND said, “In view of the impending development [of Bidadari Estate], we are unable to allow the school to extend the lease of the site.”
A 10-year lease for the land was given to Cedar Girls’ in 2007 and will expire in 2017.
In the statement, the ministry said, “When HDB (Housing and Development Board) recently exhibited its plans for the new Bidadari Estate at an exhibition, public feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 96% of respondents in support of the plans.”
A Facebook page was set up in support of the track and currently has 2,885 ‘likes’. In the ‘About’ page, it states: “[I]t is important also to understand that the track does not just serve Cedar and Cedar Primary School next door. The track is regularly used by other schools such as Victoria School, Victoria Junior College, St Stephen’s School and Gongshang Primary for their weekly training sessions. The Junior Sports Academy (an initiative by MOE) trains there every Saturday as well. In essence the loss of the track would impact more than just the two Cedar schools.”
Wrote Lian Buck Koh on the page: “This 400m track is part of the Cedar heritage and landscape, My sister raced on it in the 80s, my daughter now trains on it. Cedarians take much pride and they’ve ruled the schools athletics scene for decades. Mention Cedar Girls and track and fields comes next to their mind. Taking away the track is attempting to remove this niche, this heritage.”
Valerie Yeo, the creator of the page, said:”We’ve tried to engage people through this page. Disappointed? Yes. Given up, no.
“We hope to keep this conversation alive. I think it is all about having a good conversation, debate about using scarce resources in Singapore. It starts with the Tampines and Cedar tracks but it sure doesn’t end there.”
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