July 7, 2007

PRESERVING NOTEWORTHY BUILDINGS

Can Amber Road house be relocated?


I READ with interest the report on the historical house in Amber Road.

When my family and I were in Melbourne we visited James Cook's cottage. We were told that the cottage had been taken down brick by brick in England and reassembled in Melbourne as part of Melbourne's history.

As there is no way of saving the house where it now stands, is it possible to preserve it in the same way? Move it to an appropriate location and showcase it as part of Singapore's architectural history.

I hope that the authorities and even private developers will pay more heed to preserving noteworthy buildings. A sense of belonging does not require only human ties. Familiar places play a big part too.

I am in my 50s and already I do not know my way around some parts of Singapore that I used to frequent as a child. How sad.

Audrey Yip Lai Cheng (Ms)