Katong-Joo Chiat Heritage Tour to Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple by Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple (Indrayogan Yogarajah) 

As a landmark with over 150 years of history, the Temple Committee Chairman Indrayogan Yogarajah and Project Manager Nantha Kumar of Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple envisioned a heritage trail that would celebrate not just its deep-rooted connection to Katong-Joo Chiat’s history, but the precinct's remarkable story of multicultural harmony.

After their successful CFC application, the project team carried out extensive research on the area and produced a two-hour walking trail that wove through Joo Chiat's storied streets. From the historic Old Joo Chiat Police Station to the beloved Kim Choo Kueh Chang and the serene Saint Hilda's Church, each stop revealed how different communities have flourished alongside each other for decades.

The tour culminated with an exclusive exploration of the temple itself, where participants discovered the intricate architecture, sacred rituals, and compelling history of Singapore's Sri Lankan Hindu community. Each session then concluded with refreshments and a dynamic dialogue session, where participants shared their own memories and connections to the area. Originally planned for five sessions, the overwhelming response to the tour led to seven successful runs conducted for more than 100 participants.

Following this remarkable success, the temple is exploring regular tour offerings to ensure that more visitors can experience Katong-Joo Chiat's unity in diversity from the lens of a longstanding neighbourhood icon. The initiative's success was further highlighted in the temple's publication, documenting this meaningful contribution to local heritage appreciation. The publication can be found here on page 14. 

I Spy With My Little Eye by Jessica Heng Lin Qing 

Friends and creatives Jessica Heng and Bambby Cheuk saw an opportunity in the HAN CFC to bring their unique storytelling approach to Katong-Joo Chiat. Drawing from their experience in creating meaningful community narratives, the duo designed "I Spy With My Little Eye"—an inclusive photography programme that gave children with diverse abilities a platform to share their perspectives of the historic neighbourhood.

Their vision came to life when eight young explorers embarked on a unique photographic adventure through Joo Chiat Complex, armed with digital cameras and boundless curiosity. During the three-hour journey, these children transformed into keen observers and storytellers, capturing the vibrant essence of the shopping centre at every turn. 

They wandered through textile shops with their rich tapestries of colours, discovered sparkling treasures in jewellery stores, and warm spaces of upholstery workshops, documenting their discoveries through photographs and engaging conversations with shopkeepers. The project team had scouted the shops beforehand and sought permission from their owners, as well as Joo Chiat Complex and Pertapis Singapore, who warmly welcomed the participants with safe environments to encounter everyday heritage.

The session didn't end with photography—they channelled their experiences into artistic expression, recording their play in collage art postcards. The works were then displayed in a two-month-long exhibition at Joo Chiat Complex that featured the shops’ histories and allowed the community to collect more than 400 postcards, which offered visitors a chance to see the familiar space through fresh, young eyes. Through the project, Jessica and Bambby successfully created a platform where young voices could contribute to the neighbourhood's ongoing narrative, proving that heritage stories can be told through many different lenses.

Our Collective Memories of Katong-Joo Chiat by Yeoh Hong Ghee  

Through the project “Our Collective Memories of Katong-Joo Chiat”, Yeoh Hong Ghee gathered and wove together the everyday stories and personal memories of residents and community members, bringing to life the intangible threads that make up the fabric of this storied neighbourhood. 

Inspired by two literary works—A Penniless Boy, Chew Joo Chiat by Philip Chew and dakota by Wong Koi Tet—the project invited participants on a journey to rediscover the sights, sounds, and stories of Katong-Joo Chiat. Over four months, Yeoh guided seven participants through workshops that combined literature, photography, and creative expression. From bus rides and walkabouts with film cameras, to collage-making sessions at City Book Room, each activity encouraged participants to share their personal encounters and memories of the neighbourhood.

The project culminated in a public talk and interactive bookmark collage-making activity, which drew 38 attendees of all ages, fostering a space for shared storytelling and reflection. Alongside this, an online showcase on Instagram captured and extended the reach of these community memories.

Through the lens of the participants’ writing, collages, and photographs, the project highlighted not only Katong-Joo Chiat architectural and culinary heritage, but also the small, quiet moments of daily life—childhood walks, family ties across generations, and everyday acts of resilience. As some participants continue to explore their family histories and contribute new layers to the online showcase, the project’s legacy lives on as an archive of community voices. 

Explore the online showcase of memories at their Instagram account here.

Her Story - The Women of Katong/Joo Chiat by City Book Room (Tan Waln Ching)

A heartfelt journey into the voices of women who have long been the quiet anchors of the Katong-Joo Chiat community, “Her Story” weaves together the lives of six remarkable women across generations and cultural backgrounds. Led by Tan Waln Chin, Dawn Marie Lee, Alvin Tan and Dr Seng Guo Quan, this project uncovered personal stories of resilience and kinship  often overlooked in mainstream narratives. 

The team conducted over 20 hours of in-depth interviews with women from Peranakan, Malay, Chinese, Eurasian, and Indian backgrounds. These conversations uncovered unique yet universal threads of community life: tales of young girls peddling popiah skins down Joo Chiat Road, the everyday quiet acts of care in multi-generational homes, and the stories of steadfast women who preserved cultural memories as seamstresses, homemakers, and community leaders. 

To bring these intimate narratives to life, three student researchers from National University of Singapore who transcribed the interviews and engaged in deeper conversation with the interviewees, fostering an inter-generational dialogue. Three of these women’s stories were then featured in a free public talk at City Book Room in February 2025, which drew 31 attendees and sparked a lively discussion across generations and cultures. A recording of this talk was made available on YouTube. 

The project not only documented the lives of these women but also illuminated how moral geographies, such as social norms, gender roles, and spatial dynamics, shaped their lives in Katong- Joo Chiat. These narratives revealed the powerful yet often unspoken contributions of women in sustaining the neighbourhood’s rich, multicultural heritage. 

Watch the recorded talk below:

Anywhere Adventures: Katong-Joo Chiat by Amanda Bambby Cheuk 

Drawing inspiration from the neighbourhood's rich cultural and entertainment history, three creatives—Bambby Cheuk, Jessica Heng and Lynette Quek—crafted an immersive audio experience at Katong-Joo Chiat. Their self-guided tour, available on Spotify, transforms the neighbourhood's streets into an aural exploration of Singapore's golden age of cinema and performing arts, where community life and entertainment were intimately intertwined.

Through meticulous research encompassing dozens of historical newspaper articles, publications and oral history accounts from the National Archives of Singapore, the team reconstructed Katong-Joo Chiat's evolution as a cultural nexus, particularly during Singapore's film industry boom.

The hour-plus-long tour, featuring 11 carefully curated stops accessible by foot and bus, is narrated by neighbourhood natives Bambby and Jessica. Each stop unveils a different chapter of the precinct's history, from bustling open-air cinemas and vibrant bangsawan (a type of traditional Malay opera) performances to iconic scenes from Cathay-Keris Studio's heyday. The tour also brings to life significant landmarks including Zubir Said's former residence, the original coastline before land reclamation, and the celebrated Roxy and Odeon Theatres.

The hosts weave in their own childhood memories alongside newly-recorded oral histories from long-time residents such as Trevor O'Hara, whose vivid recollections of strawberry ice cream at the Red House Bakery capture the neighbourhood's charm. Through carefully crafted soundscapes and immersive audio effects, listeners are transported back in time at each location.

Through this tapestry of voices from different generations, these collected stories paint a vivid picture of the cultural landscape of the area’s past. The project preserves a crucial chapter of Singapore's entertainment history and inspires new audiences to see (or hear) Katong-Joo Chiat through a different lens. Embark on your adventure today at Anywhere Adventures: Katong-Joo Chiat!

Mama Shop at Lorong Stangee by Alvin Mark Tan

Once a cornerstone of neighbourhood life, the mama shop was more than just a convenience store. Stocked with soft drinks, snacks, toys, and household essentials, these small shops were often run by familiar faces who knew their customers by name. For many in Katong-Joo Chiat, the mama shops scattered across the neighbourhood anchored daily rhythms and casual encounters that helped weave the social fabric of the community.

It is therefore fitting that a mural depicting a mama shop now stands at Lorong Stangee at the very spot where one once operated. Reflecting on his memories of the area from the late 1980s, artist Alvin Mark Tan was inspired to create a vibrant artwork to encourage greater awareness and appreciation for the humble provision shop. The mural recreates the characteristic crowded shelves, retro brands, and the welcoming figure of the shopkeeper, evoking an atmosphere of familiarity and belonging.

As the mural was painted, passers-by often stopped to watch and share stories of the shops they once frequented, from buying a cold drink after school to picking up last-minute items for the family kitchen. These spontaneous exchanges highlighted how deeply ingrained the mama shop was in neighbourhood life, and how its decline is felt today. Alvin also incorporated their anecdotes into the mural itself, including an ice box chiller that older residents remembered being filled with soda bottles and a cat-and-dog pair, which represents animals that would seek shelter at such shops.

Beyond the brushstrokes, Alvin saw the project as an opportunity to spark meaningful conversation. Through sharing sessions with residents and tour groups, he explained his artistic process and invited participants to reflect on their own recollections of such corner shops.

Today, the mural stands as a permanent reminder of how ordinary spaces can foster extraordinary bonds of community. By capturing the essence of the mama shop at an original site, the artwork ensures that future generations can continue to connect with this cherished piece of everyday heritage.

Watch a behind-the-scenes video of the mural’s creation here: