HAW PAR VILLA TO RETAIN OLD CHARMS

Haw Par Villa theme park will undergo a major revamp to reinstate its old charms. The world-famous landmark in Singapore's Pasir Panjang district, will have a new lease of life as the original Tiger Balm Gardens ) the renowned Chinese mythological park, conceptualised and developed by tycoon Mr Aw Boon Haw in 1937.

The decision to preserve this Singapore landmark comes after exhaustive evaluation by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), following the surrender of the lease of Haw Par Villa by International Theme Parks (ITP) in March 2000.

"We recognise the cultural and historical significance many Singaporeans and tourists place on the Haw Par Villa. Keeping the park open is our primary objective," said Mr Yeo Khee Leng, Chief Executive of the STB.

"Consolidating the park to its original form and retaining much of its original character is the best option available to us, given that the park in its current form is not economically viable. A smaller size for the park would mean lower operational costs and hence a better chance to sustain the park in the long run."

The decision to keep the park open is based on feedback from the public via letters, the STB corporate website and the media. The STB also commissioned Forbes Research, a research company, to conduct a survey among Singaporeans and visitors for their views on the Haw Par Villa. The survey, conducted in September 2000, revealed that:

- the majority of the respondents did not want the park to close;

- many respondents considered the park as a part of Singapore's heritage, which served to educate Singaporeans about the Chinese mythology and culture;

- most of the respondents agreed that the park needed a new lease of life to remain relevant.

The STB had been seeking proposals from local and international conglomerates on viable alternatives for operating Haw Par Villa. Between March and October this year, the Board made several concerted efforts to do this, including calling for tenders within Singapore and across the world. However, none of the submissions were deemed to be suitable for the park.

Mr Yeo said: "A few proposals were submitted, but were judged unsuitable as they did not sufficiently complement the park's Chinese mythological theme. There was also a lack of innovative ideas to present the Chinese mythological theme in today's context." The present concept and size of the Haw Par Villa was an expansion of the original Tiger Balm Gardens with more attractions and facilities added in 1990. While these new additions proved attractive and successful initially, the interest could not be sustained through the years. Consequently, salvage options had to be considered, ending in the handover of the park to STB in March this year.

The STB will now take the plans forward. The first step will be to call a tender in mid-December 2000 for a Project Consultant to assist in consolidating the park.

The scope of job of the tender includes the following areas: land parceling, park re-configuration, space planning, landscaping, M&E works and other enhancements to the park's infrastructure.

The STB expects the recommendations from the Project Consultant to be submitted by end of March 2001. Once approved, another tender will be called in April to select suitable operators for the management of the park within the approved guidelines. The park will be temporarily closed from 31 March 2001 when ITP's contract to operate the park ends. The revamped park is expected to re-open to the public in early 2002. History of Haw Par Villa Tiger Balm Gardens was first built by Mr Aw Boon Haw to represent the many aspects of his Chinese heritage, conveying values and moral teachings. With this end in mind, the Ten Courts of Hell and figurines, based on Chinese history and legends, were displayed in the Gardens, which occupied a land area of about 4 ha.

The Ten Courts of Hell remained the only place in the world with exhibits of this genre. The Gardens also housed a magnificent mansion, named the Haw Par Villa. The mansion, situated on a hill and commanding a scenic sea view, was built by Mr Aw for his beloved brother Boon Par. The mansion however, fell to disrepair following World War II and was subsequently demolished.

The viability of the park had been an ongoing issue since the 1980s. In 1985, the Aw family relinquished ownership of Haw Par Villa to the State in the hope that the park would be given a new lease of life.

In the same year, the STB earmarked the park as a landmark attraction in Singapore. Strategies were then mapped out for the park's continued existence for the local population and visitors. The strategies focused on the park's renowned reputation as the only monument in Singapore showcasing Chinese mythology.

Subsequently, plans by ITP to add a theme park element to Tiger Balm Gardens were approved and implemented by 1990. The expanded park became more popularly known as Haw Par Villa.