Former National Stadium benches preserved in 15 locations

SINGAPORE — If you miss the heyday of the former National Stadium, you will be able to relive it in a small way — by sitting on one of its benches, now repurposed at 15 locations around the island.

When the stadium was demolished in 2010 to make way for the Sports Hub, some of the seating planks were salvaged, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan posted on his blog today (Aug 6). “We have an idea that if the planks can be recycled into well-designed benches, it would be a meaningful way to commemorate the grand old dame of Kallang,” he wrote.

A “Pick a bench, pick a place” competition was held by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, in which the public was invited to choose how and where to place the salvaged benches. Ten designs and 15 locations were selected based on the more than 6,000 votes that were cast, Mr Khaw said.

Among the locations picked are Fort Canning, HortPark, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and the National Museum.

The designers of the bench took their interpretations or memories of the stadium as their inspiration, he said.

“My favourite is the DREAM bench,” Mr Khaw wrote. “Each alphabet is a seat on its own. But together, they inspire like-minded friends to sit together to banter and share their dreams for the future. Our pioneer political leaders did just that and modern Singapore was born.” CHANNEL NEWSASIA