East side of Chicago

Toa Payoh was nicknamed the east side of Chicago.

Gang clashes were common and police actions was the norm. You could be eating at a hawker centre and suddenly tables would be overturned and beer bottles flying and you could see some twenty people in fracas. Or you could see suspicious characters doing drugs and followed up by a police bust. Neighbourhood boys whose faces you knew could be seen being arrested for armed robbery. Drug addicts bashing up undercover police and the list goes on.

It was inevitable that you knew some of these people who are among the gangsters but when you knew them as friends they are perfectly normal people of our age but perhaps just under the wrong influence and company. Two new theatres opened as well as a park later to be followed by a library. These were the most exciting things happening. another big thing that happened when they put the SEAP games (now SEA games) village in Toa Payoh's four new point blocks of five-room flats. The was a real buzz to the entire place. The TP stadium was another venue I frequented to catch soocer matches in the then NFL.

When I was enlisted for NS, I was disappointed that I as going to the police instead of the army which was where all my friends went to. Nobody knew anything about the police.

Well, I was wrong. If i had wanted, I could actually walk to the Police Academy at Thomson Road. This was another life changing moment so to speak. I was later posted to Bravo Division which was yes in Toa Payoh.