It has been completed.The National Library is gone.LTA has won.But what we get is 5 mins.What the tunnel reminds me off?An old Chinese tomb albeit with an entry point.

The tunnel entrance looks grand and nice for a tunnel. But I dont see the point of the tunnel. It barely cuts travel time and it makes buses filter to the right most lane after the tunnel to serve a bus stop (which has been relocated from Park Mall side). Inconvenient.

Tunnel vision is no excuse

Tuesday • March 13, 2007

Letter from Vasanthan Govindasamy

I refer to the article, "How important are those five minutes?" by Mr Siew Kum Hong (March 12).

Whether the tunnel saves five minutes of travelling time or not, I would say that the old National Library was a building dear to the many Singaporeans who had used it over the years. Now, whenever I drive by the area, I see a tunnel in the place of a national icon. Call it tunnel vision.

Indeed, I wonder if the people who decided to have the tunnel built had ever spent time at the National Library.

That the tunnel will save Singaporeans a few minutes is not an excuse they will accept. I, for one, avoid it because I don't see the fanfare. Although I would not have urged the authorities to keep the National Library as a library, they could have utilised it in other ways as a landmark, like the nearby National Museum.

A museum and a library make a more ideal pair than a museum and a tunnel, which now seems out of place.

To the authorities: Have a heart as to what we ought to preserve. It doesn't matter that a huge sum of money was spent on the tunnel but it took the place of an eye-catching library that was a must-visit destination for many Singaporeans.

http://www.todayonline.com/pda/176958ag.htm

Yah I agree that it was a shame the old library building was demolished.

I think the former road between the SMU campus and the Museum will be expunged and used for pedestrian activities, as well as future pedestrian connection to Fort Canning Park.

Any renderings of the old National Library?

cheers

excelsvr

Any renderings of the old National Library?

cheers

excelsvr
Refer http://yesterday.sg/detail/vanishing_scenes_of_singapore_part_2/

http://blog.museums.com.sg/images/gallery/02national_library.jpg

Looks like a Grand Ol' Dame. A pity they pulled it down. Could have restored the interior. Exterior-wise, it's ok.

cheers

excelsvr

Have you seen it in real life before?

I think it was demolished in 2004.

I forgot:D Was it the library with mosaic tiles inside?

cheers

excelsvr

Yup the library was there. Didnt pay close attention to the interior details but it was old and musty inside, with dusty bookshelves :happy:

Ew! :tongue: I didn't mind the mosaic tiles but I guess I didn't pay attention to the shelves either:D

cheers

excelsvr