What if the place you love was gone overnight?
For retired civil servant Timothy Ng, affectionately known as Uncle Timothy, that heartbreak became reality.
Owning a kelong had always been a dream of his, and in 2004, he finally fulfilled it. For the last 21 years, he poured his heart, time, and savings into keeping it alive.
But starting this month, the tender to demolish Kelong E63 is set to open. Love alone wasn’t enough. Rising costs and strict fishing quotas had left Uncle Timothy with no choice but to let go. Even with tireless efforts from Singapore Heritage Society (SHS), the kelong — the very last one standing in the east — could not be saved, not even as a heritage site.
To give this special place the farewell it deserved, we partnered with SHS to open up kelong for one last visit. Because like them, we recognise the importance of sharing the stories of these disappearing spaces before they fade from our memories. With the support of our volunteers, Uncle Timothy, and his former kelong worker Mon Htaw, we welcomed 100 Friends of OH! and SHS members to say goodbye.
The loss of Kelong E63 is more than the closure of a single space; it marks the disappearance of an integral piece of our maritime heritage. And more broadly, it reflects the fragile and impermanent future of cultural spaces in Singapore. When places like these close down — we aren’t just losing buildings, we're losing our roots, our identity, and the rich tapestry of what Singapore’s culture could have been. Yet, why do we only begin to care when it’s too late?
In times like these, it reminds us just how vital the work of organisations like SHS truly is — which is why we directed all proceeds to them. Because they don’t just conserve heritage and cultural spaces — they memorialise and safeguard our memories, stories, and lived experiences. In just four days, we managed to raise close to $3,000, and we’re proud that OH! can stand alongside SHS in preserving these stories.
“...giving a future to our past doesn’t just mean keeping old buildings standing tall.
It also means making sure our histories live on, in experiences and in stories.”
— Singapore Heritage Society