Asia Beauty Spot – Asia Scenery

Historically, Hong Lim Park was the first public garden, created by the Hokkien businessman and philanthropist, Cheng Hong Lim in 1885.

In the 1950s and 1960s, it was the venue for many election rallies and political speeches. In September 2000, the Government designated the park as the venue of the existing Speakers’ Corner. Abutting the park is the Telok Ayer Hong Lim Green Community Centre and the Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post.

Also officially known as Hong Lim Green, it was the first and formerly the most famous Singaporean gay venue listed in the première international gay tourist reference, the Spartacus Gay Guide. It was affectionately code-named “Honolulu” or “Hollywood” in the early years by some English-educated gay men. Later, after the fame of the movie, others also nicknamed it “Jurassic Park” as an irreverent dig at the geriatric homosexuals who frequented the place.

Cruisy at night for more than half a century, its dim lighting and tall shrubbery provided ideal conditions for quickies between gay men, especially elderly Chinese-educated ones, until the bushes were pruned and bright lights installed in the early 90s to deter such activities.

Nightly cruising and sex also took place in a small 2-storey shopping centre which was demolished and replaced by the present car park. In the 1980s, casual strollers were shocked to see young boys holding hands at night and wrote letters to the newpapers to complain. In spite of several police patrols in which these boys were questioned, no one was charged as nobody was caught flagrante delicto.

The setting-up of the Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post in an old building next to the car park was also considered a measure to curb late-night cruising. Policemen would ride out on their bicycles in the 1990s to comb the entire Boat Quay-OCBC building area at night to scare away thrillseekers.

Courtesy of Singapore National Parks Board