Reflections on the Issue

Physical common space, which refers to public facilities that create opportunities for interaction between different races, are not always effective. Any physical common space will only be effective when people step up to make use of the opportunities created. This limitation will always exist because there are always people who are unaware of what is going on around them or people who are not interested. Thus, reaching out to such people and arousing interest in them is the key to effective common space. For this, there must be effective publicity.  From what I observed, events that take place at the library and Northwest CDC are only publicised within their space. So, those who do not visit such places will never realise what happens there. Thus, by putting up effective advertisements outside the Woodlands Civic Centre, everyone who goes into the centre itself will know that such events are taking place and may take part in them. Thus, this suggestion will lead to an effective common space.  However, there will still be people who say that they are too busy for such events and are just not interested. Even with impactful advertisements, these people may not be easily influenced to take part. My suggestion thus may not be the best in ensuring that everyone makes use of the opportunities for interaction but is effective in ensuring that the majority are aware.

Woodlands Civic Centre - Limitations and Suggestions

As mentioned by Ms Suji in her interview, people tend to go about their own work nowadays, instead of observing and taking in things going on around them. Especially where economic activities are concentrated, people are more concerned about themselves than others, which although is a human instinct, limits the effectiveness of common space in Woodlands Civic Centre. There are only few facilities with social activites and only those who visit the library or the CDC will step up to use the opportunities created by the physical common space. Hence, I suggest that attractive information booths should be put outside of the library and CDC so that even people who do not visit those places are aware of events and become curious to learn more. Even parents who are waiting for their kids to return from their enrichment classes can sign up for such events if publicity was better.

Interaction between Various People in Woodlands Civic Centre

Woodlands Civic Centre is a neutral setting where people of different races, religion, citizenship come together to fulfil and satisfy their own needs and interests. Physical common spaces which create opportunities for people of different backgrounds to interact, accept and understand each other are created through the many facilites there. Since the facilities there are not directed at a specific social class such as the relatively rich, or the relatively poor people, there is no socio-economic gap created allowing people of different social statuses to mingle freely. But only facilities with high social activity taking place will be effective common spaces as facilities with economic activities do not encourage interaction as people are more concerned about themselves than others while using such facilities.

The best facility with  high social activity at Woodlands Civic Centre which gives way to many opportunities of interaction between people of not only different racial, religious backgrounds but also age, is the Woodlands Regional Library. A wide variety of activities are conducted for young kids, youths, adults and the elderly. For example, reading and art and craft clubs are conducted for youths such that they can meet new friends from different backgrounds and share their common passion for reading and writing. Moreover, performances and exhibits displaying other races' cultural activities are also constantly being put up so that everyone has a better understanding of other's culture. Creating such mutual understandings is the key for a harmonious society. Thus, the library is a excellent facility for mutual understandings to be created. However, only those with a passion for reading and activities organised by the library would actually visit the library often and take a keen interest and those who do not, will get lesser opportunities for interaction. Even if they get the opportunities to interact, they may not step up to converse with different races as ultimately they can make the decision to use the opportunities present.

Reading clubs in Woodlands Regional Library - Different races seen together in picture, evidence of multi-racial interaction 

Tuition and enrichment classes are also a good place for students from different races and religions to interact through groupwork. According to an interview with an Indian woman, Ms Suji, who was at Woodlands Civic Centre that day to drop her daughter off for 'I Can Read' enrichment lessons, her daughter has found several Chinese friends through this programme. Northwest CDC also has many clubs and activities such as Family Singing Competitions, futsal competitions and volunteering events, thus engaging everyone regardless of their background and age as a society. When asked about the effectiveness of the place in creating opportunities for interaction, Ms Suji mentioned that being mainly a commercial place, it serves its pupose very well, but as for interaction between different races, there is very little. According to her, people go about their own work there. Another teenage girl says in her interview that various people can interact mainly through events in the library. 

Past vs. Present and Meeting People's Expectations

Woodlands Civic Centre today, is a centre fulfilling the physiological and security needs of the people through its many facilities, which are key to the high level of social and economical activity taking place there. It contains many facilities such as the Woodlands Regional Library, Northwest Community Development Council (CDC), Central Provident Fund (CPF) Service Centre, affordable healthcare facilities and services, 3 banks, tuition centres and many more. These government-linked facilities have fulfilled the public's general needs and expectations. For example, people expect for a stable life, for which they require a job so as to support their family with the income earned. Northwest CDC has many career consultants and sourced for suitable recruitment opportunities for the unemployed and provides social assistance for the needy. Thus, many people have benefited from this as their expectations and needs have been fulfilled by the government. But what did people do in the past to satisfy their needs?

Organisations and Facilities at Woodlands Civic Centre

Northwest CDC Notice on Recruitment Opportunities and Career Fairs

Only having been opened in 2001, people living in Woodlands had to travel elsewhere in search for affordable and useful facilities. For example, to go to affordable healthcare facilities such as Singapore Anti-Tuberculosis Association (SATA), which was set-up by the government to help the poorer people in ensuring their well-being, people had to travel to Ang Mo Kio or Jurong. Moreover, CPF Service Centres were located at Jurong East, so people also had the inconvenience of travelling to fulfil their needs. Banks were located around Yishun, so people living in Woodlands always had to travel to make transactions. People also had to travel to Jurong East or Ang Mo Kio to use the library. Thus, it was very inconvenient for many people living there. However ever since Woodlands Civic Centre has been opened with its numerous facilities, Woodlands showed an increase in population size from 2000 to 2010 by 56.3%, and was the 4th most populated area in Singapore at around 245,000 living there. People may have moved there due to the increase in facilities there. More Housing Development Board flats and condominiums have sprung up in Woodlands and even more people are coming here. Thus, many people have benefited from the facilities at Woodlands Civic Centre, as food, economic needs and well-being is being provided in an effective and efficient manner.

 CPF Woodlands Service Centre