Pasir Ris

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Pasir Ris
English Pasir Ris
Chinese 巴西立 or 白沙
(Pinyin Bāxīlì or Báishā)
Malay Pasir Ris
Tamil பாசிர் ரிஸ்

Pasir Ris is primarily a residential area in Singapore comprising many high-rise residential dwelling blocks, mostly public housing built by the Housing and Development Board in Pasir Ris New Town. The town is located in the eastern part of Singapore.

Like other new towns, public transport facilities were factored into the development of Pasir Ris. Pasir Ris is easily accessible via bus services at Pasir Ris Bus Interchange and the Mass Rapid Transit at Pasir Ris MRT Station.

Contents

[edit] Etymology and history

The first reference to a village of Pasir Ris, Passier Reis, appeared in 1852. There has been conjecture that perhaps this is a contraction of Pasir Hiris (pasir is "sand" and hiris means "to shred" in Malay).

The area was known as White Sand because it had a good beach. A major shopping complex, White Sands Shopping Centre, is located in the area that embodies the local place name.

[edit] Geography

Api Api River in a Suburb of Pasir Ris
Api Api River in a Suburb of Pasir Ris

Pasir Ris is geographically divided into 3 regions: Loyang (East), Central and Elias (West).

[edit] Political boundaries

Pasir Ris comes politically under the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency since 2001 and Pasir Ris Group Representation Constituency from 1997 to 2001. After the general election in 2001, a large part of the former Pasir Ris Central Division and the Pasir Ris-Loyang Division came together as Pasir Ris East with Ahmad Mohamed Magad as the Member of Parliament.

Pasir Ris West consists of Elias housing estate and the western area of Pasir Ris and its Member of Parliament being Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean. In conjunction with the expansion of Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency (GRC), a "Mega Community Club" scaling six storeys high, was built in Pasir Ris East. Around 2004, Pasir Ris West (also known as Pasir Ris Elias) also saw the completion of its own mega community club.

[edit] Amenities

[edit] Recreation

Pasir Ris Beach
Pasir Ris Beach

In proximity to the sea, Pasir Ris has several recreation areas like the NTUC Downtown East, which have facilities like chalets, theme parks, a bowling alley, a park for pets and pet owners and Pasir Ris Park. There is also another park by the name of Pasir Ris Town Park, close to where the Shopping Centre White Sands is located. The park sports a park connector, a playground, an eatery, fitness station and fishing pond. The bowling alley building in Downtown East will be demolished to make way for a new four storey shopping and entertainment complex with a cinema which will be completed in 2007 called e!hub. The area also includes two theme parks. They are Escape Theme Park which opened in 2000 and Wild Wild Wet which is a water-based theme park that opened in 2004.

[edit] Industry

Pasir Ris is also part of the Jurong Town Corporation's plan to develop wafer fabrication facilities in Singapore. The other two locations are Tampines and Woodlands. Presently, there are two major wafer fabrication parks in Pasir Ris. Companies situated there include United Microelectronics Corporation and Systems on Silicon Manufacturing.

[edit] Education

Primary schools

Secondary schools

Post-Secondary schools

[edit] Places of worship

Mosques

  • Al-Istighfar Mosque

Churches

  • Bethesda Pasir-Ris Mission Church
  • Pentecost Methodist Church
  • RiverLife church
  • Church of the Divine Mercy (Under Construction)

Buddhist temples

  • Sakya Tenphel Ling (Tibetan Monastery)
  • Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple
  • Kwang Hua Buddhist Monastery

[edit] Commercial services

White Sands Shopping Centre
White Sands Shopping Centre

Shopping centres, malls and markets

Petrol/Diesel Stations

  • Singapore Petroleum Centre (Drive 4)
  • Esso Petrol (Drive 1)

[edit] Community services

Community Centres

  • Pasir Ris East CC (Drive 4)
  • Pasir Ris West CC (next to Elias Mall)