Singapore Snippets
Discovering Items of interest on the red dot by Marta Ferrer Lubeck
Merlion Park
On the Hunt for Merlion
The Merlion, half-fish and half-lion, is a national icon of Singapore. It has been featured in many tourism and marketing campaigns. In 1964, zoologist Alec FraserBrunner created the Merlion design for the Singapore Tourism Board (then the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board), which holds exclusive rights to the symbol’s use. The fish body is a nod to Singapore’s humble beginnings as a fishing village. The lion head alludes to the 11th century sighting of a lion by Prince Sang Nila Utama, who subsequently renamed the island Singapura (“Lion City”). There are six official Merlion statues in Singapore, and I went on a quest to find them. Merlion Park The first official Merlion was built in 1972 and stood at the mouth of the Singapore River for 30 years. In 2002, it was relocated to its current home in Merlion Park at One Fullerton. The sculpture is over eight meters tall, weighs 70 tons, and projects seawater from its mouth. These striking features and the Merlion’s proximity to Marina Bay make this a very popular landmark. The “Merlion Cub” is a smaller, two-meter replica of the original and is also located in Merlion Park. AWA member Lynn LaBenz likes to spend time in Merlion Park. “I’ve always loved the vibe there. It is fitting to head to the most iconic Merlion. True to COVID form, the place was mostly empty [on a recent July visit]. No tourists, just locals enjoying their city. National Day dancers were practicing at the floating stage as well.” -- 28 --
Ang Mo Kio
Merlion at Ang Mo Kio
The Ang Mo Kio Residential Committee constructed two Merlions in 1998. There was some controversy surrounding these statues originally, as the committee did not seek approval prior to building them. However, they are now considered members of the official Singapore Merlion family. These twin Merlions are located at Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, across from Bishan Park. An outing to the neighborhood would not be complete without a walk in the beautiful Ang Mo Kio-Bishan Park. AWA Magazine - September/October 2021
