Translated from the verbal account of the flat owner and children of the subject property in this website.
Sun, Aug 6, 2017 at 11:05 PM
“We moved here since 1980, from kampung life to rented flat, and finally our own home at Blk 178 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4.
It happened 37 years ago.
During that time, the flats had already been built, and we had to go through a balloting process to get a unit. Being illiterate, we do not know how to fill up the forms. The HDB staff (during that time) were very helpful. They helped us with the forms and I still remembered I told them that I wanted to stay near my parent’s house.
Half a year later, the moment of truth came. Everybody gathered at the carpark (in front of Block 177). There were tents set up for the balloting process. Our queue number was called. We were thrilled to know that we were given a high floor unit! We went up to view the unit but we were only able to view it from the unit’s window. It was so windy. We can still remember it so vividly. The feeling was so serene. I knew inside me, I wanted this unit. We put in a $1,000 deposit to secure it.
Mixed feelings were running inside me during that time. I was very excited with the new house, and had wanted to move in as soon as possible. My eldest child was in Secondary 1, and my other 3 children had to start their kindergarten and primary school soon. However, how was I going to have money to do the renovation, to buy the furniture. Worse come to worse, I thought to myself, just lay straw mat on the floor, and to get sibling’s help to lay the electrical cables.
In life, sometimes, if something were meant to be yours, things will somehow work out its way. A winning lottery ticket brought us closer to our dream home: able to do the renovation, able to get the furnishings. I remembered that we had even bought a 24 inch color TV at the then Rediffusion (which costs about S$1,000 plus).
In 1980 October, we moved into our new home, to start our new life. Our house has since brought us luck, has witness series of life events: how we worried about our children’s studies; about them mixing wrong group of friends; about them marrying the wrong partners; about them when they gave birth; about them when they handle their own kids. It is here that my children has grown up from that bedroom with 2 double decker beds. All of them are married. They have their own houses, and they have their own family.
Now, the house is too big for me. I do not want to anyhow downgrade. I wanted to move to another new place, smaller place but still in Ang Mo Kio, our familiar place.
I know, all of you will say, move-in with my children. My parents had brought me up to have my own family. We brought up our children, so that they can lead their own life, and in turn, they bring up their own children.
I do not think that I will have another 50 years to stay on this earth. Probably just another 20 years? But I want to be physically fit, and the capability to choose the lifestyle that i want to lead. I do not want my children to worry about me.”
Below are some photos taken from the owner’s youngest grandson’s 1st month birthday party a few years back.
For Sale - HDB (3NG) @ Ang Mo Kio Ave 4 - Blk 178 