Historical Origins
The name "Choa Chu Kang" came from the word "kang chu". In the late 18th century, the Sultan of Johor allowed Chinese immigrants to operate plantations along the river bank. These immigrants were called "Kangchu" - the word "Kang" meaning river and "Chu" being the clan name of the first headman in charge of the plantations.

In the early days, Choa Chu Kang was a rural area with old kampongs (Kampong Belimbing and Kampong Choa Chu Kang) and rubber plantations. Transportation then consisted of boats or bullock carts. This was a small Chinese district with mostly Teochew settlers who grew "ganmi" and pepper. The Hokkiens (who came later) started pineapple, rubber and coconut plantations as well as vegetable farms and poulty farms.

Tigers roamed freely in the area. The last wild tiger of Singapore was spotted here and shot in the 1930s.



Location and Layout
Choa Chu Kang Town (also known as Chua Chu Kang Town) is located in the Western Region of Singapore. It is bounded by Sungei Kadut industrial area to the north; Choa Chu Kang Road to the south; Woodlands Road to the east; and Kranji Expressway and Choa Chu Kang Way to the west.

Choa Chu Kang Town lies to the north of Bukit Batok Town, and is also north-west of Bukit Panjang Town. Teck Whye Town is considered by the URA as a sub-zone of the Choa Chu Kang Planning Area.




Transport Facilites
Choa Chu Kang Town is served by the Choa Chu Kang and Yew Tee MRT stations, as well as by the Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange. Choa Chu Kang Town and Teck Whye town are also accessible by the Bukit Panjang LRT system which originates and terminates at Choa Chu Kang MRT Station. The LRT also connects these two towns to the neighbouring Bukit Panjang Town.

The town also has excellent public transportation links including the Kranji Expressway (KJE) which snakes eastwards through the town.



Housing Options
The attap houses, street hawkers and Chinese kampongs of old Choa Chu Kang have given way to a modern housing estate with ample community and recreational facilities.

More housing developments are planned in Choa Chu Kang. With more residents and facilities, residents can expect an even livelier environment. Also, with more housing sites being planned around transit stations, aspiring home buyers can look forward to greater transport convenience.

The Hong Kah Town Council maintains a list of HDB blocks in Choa Chu Kang Town that are in the upgrading process, or have been upgraded, under their Cyclical Works & Community Improvement Projects .



Town Amenities & Attractions
From its humble beginnings, Choa Chu Kang Town is now a modern town that is well-endowed with a a whole range of facilities including commercial centres, community centres, polyclinic and sports complexes.

The Town Centre is a major focal point within the town. It houses a transportation hub comprising of the Choa Chu Kang MRT station, the Choa Chu Kang LRT station and the Bus Interchange. It also houses a major shopping complex, Lot 1, as well as the Choa Chu Kang Community Library (located within Lot 1).

Other popular neighbourhood shopping centres include Keat Hong Shopping Centre, Limbang Shopping Centre (near Yew Tee MRT station), Sunshine Place and Yew Tee Shopping Centre (next to Yew Tee MRT station).

Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic is located in Teck Whye Town and is easily accessible to residents for their basic healthcare needs.

To provide more greens for people to relax in, an extension has been proposed for the existing 5 ha Choa Chu Kang Town Park.



Quality Education
The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) plans to build its second regional campus in Choa Chu Kang. Located at the former Keat Hong Camp II along Bukit Batok Road, the new 12-ha campus will accommodate about 7,200 students. The campus is scheduled for completion in 2010.

Some of the quality schools in the Choa Chu Kang and Teck Whye areas...