Historical Origins
Before 1960s, the Jurong area was mostly hilly jungle with pockets of fish/prawn ponds and crocodile-infested rivers. The land was mostly state-owned with only a small number of residents.

In June 1961, Dr. Albert Winsemius from the United Nations Bureau of Technical Assisstance, kicked off Singapore's industrialisation programme, with Jurong as the chosen site for Singapore's first industrial estate. To build the new Jurong Industrial Estate, the low hills around Jurong were leveled to fill-in the swamps for reclaimation as industrial land. The foundation stone for the first factory, National Iron and Steel Mills, was laid on 1st September 1962.

To encourage workers to live in the Jurong Industrial Estate, low-cost housing and town amenities including government clinic, private hospital, child care centre, food centres and a sport complex cum swimming pool were built in the 1970s. Other facilities such as drive-in and free-standing cinemas soon followed. Bank branches quickly sprouted to service the residents and businesses in the estate.

Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) was formed in 1968 to oversee the planning, development and management of all industrial estates in Singapore. Green areas such as Jurong Park, Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden and Jurong Country Club were subsequently built to serve as green foils to the industrial developments.



Location and Layout
Jurong Town is located in the Western Region of Singapore, and is bounded by Bukit Batok Town & Choa Chu Kang Town to the North, and Clementi Town to the east.



Transport Facilites
The eastern part of Jurong Town (Jurong East) is accessible via Jurong East & Chinese Garden MRT stations, and via Jurong East Bus Interchange. Jurong West covers an area bounded by the Pan Island Expressway, Upper Jurong Road, Boon Lay Way and Jurong Lake. Jurong West is served by Lakeside & Boon Lay MRT stations, and by Boon Lay Bus Interchange.

A future light rail system, the Jurong Regional Line, will extend beyond the existing end point of the East-West MRT Line. It will serve residents living in the Jurong East and West estates, as well as students and staff of Nanyang Technological University.



Housing Options
Jurong Town is a mature housing area with excellent amenities for living, work and play. It offers a good selection of low, medium and high-density housing. There are plans to build on the existing infrastructure and amenities. More new homes will be built on available pockets of vacant land within the town. The idea is to encourage more people to live closer to their parents, hence fostering a sense of rootedness, community bonding and enhanced social integration.

The Jurong Town Council maintains a list of HDB blocks in Jurong Town that are being upgraded, or have been upgraded, under the Interim Upgrading Programme (IUP).



Town Amenities & Attractions
Jurong Town is well supported by community facilities such as schools, places of worship, an upgraded Jurong Regional Library and Jurong Polyclinic. With the upcoming Jurong General Hospital (located within walking distance from the Jurong East MRT station), residents will be able to enjoy even more comprehensive healthcare services. Replacing the existing Alexandra Hospital, the Jurong General Hospital will have 650 beds for warded patients and 90 specialist clinics for outpatients.

By end 2005, residents in Jurong West can look forward to a new sports complex. This sports complex will have a 400 m running track, a soccer field, tennis courts, competition and training pools, water slides and a muti-purpose sports hall.

Besides sports activities at the popular Jurong East Swimming Complex, Jurong East Sports & Cultural Centre, Jurong Tennis Centre, Jurong East Stadium, and Superbowl Jurong, a leisurely walk can also be enjoyed at the Jurong Park, the proposed 10ha Jurong West Park and the future Jurong Lake Park. To be completed by 2006, Jurong Lake Park will incorporate a 2.8-km long waterfront promenade with amenities such as jogging/cycling tracks, fitness area, picnic area as well as jetties. This promenade will link the various recreational clusters including a Lakeside Family Activity Zone, Leisure Green South & North and an Adventure Sport Zone along the lake.

Just 15 minutes away from the Jurong West housing estate, Raffles Marina offers a wide variety of water sports as well as clubhouse and marina facilities.

Other town attractions that are drawing the local and tourist crowds are Snow City, Singapore Science Centre, Singapore Discovery Centre, Jurong Bird Park, Jurong Crocodile & Reptile Paradise (opposite Jurong Bird Park), Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden.

Popular shopping complexes in Jurong include the International Merchandise Mart (IMM) Building (located near Jurong East MRT station), and Jurong Point Shopping Centre (located next to Boon Lay MRT station).

Jurong Regional Centre (JRC), the pulse of Jurong, is located between established towns such as Clementi, Bukit Batok and the Jurong West housing estate. JRC is also close to the 33ha International Business Park and Jurong Industrial Estate. For business and work, JRC has become the focal point of Singapore's Western Region.



Quality Education
An international school has been proposed at Jurong West Street 41. The new school is expected to bring a new wave of students and residents into Jurong West, enhancing its image as a youthful "Campus Town" that is progressive and culturally vibrant.

Some of the quality schools in the Jurong area...