Located at the heart of Singapore, District 12 boasts a good mix of matured residential neighbourhoods, new and up-coming vibrant estates, with plenty of public facilities, good food, and schools all within a stone’s throw away.
Situated in the northern part of Singapore’s Central region, District 12 includes:
- Balestier: A quaint estate adjacent to the Novena’s bustling medical hub, with its reputation for its high concentration of famous food hotspots.
- Toa Payoh: One of the oldest residential neighbourhoods in Singapore, Toa Payoh is a mature residential estate that has been revamped and given a new lease of life while retaining its old-school charm.
- Serangoon: A vibrant residential district with a mish-mash of private and public housing, with lots of development in recent years to cope with the influx of young homeowners in the estate.
Parks and Sports Centres
Toa Payoh as a relatively large residential district is home to multiple parks where residents can easily get their daily dose of nature.
At the conveniently located main Toa Payoh Town Park, residents not only can enjoy a relaxing stroll or jog around the pathways, but they can also chill by the beautifully landscaped pond for a picnic or even enjoy a cup of tea under the various pavilion and gazebos.
Alternatively, there are plenty of other fun green spots around the neighbourhood like the Toa Payoh Sensory Park, Dinosaur Playground, promenade along the Kallang River, and more.
For those keen on sports, the district has no lack of sporting facilities for different sporting interests. Toa Payoh alone, is home to a massive public stadium, sports hall, swimming complex, and Table Tennis Association, while Serangoon also has its own stadium, and sports centre.
Heritage Attractions
District 12 having the reputation as some of the earliest HDB public housing estates is bound to have its fair share of interesting heritage landmarks.
Fun fact: Toa Payoh got its name from a Hokkien term “big swamp” which was what it was before it got transformed into a residential district.
Some of District 12’s most interesting landmarks include quite a few famous places of worship like the Kuang Chee Tng Buddhist Temple, Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong Temple, Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery, Masjid Hajjah Rahimabi Kebun Limau, Moulmein Church of Christ and Sathya Sai Baba Centre amongst many others.
Schools, Libraries, and Other Public Facilities
Being one of the most mature estates in Singapore, and having undergone major redevelopment over the years, it is no wonder that District 12 features a wide array of plenty of public facilities.
With community centres, large bustling neighbourhood markets, libraries, polyclinics, malls, and more, Toa Payoh and Serangoon are the perfect choices for homeowners looking for convenience and accessibility.
For families with schooling kids, there are plenty of public and private schools in the vicinity to choose from. This includes Beatty Secondary School, CHIJ Primary Toa Payoh, CHIJ Secondary School, Kheng Cheng Primary School, Rosyth School, St. Andrew’s Secondary School, Pei Chun Public School, First Toa Payoh Primary School, and St. Gabriel’s Primary School, just to name a few.
Food & Beverages (F&B) and Retail Options
When it comes to food, District 12 residents can enjoy a wide variety of food, from affordable local cuisine to hipster café delights.
For mouth-watering local delicacies, just head to any of the neighbourhood markets like Toa Payoh Lor 8 Market & Food Centre, Toa Payoh Lorong 4 Blk 93 Market & Hawker Centre, Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre, Toa Payoh Central, or any of the famous food joints located along Balestier road.
A fan of café food? There’s Wheeler’s café in Balestier, the cluster of hipster cafes along Lor 1 Toa Payoh, Jalan Riang (where Wimbly Lu is found), and opposite the Serangoon Swimming complex.
Well-Served by Public Transport & Highways
With the variety of MRT lines, North-South Line (Toa Payoh MRT) and Circle and North-East Line (Serangoon MRT), easy access to 2 of Singapore’s biggest highways, the CTE and PIE, residents will find it a piece of cake to get to anywhere around the island.