Marina South In 2021
Singapore millennials would fondly remember Marina South as a one-stop barbecue steamboats, bowling, and arcade location for an after-school or weekend activities, having to rely on a somewhat unreliable SBS and then SBS Transit Bus Service 400 from the then-rural Marina Bay MRT station which would take anywhere from 4 to 40 minutes to arrive to get to Marina South.
On New Year’s Eve and other fireworks festivals, probably half of Singapore would flock to Marina South to catch the fireworks display at midnight, with an extremely robust SBS and then SBS Transit Bus Service 400 and 400A service from and back to the then-rural Marina Bay MRT station.
All of this Marina South closed from 7 January 2008, with the Marina City Park and Marina Padang redeveloped to become Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, and Marina Barrage.
Quite surprisingly, a portion of the old Marina South still remains till this day. #SingapoRediscovers
Marina Mall
Marina Mall was (is?) the main scenic road leading from Prince Edward Road and Marina Boulevard, with coconut trees lining up in between each bound of the road.
Till today, this main road with coconut trees still exists, sans the portions branching out the curves towards Victor’s Superbowl on the left and Superbowl Marina South to the right.
Marina Padang
The Marina Padang was an open space popular for kite-flying and fireworks-watching. Today, it is Gardens by the Bay and Marina Barrage.
Superbowl Marina South
Superbowl Marina South was a bowling alley on the east side of Marina Padang, close to the competing cheap outdoor barbecue steamboats.
Today, it lies as a nursery of sorts, and a portion of it is the future TE22 Gardens by the Bay MRT Station.
Marina Mall Bus Stop Bay Outside Superbowl Marina South
The bus stop bay of Superbowl Marina South including the safety bollards still remains today.
TE22 Gardens by the Bay MRT Station sits on a plot adjacent to Superbowl Marina South.
Looking at Marina Bay Sands from Superbowl Marina South. Who knew that a cheap outdoor steamboat restaurant would one day offer a view like this.
The zebra crossing to Marina Padang still remains.
Crossing the road to Victor’s Superbowl.
Victor’s Superbowl
Victor’s Superbowl was another bowling alley, on the west side of Marina Padang, close to the competing cheap outdoor barbecue steamboats. Today, the Marina Gardens Drive cuts through it, and the Gardens by the Bay Headquarters sits on a portion of it.
Marina Grove
Marina Grove is the road spanning perpendicular from Marina Mall. SBS and then SBS Transit Bus Service 400 would turn right here to loop around Marina Grove, Marina Way, Marina Mall, Marina Way, Marina Park, and Marina Grove, in an anti-clockwise direction. This way, the bus stop positions are facing most attractions, without the need for passengers to cross any roads.
During super peak periods, SBS and then SBS Transit Bus Service 400 and 400A would loop here when the roads ahead were closed to vehicular traffic due to high footfall.
The sign by National Parks Board (NParks) on the closure of Marina South still stands till this day.
One side of the road towards Gardens by the Bay has been turfed over, shrinking the dual carriageway to one without any lane markings.
Marina Grove Bus Stop Bay Behind Superbowl Marina South
The old route of SBS and then SBS Transit Bus Service 400 would serve the eastern loop of Marina south first, first making a stop at (but most of the time zooming past) the under-utilized bus stop behind Superbowl Marina South.
Today, a strange building sticks out in the middle of nowhere from below Superbowl Marina South.
The old Marina South bus stop, however, is completely in tact, though without the bus stop pole.
The old Marina Grove bus stop is largely in tact, with the shelter, seats, and safety bollards all in position.
Also, the advertisement panel is still bearing very current advertisements.
Sorry Pizza Hut and Edelweiss, but you’re probably not getting your advertising dollars worth over here.
Views from the Marina Grove bus stop that would have been unthinkable in 2007.
The rest of the land behind this bus stop has new trees being planted, most likely for ground strengthening.
TE22 Gardens by the Bay MRT Station Exit 3
TE22 Gardens by the Bay MRT Station Exit 3 leads out directly to Marina Grove, though it’s not known if this road will remain when future development here goes into full swing.
And speaking of swing…
Marina Mall Bus Stop Bay Opposite Superbowl Golf & Country Club
Down Marina Mall, the pair of bus stops serving Superbowl Golf & Country Club still remains, though without bus services.
The bus stop opposite Superbowl Golf & Country Club still has the drainage system, yellow line, safety bollards, and a rubbish bin. The shelter and seats, however, have been removed.
The empty bus stop bay with the backdrop of Marina Bay Sands.
Marina Mall Old Bus Stop Outside Superbowl Golf & Country Club
However, on the other side, the complete bus stop remains in tact, though without the bus stop pole.
Yup, definitely getting the Marina South feels here.
The old Marina South bus stop with the backdrop of Marina Bay Sands.
The old Marina South bus stop is largely in tact, with the shelter, seats, and safety bollards all in position.
The concrete seats are well in tact too, with not a tile out of place.
The bus stop still bears the old bus stop number and name sign. Also, the advertisement panel is still bearing very current advertisements.
Sorry McDonald’s and Edelweiss, but you’re probably not getting your advertising dollars worth over here.
The bus stop outside the former Superbowl Golf & Country Club is located adjacent to the future TE21 Marina South MRT Station.
From the small stump in the 90s, Marina Boulevard is now the main road from Finlayson Green to Marina Coastal Drive towards the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE)
Marina Mall may not be going into the history books too, with a new southern extension going over the future TE21 Marina South MRT Station station box.
Conclusion
It’s comforting to know that a bit of old Marina South still exists in 2021, offering a small blast from the past, and some free parking for motorists in downtown Singapore, although albeit at an inaccessible location. Perhaps this is the true meaning of SingapoRediscovers.
According to URA Space, this won’t last long though, so if you’d like some nostalgia, you might want to visit it soon before further development gets under way for a brand new downtown extension in Singapore.