“Street markets allow people an inexpensive way to start an enterprise and build a reputation for trust. ….” And that “… benefits of street markets include the economic revitalization of a community and the support of small businesses. Yet there are also social and cultural benefits-markets provide a common space where people of divergent ethnicities can mix and redistribute goods to community members, in a setting of high social interaction and energy.”
Extracted from the Encyclopedia of Community: From the Village to the Virtual World (2003)
Paris has the famous flea market at Porte de Clignancourt, officially called Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, but known to everyone as Les Puces (The Fleas). It covers seven hectares and is the largest antique market in the world, receiving between 120,000 to 180,000 visitors each weekend (
http://www.parisperfect.com/paris-flea-markets.php).
For Singapore, we have the Sungei Road Flea Market. Though it is way smaller in scale and fame, it has existed since the 1930s and the flea market has seen Singapore through its ups and downs for the past 80 years. National Heritage Board’s website has details on its history and development:
http://tinyurl.com/nw4qfsa Well, the first move in 1982 didn’t kill it. Back then, the Ministry of Environment said it had to go because of pollution and health hazard (Singapore Monitor, 15 April 1985). The vendors returned on weekends and somehow, the market managed to survive till now on temporary permits.
I guess this second move will kill it for good. The reason this time was that there was no commercial space allocated in the blueprint of upcoming developments. Shockingly, all four applications of alternative sites made by the Association for the Recycling of Second Hand Goods were rejected (ST, 31 July 2014) and my heart sank when I read the news. I feel sad to see this place go as it is part of our socio-cultural heritage. I have always assumed that a space would be reserved for these vendors to relocate to in the Master Plans. I guess I was too naïve.
Singapore will lose one more distinctly “your Singapore” or “uniquely Singapore” spot. It has a strong local flavour, and is of course, a natural tourist spot (unlike some man-made tourist “attraction” that went bankrupt). I understand that as a small nation, space is always in demand. We have bull-dozed our way - literally, look at how many old buildings we have lost - through the years in the name of development. And we are still doing that (eg. Rochor Centre, Thomson Road Post Office, etc). I just didn’t expect us to be so space-starved to the point that we can’t accommodate a flea market. Parks are important, sure. And leaving some room in the park for the flea market will definitely draw the crowds in, right? It sounds feasible enough and is a win-win solution, isn’t it? After all, we have invented/constructed events and festivals to add to the vibrancy of Singapore’s arts and culture scene and tried our very best to have a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So why can’t we retain what we have naturally in our culture? It would most probably be cheaper than those mentioned above?
Furthermore, the flea market provides employment and is a source of income for the vendors. The flea market also tides some people through recession times (ST, 3 May 2002). With the closure of the market, vendors would lose their only source of livelihood. Matching the vendors with financial assistance schemes is not the ideal solution (see Unmet Social Needs In Singapore,
http://tinyurl.com/o9msr3p). These folks have the pride and determination to be self-sufficient, and I respect them for it. And suggesting them to bid for a hawker stall is like trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole (seriously, I dunno whether to laugh or to cry when I first saw the suggestion).
In addition, I feel that the market, by selling second-hand goods, is promoting recycling of items and aids in reducing waste. Of course, some websites do that nowadays, but nothing beats the anticipation of browsing through the items physically to find your treasure. Plus, some of these items cannot be found online.
By closing the flea market, IMHO, Singapore has moved forward in developing the “hardware”, but has taken a few steps backwards in its “heartware”. Do preserve the market if we can.