The Malay word  'kampong' or village is still being used officially by the government when referring to a cluster of houses in rural areas of Singapore despite almost 80%  of Singapore are actually built up areas for human dwelling, factories ,industrial areas,highrise office buildings and shopping complexes. Although it is quite hard now to identify which part of Singapore still considered as rural areas but somehow kampong akways  remind many Singaporean especially those who are above 40 about their wonderful childhood where life was more relax, the spirit of neighbourliness regardless of race and religion thrives and many more good and great memories.

Coronation Road started from Bukit Timah Road 4 milestone (m.s) where the present day Coronation Plaza and Crown Plaza is located also fondly known as Batu Empat in Malay or Si Ko by the Hokkien villagers. Batu Empat or the 4 miles stone was a centre of economic activities to the villagers as this is where they will get their daily supplies of fresh vegetables,fish and meat. There are no farms within the vicinity of Coronation Road but a row of shops where the present day Crown Plaza is located sells market produce brought by the vendors probably from the Tekkah Market about 4 miles or 6 kilometres down Bukit Timah Road.There was also a coffee shop where my grandmother used to sell lontong and mee siam and where you can find an Indian vendor selling tosai and of course the Chinese owner or main tenant dishing out the standard kopi-o or teh susu with half boiled eggs and kaya toast. There was 'Mama or Kaka' stall selling newspapers,comics and magazines on top of their usual cigarettes and knicks knacks of soap bar, hair tonic,razor blades etc.

Coronation Road stretches right up to the junction of Victoria Park Road or about 1 kilometre away from 4 milestone and  the road was extended for another 2 klometres to the junction of Holland Road.That stretch is known as Coronation Road West.

The official opening of Coronation Road West was a big event for the villagers as it was officiated by Mr Abdul Hamid Jumat who was a Minister Local Government, Lands and Housing in the 2nd Chief Minister of Singapore Lim Yew Hock government but came in his capacity of Acting Chief Minister.  Co-incidentally the date of the official opening of Coronation Road West fell on .......???? Yes!!!, 11th November 1957, the day I was born!!!.My father who was a member of Bukit Timah Rural Board was busy chairing the village organising committee,receiving and walking with the Minister oblivious to the fact that at home, house no 375 Coronation Road, my mother was in labour and about to give birth to me.

Although the whole stretch of Coronation Road and right up to Coronation Road West  together with its lanes later renamed Jalan Haji Alias, Jalan Lim Tai See, Jalan Tuah,Jalan Ampang and Jalan Siantan have their own pockets or cluster of houses with such names as Kampong Banjir or literally meant Flooding Village as when its rain heavily, this particular kampong located at Duchess Road is the first to be flooded as a big earth drain or longkang ran across it to the huge longkang along Bukit Timah Road ( the present day Bukit Timah canal) or Kampong Wak Hassan which is off Kingsmead Road near to the present Nanyang Primary School or Kampong Tengah ( the Middle Village) near to the junction of Victoria Park Road opposite the Chinese Cemetary or Kampong Tempe surrounding Jalan Haji Alias. Jalan Lim Tai See, Jalan Tuah, Jalan Ampang and Jalan Siantan. but the official government referrence to these villages is simply Kampong Coronation.