Walking by the Town Fountain this afternoon, memories of the place suddenly flood my mind. I was fortunate to have lived for most of the time before it was made into a modern icon. In the 50's I used to play the wooden playground equipments there - see-saw, swings etc.. Used to pass the place at night after buying things from the wooden shophouse without fear even as a tiny kid cycling back home to our government quarters about 200 meters away. In the 60's as a school kid we joined in parades and watch the town's folks play basketball at one corner of the park. A tiny lucky number of us kids learnt roller skating on the concrete pavements there, Many concerts, fun fairs and trade shows were held there too. The place was called King George VI Memorial Ground back then and was the biggest park the town could afford in the 60's. Come the 70's when the first boom arrived , the memorial ground became suddenly very active and full of activities because many more people sought employment in the growing town. Activities dwindled in the area in the 80's when more open spaces and parks were developed outside of the town or in new satellite townships.
Today the place looks beautiful and serene without its nostalgic busy past. What is busy today is outside the park with cars endlessly passing around the place.
Please follow this link to see more stories of the place in another blog as in here...>>> http://bintulub4now.blogspot.com/…/King%20George%20the%20VI…
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| Seen are a group of teachers from SMK Bintulu (previously Bintulu Gov't Secondary School) having a photoshoot during Teacher's Day, 1976. At left of picture is Keppel Road. |
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