Turtle Museum Which Appealed To PM Lee in Mar Moving To Yishun in Jan 2019

GY: Eh W you write like a turtle without webbed feet.

W: Sia lah, what does that mean? 

GY: That means are you are drowning in your articles, writing slowly but not steadily.

W: Then how?!

GY: I give you turtle article to write. Give it to me in 2 minutes at 4:48 PM.

W: Chao turtle…

Clearly that did not happen, and I too, happen to love turtles and tortoises.

So with a collective sigh of relief, the Goody Feed team was glad to find out that The Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum will be relocating to Orto in Yishun come January 2019, after 18 years at Chinese Garden.

This according to a Straits Times article published yesterday.

Refresh my memory please

In a year-long running saga, it was first reported in 2017 that the The Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum at Jurong Lake Gardens Centre aka The Chinese Garden was slated to move out of its current premises in March 2018.

The museum, which was started by Ms Connie Tan and her late father, Mr Danny Tan, in 2001, is according to Ms Tan ” the only tortoise and turtle museum in the world and” holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of tortoise and turtle items.

Despite a thorough search for options, none was suitable and news regarding Ms Connie and the museum’s predicament abated until March 4 2018.

A cry for help

On March 4 2018, out of options and at her wits end, Ms Connie took to PM Lee’s Facebook page to appeal for help.

I’ve taken the liberty to share her post here.

Utilizing the vast reach and deep impact social media granted her, Ms Connie impassioned plea garnered more than 4, 000 shares in over a day, according to an ST article published on March 5 2018.

The article more importantly, titled “PM Lee replies to turtle museum owner’s eviction appeal in Facebook post,” highlighted that PM Lee had “replied to a Facebook post by the Live Turtle & Tortoise Museum” which message read, “Thank you for your post, which I have read. Please be assured that MND (Ministry of National Development) and the agencies are looking into your case.”

Because a wise man once said, “If you can’t get a response, just face it; and by that I mean Facebook it.”

Soon, there was a possible extension being considered – un-turtle and un-tortoisely like – and finally, there was an announcement of the confirmation of lease extension just a short 9 days later on 17 March 2018.

Fast Forward to today

According to the Straits Times article published yesterday, “the new museum will be about 10 per cent bigger than the Chinese Garden location” and “will also have bigger pens for the animals.”

Ms Connie Tan added that “This museum is unique in the world; it offers close interaction and education opportunities, as well as a different format in terms of how it is run.”

So committed to the museum’s cause was Ms Tan that she had given up on her events management business and will be forking out $200,000 from her own pocket to fund the renovation costs, with the remaining $400,000 coming from contractors who have offered sponsorship and discounts.

While the entrance fee has been kept at $5 over the years, the museum will also be charging more at its new premises; $10 for Singaporeans, $14 for non-Singaporeans and with children paying $6.

This is to help “cover the renovation cost” added Ms Tan who is also in the midst of setting up a crowdfunding page.

Groundwork being done at its new premise

The new premise would be located at ORTO in Yishun: if that sounds unfamiliar to you, you probably don’t live in the north. ORTO is like…a hidden gem in the north of Singapore, located near Khatib MRT Station. A number of restaurants and unique businesses are housed there, like a Go-Kart, paintball and even prawn farm.

The gem of the north looks like a kampung that refuses to grow up. And if you’re driving, here’s the good news: parking is free, though you might need to spend hours looking for a lot during peak hours.

If you take the train, you can actually see part of ORTO when the train is between Khatib MRT Station and Yio Chu Kang MRT Station.

Now, cocksure that I head written the article in under 1 minute and 38 seconds, I called out to GY, my boss:

W: Eh boss, I’m done. Fast right.

With no reply, I looked around at the empty office and back at my watch.

The time read 9:32 PM.

Well at least a turtle and tortoise or two will have its day come January 2019.