HCI's gateway to be dismantled soon and re-erected in 2014

Due to the recent construction of the Tan Kah Kee station (Downtown Line), which sits in the HCI campus, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) have been in a discussion about the two iconic gateways HCI has. This is because extensive tunnelling right below the gateways and major construction works will be conducted, and this would cause a problem in keeping the gateways. However, after approximately a year of discussions, the LTA and HCI have a found a way not just to preserve HCI's pair of 31-year-old granite gateways, but to also keep them exactly where they stand now.

The 10m tall gateways will have to be dismantled for approximately 4 years and will be re-erected when the Tan Kah Kee MRT station is ready by the end of 2014. Re-installing the gateways will be done in two stages: The top part, the arch comprising the emerald-green tiles, will first be removed and then be mounted on temporary pillars about 20m from they will finally be. The metal gates below will also be dismantled. In late 2014, when the station is ready, these gates will be re-erected.

About 15,000 square metres of the school's campus will be affected by the building of the underground train tunnel. The LTA will bear the cost of reconstructing the gates, four basketball courts, replanting of trees and renting of alternative sports venues so the school's sports activites can carry on.

Being a HCI student myself, I feel that the dismantling and re-erecting of the gateways is to the benefit of the students in HCI as the gateways is part of the school's heritage. The gateways are also what many HCI students remember of the school so this would help the students remember HCI in the future.