This Braddell Hill condo is close to the hustle and bustle of town as well as tranquil and green surroundings. Singaporean homemaker, Aryanti Clarke, shares why she chose this Braddell View condo as her home. When it comes to MRT lines she is spoilt choice! The Braddell MRT station (North South line) and the circle line served by Marymount and Caldecott MRT station are all close by.
Who was Braddell?
Braddell View and Braddell Heights take their names from Sir Thomas Braddell (1823-1891), an Irish lawyer and the first Attorney General of the British Colony of Singapore. Born in County Wicklow, Braddell moved as an adult to South America to learn sugar planting; he then found work in a sugar estate in Penang, later moving to Malacca and finally Singapore. He was Attorney-General from 1867 to 1883, retiring from the role on account of an injury from a carriage accident. One of his sons went on to serve in the same role of Attorney-General, and together with his brother founded the prominent Singapore legal firm of Braddell Brothers.
The Specifics
What’s the name of your street? Braddell Hill.
What’s a common myth or misconception about your neighbourhood? Most people mistake Braddell Hill for Braddell Heights, which is a totally different neighbourhood further down the road in Serangoon.
Exact words you tell a taxi driver to get home? I normally tell the taxi driver to go to Braddell Hill, just behind Mount Alvernia Hospital.
Closest MRT station? We have three near us; the nearest being Braddell mrt station (red North South Line), then Caldecott and Marymount.
How long have you lived here? We bought our Braddell View condo 12 years ago but moved out for a bit and recently just moved back. At the time we wanted to buy a property, we had to consider neighbourhoods a little further away from town. Then, my husband’s business partner had just bought a condo at Braddell Hill and we paid her a visit one weekend. We really liked the grounds of this old condo estate as well as the neighbourhoods nearby. We are pretty close to town but, at the same time, we’re a stone’s throw away from one of Singapore’s beautiful nature trails and its oldest reservoir, MacRitchie Reservoir.
The Scene
When you walk out of your Braddell Hill condo, what’s the first thing you see? Our open car park on one side and on the other side loads of greenery and huge old trees.
What’s the closest store to your front door? There are lots of shops, coffee places, local bakeries and a wet market near us in Toa Payoh and we are also close to the plant nurseries on Thomson Road.
We’re sure your neighbours are great, but is there anything you wouldn’t mind a little less of? Our condo estate is quite big, and several years ago the MCST (Management Corporation Strata Title) put additional road humps in place to deter cars from speeding. My husband wouldn’t mind a little less of that!
What’s the unofficial uniform of your street? Activewear.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen on your street? Chickens in a tree outside our window on the fifth floor, and finding a tree had fallen on our car!
Condo Fact File
Name of condo: Braddell View
Age: 41 years (built 1981)
Facilities: Gym, swimming pool, tennis court, multiple function rooms
Walking distance to: Supermarket & Braddell MRT station (both under 10 minutes)
The Superlatives
What are your two favourite places to eat or drink in the neighbourhood? Sin Ming Prata tucked in at a coffee shop in Sin Ming HDB, and Fat Boy Burger on Thomson Road.
What are the best places to shop at in the neighbourhood? FairPrice Finest at Thomson Plaza, Junction 8 at Bishan and NEX Mall in Serangoon.
What are some fun or interesting things to do in the neighbourhood? I love the nature trail and the TreeTop Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir as well as exploring the nature trail at Lower Peirce Reservoir with my boys.
What’s one thing you’d never change? The massive grounds and the size of the rooms in the apartment.
How about one thing you would change? Vehicle access to the rear towards Toa Payoh Rise.
If the city gave you a million dollars to soup up your street, how would you use it? I’d put in more than one vehicle access road in and out of the street.
Beyond the Hood
What are your favourite Singapore spots for taking out-of-town guests? MacRitchie Reservoir, Little India, Chinatown, Joo Chiat, East Coast Seafood Centre, Dempsey Hill, Sentosa, Arab Street, Bugis and Beach Road.
When you’re in need of a dose of culture, where do you go? The excellent museums, the Esplanade, and The Projector, a great retro cinema on Beach Road
Do you love your neighbourhood?
Share it with others – just email us at contribute@expatliving.sg with “Street Talk” in the subject line. Include your name and street, and we’ll be in touch.
This article first appeared in the December 2022 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
Looking for more nature trails in Singapore? Here is a list of mountain bike trails to try!
To make the most of living in Singapore, read our latest City Guide here for free!
