Soul, sawdust and secrets of the Siao Lang capital
Yishun has earned an infamous reputation over the years - dubbed Singapore’s own version of “Florida Man”, the butt of Singaporean jokes. A quick Google search of “Florida Man + my birthday” yielded a story of a man claiming people were “eating his brains” before leading police on a wild golf course chase and crashing into a nursing home (very Florida). Likewise, Yishun has had its fair share of bizarre headlines, from high-profile crimes like triple murders to inexplicable incidents like scattered thumbtacks, sanitary pad littering, and a man military-marching down the road for no apparent reason. Even Netflix capitalised on this notoriety, referencing Yishun in a promotional campaign for Stranger Things. At one point, the town council even had to issue a statement clarifying Yishun’s safety after an insurance company claimed that Yishun North was the most crime-prone area in Singapore. An 18-year old even created an interactive map aggregating these oddities, christening the hotspot “Devil’s Ring”and cementing Yishun’s status as Singapore’s “siao lang capital”.
More often than not, people are usually surprised to hear that I spend my Saturday afternoons in this so-called Devil’s Ring. The conversation usually goes something like this:
Q: What do you do in your free time?
A: … I spend most Saturday afternoons building a community playground.
Q: Where is this playground?
A: Near a HDB block in Yishun.
Cue confused look.
From struggle to start
I was at a low point in my life - recovering from a painful breakup that shattered my self-worth, having just retorn my ACL, and feeling directionless in my career and life. Then, I stumbled upon a post in the Ground-Up Initiative (GUI) Telegram group inviting people to help build a community playground. No experience needed, all ages welcome.
Having previously visited GUI on a pay-what-you-wish tour with my family, its mission- reconnecting people with Nature, Self and Others - struck a chord with me. I was deeply moved by the heartwork of the staff and volunteers. Through farming, woodworking, bicycle repair and earth oven baking, they embodied a different way of being - one that felt like the antithesis of Singapore’s hurried, hyper-competitive hustle culture. GUI is a space to slow down, be present, and engage in intentional, hands-on work, while nurturing community.
When I saw the post about the playground project, I reached out to Bingyu, who introduced me to Khin Boon from Touchwood, GUI’s woodworking arm. That’s how, in September 2023, I found myself at my first session. I never looked back.
Building meaning, community
Before that day, I had never touched a drill or saw, let alone built anything. Yet from the start, the playground community was incredibly welcoming - not in an overbearing way, but in a way that made learning feel natural and organic. Each session, I picked up new skills, from woodworking basics to hands-on problem-solving. I learnt to design, iterate, and embrace the process of trial and error. Woodworking became meditative, requiring presence and focus - something deeply grounding at a time when I felt lost.
At first, I had been waiting—waiting for direction, for clarity, for meaning to emerge on its own, as if time could somehow provide it. But with each nail driven in, time no longer slipped past—it held firm, anchored to the present. Meaning isn’t something that drifts in with the passage of time, it is found in the rhythm of movement itself, in the weight of each strike, in the choice to lift the hammer at all.
Beyond the work, I greatly enjoyed the community. This is a space without agendas, where people share their wisdom generously, thinking and building together in rare synergy. After a long work week, it was a sigh of relief. A healing sanctuary.
The playground attracted a diverse mix - toddlers to retirees, locals and foreigners, professionals from different fields. A doctor from Sri Lanka, an IT professional from Philippines and his family, a researcher from Malaysia. Regulars and visitors - corporate and school volunteers, even friends and family I introduced. I found joy in sharing what I learnt and why this space is meaningful to me. Teaching reinforced my own understanding and revealed gaps that drove me to learn more.
Nailing the process
Through simple tasks - dismantling pellets to build fences, upholstering chairs, sawing and drilling wood for flooring and structures like balance beams, slides and swings - I realised how much depth lay behind what seemed simple. We repurposed recycled materials creatively: plastic scraps and bottles as ecobricks, MRT poles for chin up bars and swings, tires for hills and seating, pallets for blaster game obstacles. This process rekindled a childlike sense of curiosity and exploration- free from expectations, just hands in the dirt, asking questions, learning from the ground up.
Most playgrounds in Singapore are commercially built, dominated by synthetic materials like plastic and rubber. Ours in contrast, feels organic- primarily wood, with soil flooring. Even the rubber from recycled tires carries a more grounded feel. Seeing the Earthscape playground in Presidio, San Francisco, made me realise why sustainable materials make sense for play spaces: they exist for children, whose futures depend on the health of the planet. Wood, in particular, is special. It’s tactile - never too hot or cold to touch- and carries visible traces of growth, variation and handcraft, making it feel alive and providing a natural connection to the earth. And GUI sources it sustainably, salvaging wood from demolished structures that would otherwise go to waste.
Of course, building from ground up has its challenges. People often ask when the playground will be finished, but I see the process as more valuable than the outcome. Some structures - like the slide and tunnel- had to be dismantled when we realised safety certification for playgrounds with non-rubber floors required structures to be under 1m in height. The playground remains a work in progress and will likely always require maintenance, but I don’t see that as a flaw. More than just a finished project, the playground is an evolving community hub - a space for continuous learning, collaboration and care. The value isn’t just in what we build, but in how we build it - together.
Meaning isn’t something that awaits discovery at the journey’s end. Arrival is a myth, meaning is already here.
Alternative angles
Playground has also given me a glimpse into an alternative reality of Singapore- one that exists outside the mainstream narrative of work and money. It has solidified my belief that different countries are more similar than we think, and that spaces aligned with my values do exist, even in Singapore. That gives me hope.
The path to the playground has become familiar. I admire the scenic views of Lower Seletar Reservoir, pass by the GUI kampung (which, sadly, is in the midst of relocating due to housing development), and walk along Yishun Central, greeted by hurried cyclists and PMDs, with posters of Louis Ng’s various grassroots activities scattered around.
I’ve also found other favourite spots in Yishun:
Jing Si Books & Cafe where I read and sip tea with a view of Yishun Pond (yes, a nude guy was once spotted here), located in the Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre- a beautifully designed environmentally friendly building with wonderful natural lighting and ventilation, that hosts socially conscious events.
Kerabu, a hawker stall run by a former fine-dining chef, serving up a traditional plate of turmeric rice with smoky, coconut-husk-grilled meats and a refreshing salad (winged bean, pomegranate, pomelo) at Yishun Park Hawker Centre.
And Old World Bak Kut Teh & Fried Porridge - yes fried porridge!
In this Devil's Ring, there are alternative angles - of community, grounded fulfilment and simple joys of life.
PS Thank you to Natacia for your inspiring writings on the passage of time, which greatly influenced parts of this piece. Though you may never see this, I deeply appreciate your work. I highly recommend everyone read Natacia's writings, linked here and here.
PPS Playground is on every Saturday afternoon 3 to 530pm (except 1st Saturday of the Month) at Blk 304 Yishun. You know where to find me! Volunteers are welcome on both a regular and ad-hoc basis, and no prior experience is required—everyone is welcome! Feel free to contact me if you would like more info.
PPPS GUI is currently in the process of moving, and needs all the help they can get. You can find their website here, and volunteer registration form here. Volunteers are welcome on both a regular and ad-hoc basis, and no prior experience is required—everyone is welcome!