The area, it is a changin'

THE AREA around Westlands Primary has undergone a number of changes; a few of which are quite radical. Here are some photos with captions to illustrate them.

Our school has, of course, been turned into a sports training centre. The above is its official name: "Pusat Kecemerlangan Sukan Westlands" or the Westlands Centre of Sports Excellence. Read more about it here. A unit of the Penang Education Department, it also houses the MSSPP or Majlis Sukan Sekolah Pulau Pinang. Read here.

The former Rediffusion building has now been incorporated into the Penang Christian Centre, a part of the Assemblies of God, Malaysia. The PCC has two centres, the second in Butterworth. Read more about PCC here.

One of the bungalows along Khaw Sim Bee Road now houses Tadika Buddhist Tzu Chi. Read more about the Tzu Chi Malaysia, Penang branch, here.

Pykett Methodist Primary is set to become Wesley Methodist School Penang (International). According to Bishop Dr Ong Hwai Teik of the Methodist Church in Malaysia: "We are now once again called upon to further act on this mission call, this time in a different age and season, by returning to 'our roots'  to build a new school of 'Education with Mission, Excellence and Compassion' i.e. the Wesley Methodist School Penang (International). Work on the building of this new institution has begun." Read here

The block of buildings where Mrs Phipp's kindergarten used to be is now the Pinang A's Learning Center. Established in 2006, the centre uses the "Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) programme with an emphasis on holistic development". Read more about it here.

Westlands Secondary School remains the "School for the Gentlemen", however, it has added a covered court to be used for basketball and futsal (see below) next to its main entrance.

The Chinese Recreation Club has been renovated with restaurants and a new pool. Parts of the building, the pavilion for example, has retained its original ambience. Read more here.