“Upholding the legacy of excellence.” That’s the motto you might have seen on banners around here in 2024. These banners celebrated Mount Vernon Camp’s 75th anniversary.
Mount Vernon Camp is also known as the Gurkha Cantonment. It is more than just a camp. It’s a residential and training base for the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force.
Let’s talk about location. Mount Vernon Camp sits near the former Bidadari Cemetery. The camp has expanded over the years. Modern high-rise housing blocks now accommodate over 2,000 officers and their families.
Did you know the road into the camp is named Kathmandu Road? This honors the capital city of Nepal. Mount Vernon Camp is a self-contained complex. This design minimizes movement in and out, addressing security concerns.
Imagine a township within Singapore. Mount Vernon Camp has its own shops. It also features a school and playgrounds for children. A swimming pool is available for families on weekends. Bruce M. Niven, a contingent commander, likened it to a township.
Life inside Mount Vernon Camp isn’t isolated. Dwellers can leave the camp freely. They can use services and facilities outside it. You’ll see many school-going Nepalese children. They wear national school uniforms as they head to schools.
Bartley Secondary School is close by. Many Nepalese children attend this school. Others go to schools farther away. Over time, these children become part of Singaporean society and culture. First Toa Payoh Primary School also enrolls some of these children.
Nearby commercial outlets thrive. They depend on business from the Nepalese community in Mount Vernon Camp. Officers often jog around the roads close to the camp.
Mount Vernon Camp has undergone many upgrades. Phase 2B expansion started in 2001. It cost S$42.2 million. It added 93,568m2 of residential space. China Construction built it. It finished by 2003.
The government allocated another S$47.8 million for expansion from 2004 to 2006. There was another expansion from 2015 to 2020. Elevator modernization also took place between 2023 and 2024. This addressed the deteriorating conditions of the elevators in selected buildings.
In 2024, Mount Vernon Camp celebrated its 75th anniversary. Events included a carnival. There was also a 75km Ultramarathon, fitness challenge, and tree planting. A heritage site was also opened to the public.