Google Maps Will Feature Hawker Stalls Soon
Have you ever wanted to look up ‘that famous lor mee stall at Old Airport Road’ on Google, but could only remember the hawker centre it’s at?
Perhaps you want to get a close-up of said stall but Google Maps only allows you to view the exterior of the hawker centre
We bring good news for those seeking hawker stalls online.
Google Maps will begin documenting all hawker centre stalls from 30 Jul, starting with Chinatown Market, using these googly thingys:
The equipment they are carrying is the latest version of the Street View Trekker, allowing for a 360-degree view of stalls.
See, one problem with Google Maps historically is that building interiors are never recorded, since Google Earth vans can’t enter them.
Now, think Google Earth but for the interior of all hawker centres.
The process should finish by early 2020 and include all information such as opening hours.
Tourists won’t only know Tian Tian
Behind the initiative are the National Heritage Board, National Environment Agency and Federation Of Merchants’ Associations, Singapore.
They also submitted the bid to get hawker centres into the UNESCOÂ Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which is currently pending.
With this move, tourists will hopefully know of other hawker stalls besides Liao Fan Hawker Chan and Tian Tian.
A record for humanity
Because hawker culture is in danger of being eroded, having all of the hawker stalls on an online record is a godsend for both history keepers and Singaporeans who wish to explore.
Another huge benefit will be a digital footprint for every hawker stall, something which was only possible through word-of-mouth before.
We hope that this initiative brings more attention to our food paradises, so that they can live on in records online.
Featured image courtesy of Google Singapore.Â
