AMK resident turns HDB corridor into ‘garden’ with potted plants & fish tanks for father with dementia

AMK resident turns HDB corridor into ‘garden’ for elderly father, faces complaints from others

What some saw as a touching gesture of love for a sick father has now turned into a neighbourhood dispute.

At Block 646 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6, a resident has transformed the fifth-floor corridor into a “private garden” of sorts, complete with rows of potted plants and even fish tanks.

An elderly resident worried that the plants could become a hazard during emergencies such as fires by blocking people and first responders.

Additionally, he had noticed fish tanks in the corridor over the past year and expressed concern about mosquitoes breeding there.

Potted plants in corridor arranged & maintained neatly

A Shin Min Daily News journalist visited the block on 16 Sept and found that the shelves on both sides of the corridor contained over 20 potted plants.

They reported that the plants were arranged neatly, and any fallen leaves and twigs had been cleared away.

The journalist also found three fish tanks placed near the entrance of the unit.

The stairwell connecting the fourth and fifth floors contained five parked bicycles, with a Town Council notice requiring their removal by the end of July.

Resident created corridor garden for father with dementia

Speaking to journalists, the female resident behind the corridor “garden” said it was intended for her father.

He had retired over ten years ago, so she wanted to help him cultivate a hobby, tending to the plants and raising fish.

As he suffered from dementia, she placed labels on some of the plants and installed a CCTV camera for his personal safety.

The resident claimed that she ensured the corridor had at least 1.2 metres of space to comply with the safety regulations.

Additionally, her father had to go to the hospital once a month in his later years, and paramedics allegedly had no problem passing through with a stretcher.

Regarding the concerns over mosquitoes, she claimed to have never received a single fine from the authorities over the presence of mosquitoes.

AMK Town Council instructs resident to remove some items from HDB corridor

Her father also would sit at the tables and chairs in the corridor and greet neighbours as they passed.

The resident described the relationship with neighbours as that of a big family, giving them gifts of aloe vera and dishes during holidays.

She added that she had never heard complaints from them.

Her father passed away last month, and the residents and her mother are currently maintaining the plants in his memory.

She allegedly had told any resident to speak to her about concerns in order to discuss a compromise.

An Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) spokesperson told MS News that the residents had complied with the 1.2 metre space requirement by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

“However, we also found excessive placement of items such as tables, chairs, and a fish tank along the corridor,” they stated.  “We will advise the affected households to remove these items.”

Furthermore, AMKTC had removed the stairwell bicycles on 17 Sept.

They stated that they would continue to monitor the situation and ensure common corridors complied with SCDF’s fire safety guidelines.

Also read: Woman clutters Hougang HDB corridor with items taken from downstairs, including funeral flowers

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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News and Shin Min Daily News.