Dover is a small neighbourhood within the larger Queenstown Planning Area, strategically located between the Central Business District and the industrial town of Jurong, Part of District 5, Dover is surrounded by Commonwealth Avenue West, North Buona Vista Road, Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), and Clementi Road.
( Dover Road. Image by user Sengkang courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)
The area was formerly occupied by used by the British for military and residential purposes, and reflects its colonial past with very English road names like Folkestone and Maidstone. These roads can be found in Medway Park just off Dover Road. In fact, ‘Medway’ is derived from River Medway—a river found in Kent, England.
Now, the landscape has been replaced with schools, Housing Board (HDB) flats and private condominiums.
Live
Interestingly, educational facilities take up the majority of space at Dover. They are well dispersed within the area, and offer a good variety of schooling options for tertiary students. For instance, Singapore Polytechnic is parked right beside the Dover MRT Station, and occupies almost a quarter of the neighbourhood. Other schools include Anglo Chinese Junior College, United World College, Yale-NUS College, and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
Those looking for some greenery can head to Medway Park, Rochester Park, or the unassuming HDB car park at 28 Dover Crescent, which houses a sky park on its roof. Head out of the estate to nearby One-North Park too; this larger one has huts, a water wall, and a children’s playground.
Eat
Dig in for cheap at the Broadway Food Centre (28 Dover Crescent) and various coffee shops around the neighbourhood.
You can also uncover delectable treasures within the various schools in the vicinity. The wonton (dumpling) noodle soup stall in Singapore Polytechnic’s Food Court 6 draws never-ending queues; while Breadyard is a cafe within the confines of the SUTD that serves up enticing brunches.
If you’re in the mood to splurge, head to Dover’s own Rochester Park for a handful of fine dining options. Min Jiang (5 Rochester Park) is a Sze Chuan restaurant famed for its Peking duck; and Da Paolo Bistro Bar (3 Rochester Park) dishes out thin crust pizzas and mouth-watering tiramisu. Onaka @ Body With Soul (44 Rochester Park) is boasts delicious and healthy eats with organic ingredients. It also caters to special dietary needs.
Drink
Rochester Park also offers a few beer haunts, such as Graze (4 Rochester Park) and North Border Bar & Grill (2 Rochester Park). At nearby Rochester Mall, Rick’s Pub Bar Lounge provides an inviting al fresco area perfect for an after-work cocktail.
Shop
Given its small residential area, Dover is understandably lacking in retail options. Rochester Mall, the only mall in the area, flaunts a more upmarket array of tenants than your typical suburban mall, including cafes, beauty and wellness centres, and children’s education centres.
Shopping for groceries and daily necessities can be done at shops along the pockets of neighbourhood void decks, an NTUC FairPrice supermarket (28 Dover Crescent), and the upmarket Grocery Supermarket (Rochester Mall).
Currently in the works is Buona Vista Exchange, which should add variety to the area’s shopping and entertainment offerings upon completion.
Transport
Dover’s west and east ends are serviced by the Dover MRT station and Buona Vista MRT interchange respectively. Perhaps to make up for its minimal shopping facilities, the housing estate also enjoys direct bus services to high-traffic shopping districts like Orchard, Bugis and Harbourfront.
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