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In a week where news about general elections took
centre-stage, a milestone event of Republic Polytechnic (RP) took place between
3–4 March 2006. Republic Polytechnic had been housed in Tanglin Campus for the past 3 years. What started from the
crowded Strathmore Block to house the 100+ staff evolved into 3 blocks, consisting of
the Tower Block, Strathmore Block and Belvedere Block, which housed the first batch of 800
RP students. Phoenix Park soon became part of the family in Tanglin Campus as well.
On 3 March 2006, the Northbound Farewell Ceremony was held
in the Tanglin campus. On 4 March 2006, "Operation Fun (Finally United in
the North)" was launched at the new Woodlands campus. While the former symbolizes
RP's farewell to Tanglin, the latter symbolizes our arrival at Woodlands. Ms. Indranee, Guest-of-Honour of Northbound, began our symbolic move when she handed the flag to Yi Feng, Vice-Captain of
our Biking Interest Group (IG), to bear the RP Flag from Tanglin to
Woodlands, for it to be finally planted in the new Woodlands campus. What followed next was a journey to a new era.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. On 4 March 2006, Prof. Low led a group of about 100 staff and students on bicycles and left Tanglin Campus at 5.45am. The journey to the new campus included 2 stops, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Tech Semi-Conductor. At Tech Semi-Conductor, Yi Feng then handed the flag to Zhi Hui,
a 3rd year student, and President of RP's Student Ambassadors. Along the undulating journey, most of the contingent felt tired but all of them persevered on. And while they were traveling, a record 700+ staff and students arrived at Woodlands campus to welcome the
cycling contingent.
At 9.15am, Mr. Lee Hsien Yang, Guest-of-Honour and Chairman of RP's Board of Governors, arrived and was welcomed by the
our Lion Dance Troupe. He proceeded to dot the eyes of 2 new lions and as he completed the dotting ceremony, the cycling contingent arrived.
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