Mount Vernon is a small hill in central Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

 west of Potong Pasir

Potong Pasir

Potong Pasir is an area located between Toa Payoh and Sennett Estate in the North-East Region of Singapore. For urban planning purposes, it is classified under the Toa Payoh area. Potong Pasir is particularly notable for being the longest-held opposition ward in one-party dominant Singapore...

 and north of MacPherson Estate

MacPherson, Singapore

MacPherson is an area in the eastern part of Singapore, lying within the Geylang Planning Area, between Aljunied and Paya Lebar. It consists of a small public housing estate at Circuit Road and an industrial area...

. Officially named in 1956, it is circumscribed by Bartley Road

Bartley Road

Bartley Road is a major road in Singapore extending from Upper Serangoon Road to Tampines Avenue 10. The road has a distance of 5.8 km. En route, it passes through the areas of Serangoon, Bartley, Paya Lebar, Defu, Kaki Bukit and Bedok Reservoir...

, Upper Aljunied Road, Upper Serangoon Road, and Upper Paya Lebar Road.

Features

Mount Vernon is relatively undeveloped due to Mount Vernon Crematorium and Bidadari Cemetery

Bidadari Cemetery

Bidadari Cemetery is a defunct cemetery in Singapore. There were two sections: the Muslim section was at the base of Mount Vernon, bounded by Upper Aljunied Road, Upper Serangoon Road, and Bartley Road; the Christian section was across Upper Aljunied Road from the Muslim section, and bounded by...

 being located on it. Both facilities have since shut down, and major residential development is expected in that area. The hill itself is likely to remain intact, however, as it is largely occupied by the Mount Vernon Camp

Mount Vernon Camp

Mount Vernon Camp, also known as the Gurkha Cantonment, is an establishment of the Singapore Police Force built to house the training and residential facilities of the Gurkha Contingent's Gurkhas and their families...

, the operational and residential base of the Gurkha Contingent

Gurkha Contingent

The Gurkha Contingent is a line department of the Singapore Police Force. Members of the GC are trained to be highly-skilled and are selected for their display of strong discipline and dedication in their tasks...

.

Public services

The Singapore Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals moved to the edge of Mount Vernon in 1984 after being relocated from Orchard Road

Orchard Road

Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction...

.

Mount Vernon Columbarium started operations in 1962. Due to inability to handle the amount of cremations needed daily, a new crematorium was built at Mandai. On 30 June 2004, the crematorium ceased cremation services. The Columbarium is still operational.

Bidadari Cemetery used to be a private burial site and 1972, became a public burial site. The Cemetery was closed on 2001 and graves exhumed to make way for a new town.

Education

Despite the small area, there are two education institutions in the area, Bartley Secondary School

Bartley Secondary School

Bartley Secondary School is a co-educational neighbourhood secondary school in Singapore. The principal is Mrs Mary Bay.-History:The school was founded on 18 February 1952 with Mr Chua Leong Hean as the first principal who also designed the School Crest....

 and Maris Stella High School

Maris Stella High School

Maris Stella High School is an autonomous, SAP, Government-aided, all-boys Catholic secondary and primary school run by the international Marist Brothers at Mount Vernon Road in Singapore. It was headed by Bro. Anthony Tan from 1984 to 2009. Mr Joseph Lim Choon Kiat, the former Vice Principal,...

.

Transportation

There are two MRT stations nearby. The nearer, Woodleigh MRT Station

Woodleigh MRT Station

Woodleigh MRT Station ' is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station of the North East Line, located on part of the former Bidadari Cemetery. When the North-East Line opened, it was one of the fully completed MRT stations in the entire system that was non-operational. The Art In Transit artwork in...

, part of the North East Line

North East MRT Line

The North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end...

 has been operational since 20th June 2011. Bartley MRT Station

Bartley MRT Station

Bartley MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station is situated along Bartley Road outside Maris Stella High School. There are 2 exit and entry points for this station which was constructed under Stage 3 of the Circle Line...

, by the side of Maris Stella High School, has been operational since 28 May 2009, and is part of the Circle Line

Circle MRT Line

The Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...

.