The New Lift ...

 

15th May must be a very happy day for the residents in Block 668 Chander Road. After a year of retrofitting, the residents finally have a new lift which serves every floor.

It is indeed a great relief for the elderly folks, especially those who are on wheel chairs. It must be an even greater relief for the maids who are looking after these folks. Sometimes I see the maids struggling to carry the heavy wheelchairs down one or two flights of steps.

Due to the constant breakdown of the remaining one lift, when the other one was being retrofitted, we sometimes had to walk up the steps. For me and my tenants, it was not a problem, because we only had to walk up to the 5th storey. However, it must be really tough for those living on the highest floor! Fortunately there are only 12 storeys in the block. I must have damaged some three trolleys because each time I walked down, the wheels of the trolleys would have to bear the brunt of the heavy weight. The wheels were often damaged as they got dislodged or became dysfunctional. Now with the lift opening on every floor, I could just pull the trolley along.

The residents are asked to pay only $100 each for the lift upgrading. Of course, everyone voted for it as the amount was reasonable. I wonder why in the past, lifts were not made to open on every floor.? Perhaps the nation did not have so much in the Treasury? Now with more affluence, the government has started to give its citizens better facilities, amenities and better designed HDB flats.

I am so happy with the new lift. Interestingly it moves very fast...much faster than the old lift. However, I also notice that the lifts in newly completed Rivergate Condominium do not move very fast and I mentioned this to a client. He commented that as Rivergate has 40 storeys, the speed will be slower.

I think of the "wonderful lifts" in my life. When I am down, friends lift me up with their encouragement. Best of all is when God lifts me up with His strength and blessings. We are reminded by Vince Lombardi, that every time we fall, we should lift or pick ourselves up again. Life is too short for anyone to indulge in self-pity.

Gan Chau