Singapore Boat Quay

I was taken by my buddy who had stayed in Singapore for almost 5 years to Boat Quay when I have my trip there.Before reached the spot, she told me the history of this Boat Quay, why it is so-called like that.I listen to him meanwhile she was driving her
car.Boat Quay is a historical quay in Singapore which is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River on its southern bank.Before the 80s, Singapore River had a lot of bum boats. These bum boats carried all sorts of goods such as rice, flour, beans, copra, coffee, sugar and other dried goods. The goods would be unloaded from the bum boats typically by Chinese bare-bodied coolies(in chinese word,it means hard labour).Though serving aquatic trade is no longer Boat Quay's primary role, the shophouses on it have been carefully conserved and now house various bars, pubs and restaurants. Therefore Boat Quay's social-economic role in the city has shifted away from that of trade and maritime commerce, and now leans towards more of a role accommodated for tourism and aesthetics for the commercial zone of which encloses the Singapore River. Boat Quay is also the name of the road along the quay which has since been converted into a pedestrian mall nowadays.