The name "Tampines" originated from the name of a valuable timber tree. The name of the tree was formerly spelt as "Tampinis". It was changed to "Tampines" as it was the nearest romanised version of the word. The tree provided a strong and durable ironwood timber which was in great demand in the early days. As there was no forest conservation during those days, the popular demand of the wood from the Tampines tree almost made it extinct by the early eighties. There used to be a village also named "Tampines" along the 7th mile Upper Serangoon Road.

    Before the new town came into being, Tampines was a place of forests, plantations and small kampongs. The nearby areas of Teban, Tampines, Teck Hock village, Beremban, Sungei Blukar were collectively known as "TAMPINES". The name "TAMPINES" was derived from the Malay name of the "Riau ironwood" tree which grew abundantly in Tampines.

The transformation of Tampines into the first regional town centre in Singapore began in the 1970s. Since then, Tampines New Town has blossomed into the institutional, social, recreational and commercial hub of the eastern part of Singapore. Many government and commercial agencies have established offices in the town. It now houses a population of 200,000 people in 52,000 Housing and Development flats on 424 hectares of land. It is a bustling new town with lots of activities.

In 1993, the Tampines New Town won the prestigious United Nations "World Habitat Award for Excellence in Housing Design". This award was in recognition of Singapore's outstanding contribution towards human settlement and development and the excellent housing standard is exemplified by Tampines. Tampines New Town is indeed a place to live in and the intelligent town of the future. Creative parks and beautifully landscaped gardens contribute to a serene and scenic living environment for both the young and old.