Edward Chia Bing Hui wanted to upgrade sports facilities in Zhenghua constituency but the land available for development was too small. Instead of giving up, the Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and his team came up with a creative solution to meet the authorities’ criteria. Residents can now expect upgraded sports facilities within two years.
Mr Chia told Petir that early in his term in 2020, he had convinced ActiveSG to launch its Sport-in-Precinct initiative in Zhenghua.
He noted that for an area to be eligible for the Sport-in-Precinct initiative, it must have at least 0.3 hectares of space for development, a condition the team could not meet.
“Zhenghua is quite built up unlike other areas that have large open spaces. We had to think creatively about how to fulfill the 0.3-hectare space requirement and asked ActiveSG if it could take a more flexible approach.”
At the same time, residents and students approached Mr Chia to request a running track as they wanted to train for the 2.4km run.
Mr Chia and his team then conceived an idea to construct a sport-in-precinct comprising two main components: a sheltered basketball court within Senja Square connected by a 400m running track that winds through the different blocks.
He explained: “We’ll upgrade sports stations along the running track. Some are for balance training while others for strength training. It’s like a Ninja Warrior course. Runners can just run. Those wanting to do CrossFit or be like a Ninja Warrior can tackle the different obstacles.”
Mr Chia said the project is undergoing the tender process and they will hire a contractor to design and build the sports facilities. Construction will begin later this year, and the facilities will be ready in phases by 2026.
“If you have a sports facility confined to just one location, it is more difficult to foster community bonding,” he said.
“However, if you have a running track that winds through different blocks, it creates opportunities for placemaking or deliberate social interactions. Residents meet as they exercise because they must run past each other’s blocks and through various stations. This generates more chances for community bonding.”
Infrastructure that promotes connectivity fosters community bonds: Edward Chia
Residents in Zhenghua constituency will soon benefit from better connectivity with the extension of a park connector at Zhenghua Park, which Mr Chia has pushed for.
Mr Chia noted that Zhenghua can be divided into three main zones: Jelapang, Segar, and Senja. The existing park connector currently ends at Segar. Hence, his team worked with NParks to extend that park connector all the way to Senja. This means residents can walk from Segar to Senja through the park.
Three schools lie along the park connector: West Spring Primary School and Secondary School, and Zhenghua Secondary School. Students who previously walked via roads can now use the park connector to go to school, he said.
“Residents in Segar who want to go to the hawker centre at Senja will have a much shorter route through nature. They can avoid all the traffic lights and walk through the park connector,” he said.
Mr Chia noted that extending the park connector also connects Senja to Woodlands Road towards Choa Chu Kang, which then connects to Villa Verde Park. In a way, park connectivity towards Choa Chu Kang is enhanced.
“When we build infrastructure that promotes connectivity, we directly foster community bonding because residents can move through different parts of Zhenghua.”
Building a span shelter walkway to ensure that residents are sheltered from rain
Mr Chia and his team also advocated for building a sheltered walkway across the Bukit Panjang Ring Road traffic crossing to Segar LRT station.
Many residents, including seniors, use the crossing to reach the coffee shop and supermarket near Segar LRT station, he noted. However, walking with groceries and an umbrella during wet weather can be challenging. Therefore, a sheltered walkway is needed.
Building the walkway poses a challenge due to the road’s four traffic lanes and two-way traffic, according to Mr Chia.
“In Singapore, sheltered walkways across roads are never more than two lanes. When the shelter spans a wide road, it tends to warp in the middle. Thus, from an engineering perspective, it is not safe,” he said.
However, his team found an engineering solution and received approval from the Land Transport Authority. Construction will begin within the next few months. The walkway is expected to open in mid to late next year.
Mr Chia believes infrastructure projects are important for achieving his vision of Zhenghua as a community where residents care for and support each other, fostering a sense of belonging and empowering residents to help one another.
“The heart of infrastructure projects enables more community bonding, which is key to achieving our vision of a community where people know and trust one other.”
