Tampines gets integrated

Residents in Tampines will have a sports hall, a shopping mall and a health centre all under one roof.

Five years after the Our Tampines Hub (OTH) was first mooted by the then National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who was also an MP for Tampines, the first phase of the hub was opened yesterday.

It has a built-up area of 2.5 million sq ft and is Singapore's first integrated community and lifestyle hub, offering residents a diverse range of services.

A Public Service Centre, which houses six key agencies, will also be based at the centre, which is at the junction of Tampines Avenue 4 and Avenue 5.

The building's community auditorium has 20 badminton courts -the most in one facility.

The OTH was planned with input from 15,000 Tampines residents.

Programmes at the hub will be customised to the town's demographics - a quarter of its residents are between 50 and 64 years old, a quarter are Malays and there is also a growing number of families with young children. Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, who is also an MP for Tampines GRC, opened Phase 1 of the hub yesterday.

He said: "Our Tampines Hub will be the first to offer integrated community, arts and sports programmes for our residents.

"The OTH team will coordinate the various tenants and interest groups to offer innovative programmes that will provide new opportunities for resident to get together."

NEW: Our Tampines Hub  was opened yesterday by Tampines GRC MP Masagos Zulkifli (above) and features a food court. PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES

Phases 2 and 3 will begin operations in March and August respectively.

Those phases will see the opening of facilities such as a bowling centre, a performing arts auditorium and a swimming complex.

The Tampines Kindness Movement (TKM) will also be part of OTH's programming framework to promote kindness within Tampines.

Residents in Tampines will have a sports hall, a shopping mall and a health centre all under one roof. PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES

What do Tampines residents think about their new hub?

Student Daniella Lim, 19, told TNP: "Even though Tampines has three malls and a Safra, it lacks a sports hub where people can exercise and keep fit.

"With this new hub, people won't have to travel to Pasir Ris to use the gym."

Another Tampines resident, Madam Christine Goh, 52, said: "This hub will be very convenient for residents because everything is under one roof.

"Besides doing exercises, we can also shop, eat, visit the library and settle our housing matters."