<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Shuttlers riled by Safra move to rent out hall for events
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Mr Tham Kok Cheong and 10 other members fear they cannot play badminton every weekend at the Safra Toa Payoh clubhouse.
The club's multi-purpose hall might be closed for two weekends each month, from October till February next year.
During this time, if there are takers for the space, vendors can hold warehouse sales for items like cosmetics and videos.
Safra, a social recreation club for national servicemen and their families, also has clubhouses in Mount Faber, Tampines, Yishun and Jurong. Members pay a yearly fee of $40 or $60.
Safra Toa Payoh reserves the right to ensure that no more than two weekends every month are booked for events. If there are no takers, the venue will revert to badminton use.
Notice is given to members two months before the dates.
However, Mr Tham and his friends are unhappy that the hall in Toa Payoh has been block-booked from October to next February.
Said the 55-year-old trainer: 'Why have they booked it all the way till next year? These sales promoters are using Safra premises to promote their products. They are depriving members of the use of Safra facilities.'
Lieutenant-Colonel (NS) Ho Lye Sum, chairman of the executive committee of Safra Toa Payoh, said the multi-purpose hall is the only available venue for holding events such as competitions, carnivals and fairs.
The rental collected goes towards the maintenance of the multi-purpose hall and club facilities.
Other newer Safra clubhouses have more spacious venues to hold the fairs.
'We have put up a notice in Safra Toa Payoh to advise members of weekends when the multi-purpose hall may be used for such purposes so they can book alternative venues,' said Lt-Col (NS) Ho.
'Members will be advised two months in advance if no event is confirmed - as was the case for May, June and July this year.'
Six fairs have been held in Safra Toa Payoh this year, with one, a cosmetics event, targeted at women.
Last year, there were eight weekends when the hall was used for multimedia, video and toy fairs.
While Mr Tham has no complaints about activities that target men and the family, such as video and toy fairs, he is not for cosmetics fairs.
'Why are all these cosmetics sales for the women held at Safra? Do these things interest men? Are they for national servicemen?'
Said another member, Mr William Lim, 44, a sales executive: 'I'm all right with family-oriented activities and fairs; if they benefit most members, I've nothing to say. But I'm not happy with the women-targeted fairs.'
A cosmetics fair was held from April 24 to 26.
The non-profit Safra has 201,400 members, of whom about 40,000 are the spouses and children of members.
When fairs are held in Toa Payoh, Safra ensures that the badminton courts in Mount Faber and Tampines are available.
But Mr Tham and his friends are reluctant to play elsewhere.
'We will have to compete with other members from the other clubhouses who play during the same time as us. It's not fair to us too if we have to go to the community centres or sports halls outside,' he said.
However, Safra noted that there are available slots at the other clubhouses during the time Mr Tham and his friends usually play.
'I'm just afraid that Safra may turn into a commercial hub,' said Mr Tham.
Teo Wan Gek Should Safra premises be used to hold fairs that cater to women's needs? Send your views to [email protected]
Way to go! *hee*hee*
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Mr Tham Kok Cheong and 10 other members fear they cannot play badminton every weekend at the Safra Toa Payoh clubhouse.
The club's multi-purpose hall might be closed for two weekends each month, from October till February next year.
During this time, if there are takers for the space, vendors can hold warehouse sales for items like cosmetics and videos.
Safra, a social recreation club for national servicemen and their families, also has clubhouses in Mount Faber, Tampines, Yishun and Jurong. Members pay a yearly fee of $40 or $60.
Safra Toa Payoh reserves the right to ensure that no more than two weekends every month are booked for events. If there are no takers, the venue will revert to badminton use.
Notice is given to members two months before the dates.
However, Mr Tham and his friends are unhappy that the hall in Toa Payoh has been block-booked from October to next February.
Said the 55-year-old trainer: 'Why have they booked it all the way till next year? These sales promoters are using Safra premises to promote their products. They are depriving members of the use of Safra facilities.'
Lieutenant-Colonel (NS) Ho Lye Sum, chairman of the executive committee of Safra Toa Payoh, said the multi-purpose hall is the only available venue for holding events such as competitions, carnivals and fairs.
The rental collected goes towards the maintenance of the multi-purpose hall and club facilities.
Other newer Safra clubhouses have more spacious venues to hold the fairs.
'We have put up a notice in Safra Toa Payoh to advise members of weekends when the multi-purpose hall may be used for such purposes so they can book alternative venues,' said Lt-Col (NS) Ho.
'Members will be advised two months in advance if no event is confirmed - as was the case for May, June and July this year.'
Six fairs have been held in Safra Toa Payoh this year, with one, a cosmetics event, targeted at women.
Last year, there were eight weekends when the hall was used for multimedia, video and toy fairs.
While Mr Tham has no complaints about activities that target men and the family, such as video and toy fairs, he is not for cosmetics fairs.
'Why are all these cosmetics sales for the women held at Safra? Do these things interest men? Are they for national servicemen?'
Said another member, Mr William Lim, 44, a sales executive: 'I'm all right with family-oriented activities and fairs; if they benefit most members, I've nothing to say. But I'm not happy with the women-targeted fairs.'
A cosmetics fair was held from April 24 to 26.
The non-profit Safra has 201,400 members, of whom about 40,000 are the spouses and children of members.
When fairs are held in Toa Payoh, Safra ensures that the badminton courts in Mount Faber and Tampines are available.
But Mr Tham and his friends are reluctant to play elsewhere.
'We will have to compete with other members from the other clubhouses who play during the same time as us. It's not fair to us too if we have to go to the community centres or sports halls outside,' he said.
However, Safra noted that there are available slots at the other clubhouses during the time Mr Tham and his friends usually play.
'I'm just afraid that Safra may turn into a commercial hub,' said Mr Tham.
Teo Wan Gek Should Safra premises be used to hold fairs that cater to women's needs? Send your views to [email protected]
Way to go! *hee*hee*
