SINGAPORE – The community club, which is a five-minute walk from Madam Khong Mei Yong’s home in Thomson, was where she would spend most of her evenings, chatting with friends, attending dance classes or exercising.
But the last time the 73-year-old housewife visited the Thomson Community Club in Shunfu was in 2019, before it closed in April that year for renovation work that was originally estimated to be completed by late 2021.
Four years after its closure, the CC remains closed and the refurbishment is far from completed, after work was halted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Madam Khong said it is now inconvenient for her to take part in community activities as she has to take a 20-minute bus ride to the second-nearest CC – Marymount CC in Sin Ming Avenue. Instead, she goes to the Residents’ Committee, which is within walking distance of her home, to socialise and stay active.
“There are fewer activities (at the RC) and the space is much smaller compared with the old CC. It’s disappointing as we have no idea when the new CC will be ready,” said Madam Khong in Mandarin.
In December 2022, Thomson CC informed residents in a letter on its Facebook page that the main contractor of the redevelopment project had encountered unforeseen business challenges during the pandemic and was unable to continue its work at the CC.
The letter, signed by People’s Association’s (PA) building and estate management divisions and the Thomson CC management committee, added that a tender was put up to select a new contractor for the project.
When ST visited the site in Shunfu on Thursday afternoon, parts of the old building’s facade remained intact, with rubble around some of the structures. A crane was spotted on the premises, but there were no workers present or any construction work going on.
A signboard on the construction site’s hoarding states that the project was expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022. Another signboard had the expected completion date covered in black tape.
In response to queries from ST, the CC’s management committee said redevelopment work began in September 2019. It added that residents can access facilities and programmes at nearby CCs such as Marymount CC, Bishan CC in Bishan Street 13, and Thomson CC (temporary office) in Bishan Street 22.
A check on government procurement portal GeBiz shows that a tender put up by PA for this project had closed on Jan 18, 2023, drawing nine bids. The tender is under evaluation.
Residents living near Thomson CC in Shunfu said they are frustrated by the lack of progress on the CC’s redevelopment and miss the convenience of using the amenities there.
Retired driver Soh Koon Thiam, 70, said he used to go to the CC about once a week to eat at the cafe or to play badminton and table tennis with his friends.
He said: “The place was very lively, there were wushu and taekwondo classes for the kids, and line dancing for the seniors.
“I don’t do sports as much now, partly because of age, and also because it’s not as convenient to get to other CCs in the area.”
A check on Google Maps shows that Thomson CC is about 20 minutes away by foot or public transport from alternative CCs in the area.
Other residents said they miss the zi char stall in the CC, which served delicious food and opened past 9pm. A housewife who wanted to be known only as Mrs Tan, 55, said: “When I was too lazy to cook dinner, my family would go to the CC for a nice dinner, and we usually ordered the hor fun that had good wok hei (smoky flavour).”
Madam Khong hopes the CC will be up and running soon so the Shunfu area will regain its vibrancy. She said: “There are many old folks like me in the area, and it’s not easy for us to travel to other CCs. Thomson CC is not only convenient, but also means a lot to us as a gathering place for fun and bonding.”
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...ts-frustrated-after-waiting-more-than-4-years
