YOU'VE complained before.

Where can you play football for free in Singapore?

The law looks down upon void-deck footballing adventures.

Elsewhere in Singapore's urban jungle, it seems as if you have to pay to get your own space, your own kicks in the sport you fancy, like say football.

But what if you fancy just a fun kickabout and don't ask for much.

Just some open space to run wild and free.

Well, you may not have to look too far away from your home.

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has completed its improvement of 284 sites of unused state land for free sports and recreational use, and announced it yesterday.

In a The New Paper exclusive yesterday, we ported the results of our a visit to two such easily-accessible sites in Bishan Street 24 and Monk's Hill Terrace near Newton Hawker Centre, to check on major repairs and changes.

After all, we had suggested last year, to make the signs on these fields friendlier, to encourage the public to use them.

On an island-state of 704 sq km and a population of over 4 million, having some 500 hectares of empty spaces equivalent to 780 football fields, should provide a breath of fresh air.

The sport or recreation you choose to pursue on these sites, is only limited by your own imagination.

We identify what SLA has named as the top 20 sites used freely by the public and list some more in the various districts islandwide.

Top 20 free sites for sports, recreation and community

1. Bukit Merah Central (opposite Blk 161)

2. Ganges Ave (next to Indus Rd and in front of Blk 79)

3. Junction of Merchant Loop and Merchant Rd

4. McNair Rd (next to Blk 108C)

5. Sims Drive (between Blk 57 and 59)

6. Aljunied Ave 2 (opp Geylang East Swimming Complex)

7. Tanjong Rhu Rd

8. Bedok South Road (Blk 157)

9. Pasir Ris Drive 3 (Blk 606)

10. Compassvale Walk (Blk 229)

11. Bishan St 24 (Blk 272)

12. Hougang Ave 7 (Blk 316)

13. Punggol Central (Blk 642A)

14. Choa Chu Kang St 51 (Blk 501)

15. Choa Chu Kang St 52 (Yew Tee CC)

16. Yishun Ring Road (Blk 791)

17. Yishun Ave 7 (Blk 280)

18. Woodlands Drive

19. Pioneer Rd North

20. Woodlands Ave 3 (opposite Blk 17)

Free spaces for sports near you

CHANGI/PASIR RIS

1. Tampines Ave 1/Ave 5 (between Blk 936 & 937) (6,800sqm)

2. Tampines St 43/44 (next to Blk 473) (37,000)

3. Pasir Ris Drive 3 (next to Blk 606) (14,100)

4. Pasir Ris Central (Blk 586) (46,852)

EAST COAST

1. Jalan Sempadan, next to Villa Marina (10,446sqm)

2. Tanjong Rhu Rd (Site A) (6,400)

3. Bedok South Rd (next to Blk 157) (45,500)

4. Chai Chee Street (in front of Blk 55)(3,300)

5. Bedok Reservoir Road (in front of Blk 609) (3,000)

BALESTIER/MACPHERSON/GEYLANG

1. McNair Rd (next to Blk 108C) (5,000sqm)

2. Along Serangoon Ave 3 (Near Nanyang JC) (12,000)

3. Mountbatten Rd (26,500)

4. Sims Drive (between Blk 57 and 59) (5,300)

5. Potong Pasir Ave 1 (next to Kallang Park Connector) (2,216)

6. Potong Pasir Ave 3 (next to Sri Sivan Temple) (4,527)

ORCHARD/TANGLIN/HOLLAND

1. Mackenzie Rd (11,480sqm)

2. Kampong Java/Bukit Timah Rd (7,100)

NEWTON/BUKIT TIMAH/CLEMENTI

1. Hindhede Rd/Upper Bt Timah Rd (14,800sqm)

2. Eng Neo Ave/Dunearn Rd (17,698)

3. Junction of Upper Bukit Timah and Bukit Timah Ave (10,730)

4. Jalan Seh Chuan (next to carpark) (20,212)

CITY/SOUTH-WEST

1. Margaret Drive (in front of Blk 96) (23,000sqm)

2. Farrer Park (Race Course Rd/Northumberland Rd) (12,000)

3. Gloucester Rd (beside Blk 9) (8,000)

4. Kallang Ave (11,400)

5. Dover Rd (10,357)

6. Alexandra Road (next to Delta House) (6,000)

7. Strathmore Ave (next to Queenstown N'hood Police Centre) (5,018)

SERANGOON/THOMSON

1. Punggol Field (in front of Blk 204A) (28,450sqm)

2. Hougang Ave 10 (in front of Blk 453) (2,900)

3. Punggol Central (next to Blk 293A) (47,512)

4. Compassvale Crescent (opp Blk 290A) (81,593)

5. Rivervale Drive (next to Blk 113) (6,000)

6. Sengkang East Ave (opposite Blk 102/116C) (40,000)

WEST AND NORTH1. Yishun Ave 1 (Miltonia Close) (26,800sqm)

2. Yishun Ave 2 (next to Blk 846) (12,500)

3. Yishun Ave 5 (besides Yishun MRT Station) (18,000)

4. Yishun Ring Rd/Ave 9 (40,000)

5. Yung An Rd (besides the mosque) (24,000)

6. Jurong West St 61/63 (17,920)

7. Jurong West St 76 (5,000)

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