$1.5b for sports, recreational facilities

SINGAPORE - The Government will commit $1.5 billion to give Singaporeans easier access to sports and recreational facilities by 2030. Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong said in Parliament on March 11 that this will be used for phase one of the Sports Facilities Master Plan.

Mr Wong said the masterplan aims to give a majority of Singaporeans access to sports and recreational facilities within a 10-minute walk of their homes.

The plans include a mix of new facilities at the regional level, as well as incorporating new features to rejuvenate existing ones in the towns and communities.

Five Regional Sports Centres are being planned, with one in Punggol to be integrated with the neighbourhood's waterways, and co-located with a Safra clubhouse.

Meanwhile, the existing Ang Mo Kio Swimming Complex will be redeveloped into the Ang Mo Kio Wet Play Field, as the ministry explores the possibility of introducing an adventure sports pool with a floating playground in the facility.

In Sembawang, an upcoming Town Sports and Recreation Centre will be part of a future one-stop community hub. The centre will combine sporting and community facilities so as to offer greater convenience to residents.

Other funding

- $65 miilion to beef up cultural institutions.

- $20 million to promote art abroad.

- $10 million to fund public artwork.

- Voluntary welfare organisations can tap into a $1.5 million fund for art programmes