Clubhouse to get more kid-friendly

Clubhouse to get more kid-friendly

SINGAPORE - Think clubhouse upgrading and the usual amenities come to mind - karaoke rooms, a revamped basketball court and a nice restaurant.

But the HomeTeamNS@Bukit Batok clubhouse will introduce a childcare facility next year. HomeTeamNS, the association for police and civil defence NSmen, will be spending $16 million to revamp its three clubhouses.

Besides the one in Bukit Batok, Balestier and Chinatown will also have new facilities.

The Bukit Batok branch will undergo the biggest transformation, and will sport a new NTUC FairPrice, childcare and enrichment centre and upgrades to its laser tag arena.

"These new facilities are very welcome changes," said Bukit Batok resident Winston Loh, 26, when informed of the upcoming renovations. "They'll definitely make it a lot more convenient for people living in the area."

Mr Loh, who is married and is planning to have a child soon, likes the idea of a childcare facility in the clubhouse, which is slated to be ready by the middle of next year.

He said: "If a child goes with his grandparents to the clubhouse, it means that the grandparents can also have a good time using the clubhouse's other facilities."

Four Safra clubhouses already have childcare centres by NutureStars, a joint collaboration between Safra and Kinderland Educare Services.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, said converting the Bukit Batok clubhouse to make it a more family-oriented facility was to match the needs of its NSmen.

"We have been engaging close to 3,000 NSmen, hearing them out and know what is substantive in transforming the kind of services that we provide," said the president of HomeTeamNS.

The review revealed that NSmen needed a clubhouse they could call their home, said Mr Chua Song Heng, who heads the National Service steering committee.

 

Other branches

The Balestier branch will get a visual facelift and a new gym, while the Chinatown branch will get an all-day dining restaurant and a members lounge.

HomeTeamNS members can also expect more membership benefits with CapitaMalls Asia, like reward points which they can use to redeem products at its shopping malls.

By 2016, the new clubhouse at the Tampines Town Hub will also be completed at a cost of $4 million.

There are also plans to upgrade the Sembawang clubhouse in the near future.

 

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg


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