Sentosa condos' unwanted bicycles given new lease of life in youth cycling club

SINGAPORE - The bicycles were donated by two condominiums in Sentosa to a community project started by the Bukit Merah West Neighbourhood Police Centre. Many of the bikes have been left behind by former residents who had moved out.

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Here is the media statement from the Singapore Police Force:

"Henderson Bikers" Initiative- Recycling Effort to Benefit Henderson Youths

Putting truth to the adage that "one man's waste is another man's treasure", the Bukit Merah West (BMW) Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) partnered

Tanglin Cairnhill Constituency Grassroots organisations on Jan 3, 2015 to launch its "Henderson Bikers" initiative, which saw 61 restored bicycles being donated to Henderson Bikers' cycling club for use youths in the Henderson Heights housing estate.

The launch was held in conjunction with the New Year Family Day cum Gift-A-Bike grassroots event organised by Henderson Crescent Residents' Committee (HCRC), River Valley Neighbourhood Committee (NC) and Tanglin NC. Close to 450 residents attended the family day which was graced by Host-Adviser Ms Indranee Thurai Rajah, Senior Minister of State for Law and Education, and Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC.

It was a stroke of luck that led officers from the BMW NPC's Community Policing Unit (CPU) to discover several unused bicycles while conducting community outreach work at Oceanfront Condominium in Sentosa Cove last August. Left behind by former residents and due for disposal, CPU officers obtained the condominium management's approval for the bicycles to be donated instead. The CPU officers also contacted other condominiums to request for unused bicycles available to be donated.

With help from The Cycling Initiative (a social enterprise which seeks to reach out to marginalised youths through cycling) and Scootz (a bicycle shop), thorough inspections were carried out on the bicycles to ensure they were still roadworthy. BMW officers also contributed personal cash donations for the purchase of new bicycle parts. These collective efforts led to the restoration of 61 bicycles.

The bicycles will be managed by Henderson Bikers' cycling club which was formed in August 2014. The club is a joint collaboration between River Valley NC, Tanglin NC and HCRC; with HCRC taking the lead. The club will organise activities for the estate's youths, who are between 7 - 18 years old. Through such initiatives, BMW NPC hopes to foster closer ties with the residents and community stakeholders and engage youths in meaningful activities.

Deputy Superintendent Aaron Gan, BMW NPC's Commanding Officer said: "We treasure the close relationships with our community leaders and residents, and we hope the cycling club would be a good platform for us to forge closer ties with them. Through this, we also hope to encourage more youths to partner us in fighting crime and making the neighbourhood safer."

One young Henderson Heights resident, who has been looking forward to some two-wheeled fun said "I am proud and touched by the Police's gesture in gifting us these bicycles. It shows that the Police care about us."