New Safra Punggol makes splash with land-water race

For families with children, there is an indoor water playground, a pre-school, gymnastics school and other enrichment activities. Visitors also have various dining options.
For families with children, there is an indoor water playground, a pre-school, gymnastics school and other enrichment activities. Visitors also have various dining options. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

To mark its opening, the new Safra Punggol club will hold a race that features kayaking, cycling, running and obstacles such as waterslides this June.

The Safra Punggol Waterway Challenge, which takes place in Punggol Waterway and on Coney Island, has one category for pairs of adults and two for parent-child pairs of different ages.

Registration for the June 11 event, which is open to the public, is now open and closes on May 29.

The new five-storey club, which opened yesterday, aims to serve some 80,000 national servicemen (NSmen) and their families in the north-east region.

Integrated with the nearby Punggol Waterway Park, it is the first Safra club to have a rental bicycle kiosk under the national park connector network.

This allows visitors to rent a bicycle at Safra Punggol and return it at, for example, East Coast Park.

Water activities such as kayaking are potentially on the way, too.

Safra Punggol executive committee chairman, Major (NS) Terence Quek, said the committee is exploring, with the authorities, the possibility of having a water activities facility where members can rent equipment such as kayaks.

The club, served by Punggol MRT and Sam Kee LRT stations, has facilities such as a gym, yoga studio and karaoke.

From July 1, NSmen can even take their Individual Physical Proficiency Test at the club's gym.

For families with children, there is a pre-school, indoor water playground, gymnastics school and other enrichment activities. Visitors also have various dining options.

"It's nice to have another new place in Punggol," said Punggol resident Saven Tan, 39, who was there with his wife and three children. "My kids have already been rushing me to take them to the water playground," added the financial advisor with a laugh.

Unlike other Safra clubs, Safra Punggol does not have a swimming pool.

This is because it is next to the upcoming Punggol regional sports centre, and will connect seamlessly with the sports centre's swimming facilities, said Maj Quek.

Safra Punggol will hold a 30 Days of Fun Carnival in June, with promotions, fitness workshops and other activities.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 25, 2016, with the headline New Safra Punggol makes splash with land-water race. Subscribe