SINGAPORE - A community and lifestyle hub in Tampines on Sunday opened its doors to much fanfare, after some five years of upgrading works.

About 5,000 residents who turned up for a sneak peek at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (Aug 7), and many were eager for the facility to fully open its doors by June 2017, when facilities such as a library, gym and jogging track will be ready.

The hub, located at the former Tampines Stadium and Tampines Sports Hall, will be opened in three phases from November 2016.

Residents can start visiting the hub then for their fix of hawker fare, or to play sports at the badminton courts or team sports hall.

The second phase, which includes facilities like a bowling alley and karaoke centre, will be ready by March 2017.

The hub is expected to be fully open by June 2017. It will benefit the 200,000 residents who now live in Tampines.

"How fitting it is... to have our first event at Our Tampines Hub coincide with National Day celebrations," said Mr Masagos Zulkifli, an MP for Tampines GRC and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.

Many of the residents who joined in Sunday's celebrations turned up in red-and-white, and sang along to familiar patriotic tunes such as Home and Five Stars Arising.

The event also included a job fair of some 900 jobs available at the hub - such as in the upcoming food and beverage outlets or childcare centres there.

Mr Masagos also told residents that Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, also an MP of Tampines GRC, was recovering well.

"I'd like to share with everyone that Mr Heng is recovering well. I've spoke to him and he's monitoring our activities from home. He'd like to thank you all for the support and prayers," Mr Masagos said to applause.

Mr Heng is currently on medical leave after he collapsed during a Cabinet meeting on May 12 from a stroke due to an aneurysm, a localised weakening of a blood vessel.

He underwent a successful endovascular coil embolisation - surgery to seal off the aneurysm on the same day of the stroke.