Forum: Kallang Squash Centre worth saving

Facade of the Kallang Squash & Tennis Centre. PHOTO: ST FILE

I signed an online petition over the weekend to save the Kallang Squash Centre.

New development plans for the squash centre, netball centre and tennis centre were announced in August (Plan to transform Kallang into vibrant precinct by 2025, Aug 7).

The three facilities will make way for the Kallang Alive Youth Park. The centres for two sports, except for squash, will get new premises.

In Singapore, funding for a sport is often based on its medal-winning prospects and level of participation.

Squash does not fall short when it comes to winning medals for Singapore and there are many international tournaments at senior and junior levels.

Being voted the healthiest sport by Forbes magazine in 2003, it also has a healthy following among clubs, students and the expatriate community in Singapore.

The petition to save the squash centre hit 2,500 signatures in just a day, showing the level of support the game has.

The squash-playing community boasts many outstanding Singaporeans who have benefited from the sport, thanks to its emphasis on discipline, game plan and fitness. They include 2012 President's Design Award recipient Hanson Ho; current Squash Rackets Association of Singapore president Patrick Thio, who is the deputy managing director of Malaysian Milk; and Ms Tracy Woon, UBS vice-chairman for Asia Pacific Global Wealth Management.

I hope the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports would review its plans and allocate space for squash in plans for Kallang Alive.

Lim Jit Uei

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 29, 2019, with the headline Forum: Kallang Squash Centre worth saving. Subscribe