SINGAPORE - HomeTeamNS members can expect their new clubhouse in northern Singapore to be the first to be equipped with smart technology and eco-friendly features when it opens in 2020.
At the groundbreaking ceremony of the anticipated Khatib Clubhouse on Thursday (July 12), it was announced that it will have self-service kiosks and chatbots to allow members to book club facilities and renew their memberships digitally.
A cashless payment system - set up in collaboration with POSB -will also mean members will not need to carry a physical membership card when visiting.
Ms Agnes Eu, chief executive of HomeTeamNS, said that using technology will provide members with a "more seamless visitation experience".
The new clubhouse will feature green innovations, including solar panels, smart lighting controls and a swimming pool fitted with eco-filtration technology which helps to reduce chlorine levels in the water and improve its quality.
Unlike previous clubhouses which were built in place of former Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force buildings, the five-storey Khatib Clubhouse will be the first to be built from scratch.
Located on Yishun Ave 2, it will have an 'urban retreat' theme and is expected to serve around 250,000 visitors a month. Occupying 1.5 hectares, the clubhouse will also be 40 per cent bigger than the current largest clubhouse at Bukit Batok.
It will also have a four-storey indoor adventure hub with various obstacles, such as a rope course and fireman slides, to foster team-building.
An indoor training facility will provide realistic simulations of different scenarios NSmen may encounter, including terrorist assaults, to improve their marksmanship, decision-making and leadership skills.
Both of these facilities will also be open to the public for recreational use.
The Khatib Clubhouse will be the first of three smart clubhouses scheduled to open from 2020 onwards. Although plans for the other two clubhouses - in Bedok and Tengah Forest Town - have yet to be finalised, they will also feature smart technology and green features. They will be themed 'waterfront haven' and 'great outdoors' respectively.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam made an appearance as guest of honour, together with Manpower Minister Josephine Teo who is also the president of HomeTeamNS. They viewed a fly-through video presentation of the Khatib Clubhouse and its 3D scale model.
In his speech, Mr Shanmugam said that the clubhouse, among other initiatives, is a small way of thanking HomeTeamNSmen for their service to the nation.
Through consultations in workshops and online surveys and feedback on the HomeTeamNS Alumni Connect website, suggestions obtained from NSmen played a huge role in the planning of the Khatib Clubhouse.
Colonel (NS) Jorge Lau, co-chairman of the Khatib Clubhouse Development Committee, said: "This is truly a clubhouse built for NSmen, by NSmen."
