People’s Park Food Centre reopens with anti-bird netting, upgraded facilities after renovation
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SINGAPORE – People’s Park Food Centre reopened on Saturday with many stall owners and returning patrons satisfied with what they said were overdue renovation works to clean up its “dirty” image.
The popular food centre at Block 32 New Market Road is now part of a league of upgraded hawker centres in Singapore equipped with anti-bird netting above open-air seating areas and ceiling spikes, following bird nuisance complaints.
The others include food centres at Block 353 Clementi Avenue 2 and Block 79 Telok Blangah Drive.
Stall owners at People’s Park Food Centre said bird infestation in the past had often prevented customers from having their meals in peace.
The birds often pecked at customers’ leftover food, and left bird droppings everywhere, contributing to the unsightly appearance of the food centre. Now, the problem is gone.
Anti-bird spikes at People’s Park Food Centre.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Ms Seow Poh Kiaw, 60, a stall helper at Nasi Lemak, said: “I used to have to remind customers not to leave their food unattended on their tables as the birds will come and eat it. Now, my customers no longer have to worry about this.”
Besides anti-bird netting above open-air seating areas and anti-bird spikes on ceilings, each stall at the newly renovated food centre has been fitted with metal panels that rise to the ceiling. This prevents rodents from climbing into the food stalls through ceiling pipes.
Each stall is fitted with metal panels that rise to the ceiling. This prevents rodents from climbing into the food stalls through ceiling pipes.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
New anti-slip flooring and renovated toilets with automatic taps were other upgrades made to People’s Park Food Centre, which was closed for three months from April 1 to Friday for repairs.
Ms Seow, who used to see rats scuttering around at 5am, when her stall opens, said the rats are now gone. She also said that the new flooring ensures the safety of hawkers and patrons as the old centre was full of potholes and uneven tiles.
Mr Guang Tong Mi, 50, a helper at Chinese cooked food stall Chuan Wei Yuan, is confident that the new anti-bird netting will attract more customers to the food centre. Also, he no longer worries about slipping when he washes the floor.
Returning patrons agreed.
Housewife Helen Wee, 57, said that the food centre is brighter, and she feels more comfortable dining there.
Ms Sheryl Teo, 52, who is unemployed, liked what she saw, adding that the old flooring was a fall hazard as it was oily and slippery.
Stall owners, however, said proper maintenance is needed to keep the food centre clean and pleasant.
Mr Ivan Voon, 49, a stall helper at Lian Ji Drinks, said birds cannot be allowed to find other entry points into the food centre.
People’s Park Food Centre is now equipped with anti-bird netting above open-air seating areas.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
“Maintaining the cleanliness of the food centre also depends on the habits of customers,” Mr Voon said, noting that stubborn stains on the centre’s light-brown tables may be harder to remove than from the darker blue tables previously.
Some hawkers like Ms Seow believe that Singapore’s new tray return rule – which requires patrons of foodcourts, hawker centres and coffee shops to return their used trays and crockery – will help to keep the food centre clean. The rule kicked in on June 1, with offenders facing fines and sanctions.
