The new and improved Geylang West Community Club (CC) was opened on Saturday by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

He said it was an example of how CCs have kept up with residents' expectations as society becomes more affluent.

The facilities at the CC include a gym specially designed for the elderly, a childcare centre as well as an academy to train spa therapists and beauticians. But CCs are important not just for their activities but because they are "a centre for our community activities and organisation", PM Lee said.

During the worst week of the haze a fortnight ago, CCs were the nerve centre for mask distribution and a place for people to find respite in air-conditioned rooms set aside as haze shelters, he added.

He urged residents to make good use of the CC, which he called a "very important part of community building and of building kampung spirit".

A main attraction at the CC is the gym for seniors. It is a tie-up between the CC and private operator Dennis Gym, with residents aged 50 and older paying $5 a month to use the weights, which are lighter, and equipment with timers that lower their risk of strain and injuries.