PLAYING FIELD IN TELOK BLANGAH

Dr Koh Lam Son asked the Minister for National Development whether the open space between Fairway Condominium and Block 45 Telok Blangah Drive will be converted into a playing field as there is no such facility in the Telok Blangah Constituency.

The Minister for National Development (Mr S. Dhanabalan): Mr Speaker, Sir, the open space between Fairway Condominium and Apartment Block 45, Telok Blangah Drive, is earmarked for development of new HDB flats. The HDB will be developing the land within the next three years. Therefore, it is not possible to convert it permanently into a playfield. However, residents of Telok Blangah can use as a playfield the open space at the edge of Mount Faber which is within walking distance. It is located at the junction of Henderson Road Extension and Telok Blangah Way.

Dr Koh Lam Son: Sir, may I ask the Minister whether he would assist us to level the present ground which at the moment is very uneven and not suitable for playing football. Since there is a time lag of maybe three or more years, is it possible to level this ground so that the young people in Telok Blangah can use it for playing football?

Mr Dhanabalan: Mr Speaker, Sir, to make that open space into a playfield would require more than levelling. It will have to be properly drained and turfed. The HDB estimates that the cost of turning it into a playfield will be something like $170,000. But I will ask the HDB to consider whether they can just level it which means that it will probably be usable only at certain times and not put in any other investment. I will ask them to consider it.