Attempt to save the Futsal Park

Recently, we received notice that our usual sports lesson for Cayen every Sunday morning will be discontinued at the current Offsite Venue. Next 2 alternatives are further away and it may mean that we may not continue.  Nonetheless, this is empty space under flyover and I'm not sure what other better alternatives can they come up with . As such, being the activist that I am , I have written on Reach Singapore's Facebook and also dropped LTA a note. Hope I can get some clarity on exactly what they intend to do with that space. 

Anyway here's how my note reads: 

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Hi, I am a concerned parent who's enquiring on the fate of this facility for people to do sports. I understand that it has been now designated as a non recreational area and has been transferred from SLA to LTA for infrastructure purposes. May I know what is it exactly for? 

I am asking because my kid alongside other kids have been attending sports lessons there every week as part of an attempt to practise healthy living and this move sounds very contradictory you to all the talk about exercising/healthy living in Singapore. if we truly want to promote healthy lifestyle, we need places to be able to do so. In the last one year, I have been sending my kid to the Cage, Offsite at Whitley for sports lesson to help him to enjoy sports from young & for good health and I see many youths there too. Unfortunately, I heard that SLA has not renewed the use of land for recreation use and hence , we need to shift to alternative locations (and due to increased distance from home, we will most likely discontinue the lessons). To encourage exercise; venues need to be available . Another example is that I don't see any table tennis tables or other facilities for youths to play after school like what we used to have at hdb flats some 30 years back. Perhaps it's for noise control or some other reasons but the question is how do people stay healthy and exercise if it's so incovenient to do so.

We need a comprehensive strategy from health screening to enabling people who want to exercise to have an easier way to do so. We don't need to build new venues necessarily but let's review carefully all moves to take away the already scarce locations. All ministries need to be coordinated in their actions .  As such, I strongly recommend that health ministry coordinate with Hdb, Ura and now perhaps even LTA and SLA to ensure that we do not take away these precious spaces without convenient alternative solutions. This has direct impact on public health and also the ability to nurture future sports talent for Singapore. 

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If this space cannot be preserved, like many places in Singapore, it's a great pity as kids and youths have one less space with sufficient pitches , away from the sun to practise. 

I will certainly miss seeing the kiddos try their hand at soccer, basketball, hockey, golf, rugby, volleyball, cricket, tug of war , or simply do their warm up drills.