While Singapore has hosted a number of sports, lifestyle and entertainment events, we can still “unlock the full potential” of the Sports Hub, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Thus, the Government is embarking upon a Kallang Alive Masterplan that includes building a new 18,000-capacity indoor arena.
Source: Edwin Tong on Facebook
In his National Day Rally (NDR) speech on Sunday (18 Aug), PM Wong noted that the Government had taken over full ownership and management of the Sports Hub since 2022.
Now that it has done so, it can “make the whole Kallang area more alive”, he said after showing a photo of the Taylor Swift concert to laughter from the audience.
”I didn’t go to this concert,” he quipped.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore on YouTube
He then proceeded to share some ideas from the Kallang Alive Masterplan.
On the new indoor arena, Mr Wong said its capacity of 18,000 is bigger than the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which can hold 12,000.
The indoor stadium, which is 35 years old, “no longer meets the requirements of today’s sporting and entertainment events”, he added.
The new arena will be able to host more top-tier events, with Singapore athletes able to compete on home ground.
Source: Edwin Tong on Facebook
This will also allow Singaporeans to have more opportunities to cheer them on, the PM said.
In March, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong said that the new arena was envisioned to “host more sophisticated events” and “have a faster turnaround time between different types of events”.
He also expressed hopes it would be one of the “best-in-class” worldwide.
While the fate of the Singapore Indoor Stadium was yet to be confirmed, he was quoted as saying that the plan was to build the new arena next to the current location.
An artist’s impression of the proposed Kallang area shared on Sunday puts the new arena next to the Indoor Stadium.
Source: Edwin Tong on Facebook
Another major change to the Kallang area is that the Singapore Sports School will move there.
Based in Woodlands right now, the school’s move to Kallang will mean that our student-athletes can study and train together with the senior athletes, Mr Wong said.
This will be done in tandem with the bringing together of the national training centres for several key sports, now spread out all over the island.
Co-locating them under one roof will result in “better synergies”, the PM added.
Source: Edwin Tong on Facebook
Additionally, better facilities for the Team Singapore athletes, including new sports science and sports medicine facilities, will be built at this location.
The complex will then be known as the “new home for Team Singapore”, he stated.
Lastly, the main road that runs through the Sports Hub will be converted into a pedestrianised community boulevard, Mr Wong said.
They will make the “entire area come alive” with sporting facilities and programmes for all Singaporeans to enjoy sports without needing to be an elite athlete.
Source: Edwin Tong on Facebook
The PM said Kallang will become a new lifestyle destination for sports and entertainment, adding:
Whatever your level, so long as you have an interest in sports, there will be something for you here.
Mr Wong also took a moment to show his appreciation for Singapore’s athletes at the Olympics, saying he’s proud of all of them.
He mentioned bronze medallist Max Maeder, who was in the audience. Maeder was the only athlete who medalled in the Olympics this year.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore on YouTube
Mr Wong also gave a shoutout to other Olympians such as Shanti Pereira, Loh Kean Yew, Gan Ching Hwee and Stephenie Chen and invited the athletes in attendance to stand so the audience could clap for them.
Source: Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore on YouTube
He wished the Paralympians all the very best for the Games, saying he’s glad that more young Singaporeans with talent are taking sports seriously and excelling. He added:
We will do more to strengthen the sporting culture in Singapore.
Also read: New arena to be built in Kallang, fate of S’pore Indoor Stadium undecided
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Featured image adapted from Edwin Tong on Facebook.
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