SINGAPORE – More than 200 upgrading projects were unveiled for the residents of Jurong, Clementi and Bukit Batok on April 5, including a plan to make fitness corners safer for the elderly, as Jurong-Clementi Town Council (JRTC) launched its five-year masterplan on April 5.
In a major initiative, the town council will collaborate with Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital to ensure that new fitness corners in the town are designed with frailty-prevention in mind and are safe and suitable for elderly residents.
The town council takes care of the areas that will come under the newly formed Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, where some 19 per cent of residents are above the age of 65.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said at the event that JRTC will work with physiotherapists from the two hospitals to not only select fitness equipment that is suitable for older residents, but also educate residents on how to use the equipment safely.
The physiotherapists will also curate training and fitness programmes for residents, under the wellness-focused estate development initiative, added Ms Fu, who is the MP for Yuhua SMC, which will be absorbed into the new GRC.
The partnership follows a six-month pilot programme in Bukit Batok and Jurong Central, where residents were educated on the proper and safe usage of fitness equipment.
Among the other plans unveiled in the masterplan is the rejuvenation of nine older estates in the town, including Yuhua and Clementi.
As part of the over 200 upgrading projects planned for the next five years, 40 sheltered linkways will also be built, and the town council will upgrade 41 fitness corners and 30 playgrounds.
It was announced on March 11 that Jurong GRC in its current form will be redistributed across multiple constituencies, the majority forming the new Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC. The GRC will absorb Bukit Batok SMC, and parts of Yuhua SMC and Hong Kah North SMC.
“We are excited about the prospect and are looking forward to serving new residents from Hong Kah North. With our experience and track record, we are confident that we can run the new town well,” Ms Fu said.
Over the past five years, more than 250 upgrading projects have been completed in the town, and 1,649 lifts have been upgraded in the estate. There are about 2,300 lifts across the towns.
The monthly lift fault rate has dropped to 0.05 per lift, from 0.12 in 2021.
Sharing these statistics at the event, Jurong GRC MP and JRTC chairman Xie Yao Quan said: “We are significantly outperforming the average lift fault rate across all town councils. Most importantly, this has meant more reliable lifts, smoother and safer rides, and overall better vertical commuting experiences for our residents.”
Two other MPs from Jurong GRC – Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam and Dr Tan Wu Meng – were also present.
Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai, who is the MP for Bukit Batok SMC, also attended the event, where two new faces were introduced. They were Mr David Hoe, director of philanthropy at charity Majurity Trust, and Ms Cassandra Lee, a long-time volunteer and PAP activist in Jurong.
Ms Fu said repairs and redecorations for more than 360 blocks had been completed in the past five years, with works for close to 270 blocks under way and 240 blocks in the pipeline.
The estate has also been made more inclusive, with more barrier-free access for those using wheelchairs or mobility devices, she added.
At the same time, HDB block pillars around Yuhua Village Market have also been painted with bright murals and recognisable images to help those with dementia find their way back home.
Mr Xie said the town has made continuous improvements to the delivery of services like bulky item removal. The town council received more than 2,800 requests every month for bulky item removal via calls, e-mails and online form submissions.
The town council team is working to consolidate requests into an online booking system that will send instant confirmation via SMS or e-mail to residents, he said.
Madam Nikki Ismail, a retiree in her 60s, has been living in Jurong since 2007. She said she attended the five-year masterplan event on April 5 as she was curious about how the neighbourhood would change, and welcomed the plans to make fitness corners safer.
She said she had been to the fitness corner near her block, but was not sure if it was safe to use the equipment. “Maybe once they upgrade it, I can go there more often,” she said.
Another Jurong resident, 62-year-old entrepreneur Suresh Karanth, said: “I’m looking forward to more fitness equipment in the neighbourhood that are eco-friendly and can benefit the seniors.”
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