6 THE STRAITS TIMES SEPTEMBER 4 2014 Cover Story

OTHER INFO Stadium is the nearest MRT station, followed by How to book facilities: Go to the Sports Hub station, which is accessible via a website www.sportshub.com.sg, call 6653-8900 sheltered walkway. Alternatively, walk from or go on site. Mountbatten MRT station. Each person can book up to two one-hour If you are cycling there, bike racks will be up slots at each facility or swimming lane a day. only by year-end at the earliest. However, there How to get there: Travel by car, bus or MRT. are bike racks at Stadium MRT station.

There is a sports or recreational activity for everyone at the hub: (from left) badminton, beach volleyball, giant chess board and children’s playground-cum-workout area. ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN

You can walk in to book a court but priority will be given to those who have reserved a court. Do Venue for workouts bring your own ball. How much: Free INDOOR SPORTS AT THE OCBC ARENA NETBALL But you will have to wait as these facilities are MULL OVER CHESS MOVES The six halls cover two levels and can be modified How much: $15 per hour for non-peak hours on set to open only at the end of the year. Look for the Sports Museum and walk for badminton, basketball, netball, volleyball weekdays, or $30 per hour for peak hours. How much: Free up to Level 3. There, you will find an open-air giant games or other sports training such as Foreigners pay $22 or $43. chess board on the ground. taekwon-do, martial arts and fencing. TABLE TENNIS WALL CLIMBING AT THE MALL You will need to book the chess set by phone or The halls are open to the public but may be How much: $4 per hour for non-peak hours on Scale Singapore’s tallest indoor sport climbing in person at the customer care counter at the closed for events or for maintenance. Halls 1 and weekdays, or $5 per hour for peak hours. venue in air-conditioned comfort at the Kallang Water Sports Centre. 3 are, for instance, closed until Sept 14 for the Foreigners pay $5.20 or $6.50. Wave Mall from 11am to 11pm on weekdays and If that is too much trouble, head to Level 1 of Asian Netball Championships. 9am to 9pm on weekends. the Singapore Sports Library, where there is also a The indoor sports activities that you can pursue RENT A KAYAK OR CANOE There are three climbing towers with more than giant chess board, complete with chess pieces. here, from 7am to 10pm daily, include: AT THE WATER SPORTS CENTRE 45 climbing lanes. Courses for adults as well as Booking is not required. BADMINTON Here, you can walk in to rent a kayak or a canoe for children aged five to 12 are available. How much: Free How much: For the whole day, $14 for children How much: $5 per hour for non-peak hours on for use in , as well as sign up for JOG AROUND THE STADIUM under 13, $16 for youth aged 13 to 17, and $20 weekdays, or $8 per hour for peak hours. canoe or kayak orientation programmes. Run along an 888m sheltered jogging track that for adults, plus a one-time registration fee of $10. Foreigners pay $6.50 or $13. The centre opens from 7am to 7pm daily, and encircles the National Stadium on Level 3. to 10pm on public holidays. Boat rental hours are Multi and seasonal passes are available. How much: Free BASKETBALL from 7am to 7pm, with the last rental at 5pm. Tip: Speed things up by registering online at GO SKATING How much: $30 per hour for non-peak hours on How much: $12 for two hours during non-peak www.climbcentral.sg before heading there. The Sports Hub Skate Park on Level 3 boasts a weekdays, or $40 for peak hours. Foreigners pay hours on weekdays, or $14 for peak hours. variety of basic ramps and obstacles for action $39 or $52. Children, students and senior citizens pay $8 or HANG OUT AT THE HUB sports enthusiasts. Skate, inline skate or ride your VOLLEYBALL $10. Foreigners pay slightly more. Full-day rates There are a host of activities you can do from 7am BMXs here. Booking is not required. How much: $15 per hour for non-peak hours on are also available. to 10pm daily. weekdays, or $30 per hour for peak hours. How much: Free PLAY BALL Foreigners pay $22 or $43. SPLASH-N-SURF BEACH VOLLEYBALL Take your pick of three conventional hard courts This is the place to head to if you enjoy You are not really at the beach but you can still that are primarily configured for basketball, futsal recreational water activities or if you have young feel the sand under your feet, complete with a and netball. Book them online. children in tow. Facilities include a water-play area view of Kallang Basin. The two beach volleyball How much: Free for young children, a 1m-deep lazy river and a courts are near the waterfront and Kallang Wave half-pipe surfing facility. Mall. ON THE ROOFTOPS CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND Let your children loose at the playground on the rooftop of the Singapore Sports Library. You can Make use of sports centres islandwide then head to the nine exercise stations next to it and sweat it out to your heart’s content. The Sports Hub is not the only place where you barbecue pits to further enhance members’ How much: Free can engage in sports and recreational water experience.” activities. You can do the same at the 20 And if you head to the swimming complexes LAWN BOWLING ActiveSG sports centres around the island. in Choa Chu Kang, Jurong East, Jurong West, On the rooftop of the Singapore Sports Museum is These are integrated complexes comprising Pasir Ris and Sengkang, you will find unique a 34m by 18m stretch of manicured artificial turf, various facilities such as stadiums, swimming “feature pools”. They boast features such as where you can engage in this age-old sport. complexes and sports halls. slides, jacuzzis, and splash-and-slide areas, Limited sets of lawn bowl balls, jacks and mats Some of the more unusual ones include the said Mr Tan, adding that such pools have been are available for loan at the Water Sports Centre Ang Mo Kio, Clementi and Jurong West popular with visitors. Customer Care Counter from 7am to 8pm. swimming complexes, where you can get a gym ActiveSG sports centres are also introducing How much: Free workout by the pool. Stationary bicycles and new activities. Some offerings include other gym equipment are available by the aqua-spinning and Urban Trekking. poolside. Aqua-spinning involves cycling on stationary It is not just the sports facilities that beckon bicycles in the shallow end of the pool to at these centres. There are outdoor dining music. It is offered at the Clementi and areas at Jurong West, Yio Chu Kang and Sengkang swimming complexes. Woodlands swimming complexes too. Meanwhile, the Urban Trekking programme “The set-up of alfresco dining areas is part is a walking exercise that makes use of of an effort to utilise the facilities and spaces specially designed poles and specific in creative ways,” said Mr Simon Tan, deputy techniques to help you lose weight and tone director of club design and planning at up. It is available only at Delta Sports Centre. ActiveSG Sport Singapore. “These areas will soon be fitted with new Joyce Teo