SINGAPORE – Around 1,600 new Housing Board flats will be built on a 10ha site in Farrer Park, along with sports and recreational facilities including a new sports centre.
The Build-To-Order (BTO) projects will be launched for sale within three years, HDB, Sport Singapore and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced on Monday (April 25) as the agencies unveiled plans for the site.
The site is bounded by Dorset Road, Keng Lee Road, Hampshire Road and Race Course Road. It is also near Little India and Farrer Park MRT stations, as well as Tekka Market and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
In a nod to the area’s rich sporting heritage, about 20 per cent of the site will be set aside as open spaces for sports and recreational uses, including a 1.2ha central green space comprising a field and park.
The agencies said the former boxing gym building – the former training ground for the Singapore Amateur Boxing Association – will be retained and converted to a multi-purpose community sporting space. It will be integrated within one of the housing developments.
“Agencies will ensure that works to the building will capture the architectural character and retain key features of the building,” the statement said.
The estate’s multi-storey car park will be designed so that its ground floor can be set aside for sporting facilities.
Other facilities include fitness corners, a jogging track weaving through the estate, and three-generation playgrounds which provides play areas for children and exercise stations for the elderly.
The housing developments will also have new commercial and social communal facilities, such as precinct shops and a childcare centre.
However, the Farrer Park Swimming Complex will not be retained despite earlier plans to keep the facility.
Instead, a new sports centre will be built at the same location, and will have swimming pools and other sporting facilities.
“After further detailed studies, agencies have assessed that it will not be feasible to retain the swimming complex due to various technical considerations,” the agencies said.
The retained boxing gym (in yellow) will be converted to a community sports facility. PHOTO: Housing & Development Board
In particular, the existing pool shows signs of listing, indicative of ground settlement issues, they noted.
The pool filtration and underground piping system are dated and in need of complete overhaul to ensure the quality of the pool facilities, they added.
The agencies had taken suggestions from the Friends of Farrer Park group, members of the heritage community, sports community as well as residents in the area, on retaining the area’s sporting identity.
“As agencies study the detailed design of the future developments, we will continue to work with the relevant stakeholders to enhance the character and identity of the estate,” the statement said.
Farrer Park’s New Chapter: Losing a Sports Legacy
When the city ditches a backyard that’s been a haven for footballers, track stars, tennis pros, rugby‑fit guys, and even whizzkid squash players, a lot of athletes feel something deep in their gut.
What’s Been Lost?
- Football footy sessions – the place where legends first dribbled the ball.
- Track & field training – early‑morning sprints that turned pros.
- Rugby and hockey drills – where hard tackles were seasoned.
- Tennis and squash courts – soaking up the local game culture.
Not by accident, but the official plan has shifted the park into a series of BTO flats (Build‑to‑Order apartments). The city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority has mirrored a trend seen across Singapore, prioritising housing over heritage.
Athletes Speak Out
“It’s like losing a part of ourselves,” one former soccer star lamented. The outcry’s clear: keep the heartbeat of sports alive for the next generation.
Why It Matters
Farrer Park wasn’t merely a patch of grass; it was a community corner, a launchpad for dreams, and a place for heart‑felt sweat sessions that built lifelong camaraderie. Let’s hope the final announcement balances living needs with a nod to this rich sporting past.
