Singapore Parliament: Closures of void deck, street soccer court seem harsh but are necessary, says Faishal Ibrahim
Minister of State for National Development says such interventions are necessary to balance the interests of all residents and not taken lightly
SINGAPORE — Recent closures of public amenities such as a void deck and a street football court - due to complaints of excessive noises from youngsters playing football - have generated a lively online debate on whether such actions are detrimental to the development of younger generations.
On Tuesday (9 January), Minister of State for National Development Faishal Ibrahim said in Parliament that such interventions in public housing estates, while seemingly harsh, are necessary to balance the interests of all residents and are not taken lightly. He added that town councils and relevant agencies have tried their utmost to communicate with affected parties and develop win-win solutions.
Dr Faishal was responding to Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, who raised the importance of "give and take" in common spaces of residential estates. “To close, barricade or block common spaces appear to suggest that there can be no room for compromise, and that the redacted behaviour or activity is so abhorrent that there is no place for it at all,” Dr Harun added.
The NMP argued that, since common spaces are open to all, it is inadvertently a melting pot for some level of disagreement. However, he hopes that HDB and URA could look into finer details which can be improved to help social cohesion flourish in these spaces.
“If noise levels are a concern, could it be possible to design better noise insulation strategies for the lower floors? If safety of passers-by are to be considered, can we not demarcate and design areas of play better?” he asked in Parliament.
“With forward planning, a little bit of creativity, some contemplation and a considered compromise, common spaces in residential estates can be realised as a focal point for community relations and a beacon for social cohesion.”
We must remain mindful of diverse needs: Dr Faishal
In response, Dr Faishal said that one of the key guiding principles in the government’s management of common spaces is that they should be kept open and inclusive.
“In using our common spaces, we must remain mindful of the diverse needs and interests across different groups. On occasion, there are conflicts and dis-amenities which we have to manage, as we balance the interests of different groups within our community,” he said.
However, Dr Faishal added that “hardware” constitutes only one part of the equation. Each year, HDB hosts close to 600 activities which bring residents together and encourage spontaneous interactions, and Dr Faishal said these events are just as important.
The closure of public amenities in housing estates has garnered flak online in recent months. In November last year, a void deck in Woodlands Ring Road was barricaded temporarily by Sembawang Town Council to prevent people from playing there, after complaints from residents of schoolchildren kicking a ball and shouting while playing.
A month later, a street football court in Bedok North was also temporarily closed in response to reports of “groups of inconsiderate street soccer court users” creating noise late into the night.
The East Coast Town Council said in a Facebook post that the issues related to the improper use of the space went beyond noise concerns, including users of the football court urinating in public areas and getting into heated disputes with residents.
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