Distinctively Toa Payoh! The new integrated development to capture the rich heritage and existing greenery while incorporating new technologies to create opportunities for a seamless health and wellness experience for residents

Joint Press Release by SportSG, NParks, NLB, MOH and NHGP

• Comprising sport, healthcare, library and park facilities, the development will provide opportunities to optimise experiences for the community
• Public consultation on the plan is open now as the development is expected to be ready by 2030

Aerial View of the Integrated Development – Artist’s Impression

26 February 2023 – The Toa Payoh Integrated Development will conduct a public exhibition on 25 and 26 February 2023. Envisioned to be an extension of Toa Payoh Town Centre to serve the residents in the central region, it will be a lifestyle destination with community facilities and space. A Regional Sport Centre, a Polyclinic, a Public Library and a Regional Town Park are being planned on the 12-ha land parcel located between Lorong 6 Toa Payoh and PIE.

2      “We will continue to rejuvenate our town, so that Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Marymount SMC will remain a good home for residents of all ages. I thank our agencies and partners for working together on this project, which will allow our residents to benefit from the upgraded polyclinic, library, park and sporting facilities,” said Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Transport and Adviser for Bishan-Toa Payoh Grassroots Organisations.

Regional Sport Centre

3      The proposed sporting facilities, such as swimming pools, indoor sports halls, sheltered tennis, futsal and netball courts, gymnasium and fitness studios, and a football stadium will create opportunities for the community to come together and bond through sporting activities. At the same time, these elements will also help people achieve their health and wellness goals. In addition, there are plans for the development to house the national training centres for aquatics, netball and table tennis.

4      “Many past and current residents of Toa Payoh and Team Singapore athletes would have fond memories of Toa Payoh Sport Centre’s rich sporting heritage. It has hosted major games such as the Southeast Asia Peninsular Games in 1973, the Southeast Asia Games in 1983, 1993 and 2015, and the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010. Singaporeans also caught the ITTF’s Women’s World Cup live at its indoor sports hall in 2011. Above all, many residents come to the sport centre for their weekly sporting activities and exercise. The new integrated development is part of our efforts to bring quality sporting infrastructure closer to the community. Once completed, it will build on its heritage and be a boon to sport fans and the active lifestyles of many Singaporeans. With the amenities and services provided by our co-location partners, Singaporeans can look forward to a more vibrant space to create new memories and experiences together,” said Mr Lim Teck Yin, Chief Executive Officer, Sport Singapore (SportSG)

Polyclinic

5      The polyclinic within the new development is part of Ministry of Health’s (MOH) plan to invest in primary care, and to enable Singaporeans to receive care closer to home. With an ageing population and the prevalence of chronic diseases, there will be a shift in focus towards preventive health and early intervention to encourage the public to take charge of their own health.

6      “The National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP) offers a holistic healthcare approach that caters to both young families and the elderly in the multi-generational estate of Toa Payoh. The redeveloped Toa Payoh Polyclinic, co-located at its new site within the new Toa Payoh Integrated Development with community and sports facilities, is well placed to meet the needs of the residents, from providing regular assessment for healthy child development to senior services such as frailty screening and health promotion interventions to encourage healthy and active ageing. Representing NHGP’s commitment to advance family medicine and population health, the polyclinic will offer NHGP’s Teamlet Care Model which is anchored on a proactive relationship-based approach of care delivery where sustainable and continuous care is given by a dedicated healthcare team. This ensures a greater continuity of care and improved health outcomes for patients,” said Associate Professor Chong Phui-Nah, Chief Executive Officer, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics and Primary Care.

Public Library

7      The integrated development will be a community destination with a new library to replace the existing one, providing a space where patrons can read, learn, and discover from the surrounding environment, and the facilities and programmes to be offered by the National Library Board (NLB).

8      NLB’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ng Cher Pong, said: “We look forward to working with partners and the community to build a bigger library in Toa Payoh that complements the integrated hub. We will also find new ways to offer services that will enhance the experience of our patrons. This is in line with our LAB25 (Libraries and Archives Blueprint 2025) goal to work with partners, to evolve and innovate libraries and archives in order to better serve our patrons.”

Regional Town Park

9      Toa Payoh Town Park will be rejuvenated as part of the overall Toa Payoh Integrated Development with enhanced greenery and new amenities, bringing visitors closer to flora and fauna. The development and landscaping of the new regional park are shaped around the existing terrain and will retain its heritage characteristics and lush vegetation. More native trees and shrubs will be planted throughout the entire hub and integrated with the various facilities to enhance the existing greenery and biodiversity. At the public consultation, residents can also share their feedback on the inclusion of other amenities such as a dog run, multi-purpose event lawn and spaces, therapeutic garden and allotment garden plots for those seeking respite amidst greenery, as well as a nature playgarden for the little ones to connect with nature through play in a natural habitat.

10      Mr Tang Tuck Weng, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Park Management & Lifestyle Cluster, National Parks Board (NParks), said, “Many Singaporeans have fond memories of Toa Payoh Town Park, which was the first town park in Singapore. As such, NParks will conserve iconic features such as the Lookout Tower while enhancing the facilities and greenery in the park. At the same time, we want to inspire the community to be stewards of nature and reap the benefits of being in nature by sharing feedback on the activity spaces and types of features they would like to see in the park. Research has shown that being amidst nature contributes positively to mental resilience and improves well-being. As such, we hope everyone will join us to help transform Singapore into a City in Nature, a key pillar of the Singapore Green Plan 2030.”

11      Toa Payoh residents will be able to view the design for the upcoming Toa Payoh Integrated Development at the public roadshow taking place on 25^th and 26^th (Saturday and Sunday) February 2023 at the HDB Hub Atrium at Toa Payoh. SportSG, the lead agency for the development, together with its co-located partners, NHGP, NLB and NParks, will be gathering residents’ feedback on the preliminary design and its facilities as part of the public consultation phase of the development.

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About Sport Singapore

As the national sports agency, Sport Singapore’s core purpose is to inspire the Singapore spirit and transform Singapore through sport. Through innovative, fun and meaningful sporting experiences, our mission is to reach out and serve communities across Singapore with passion and pride. With Vision 2030 – Singapore’s sports master plan, our mandate goes beyond winning medals. Sport Singapore uses sport to create greater sporting opportunities and access, more inclusivity and integration as well as broader development of capabilities. Sport Singapore works with a vast network of public-private-people sector partners for individuals to live better through sport.

To find out more, visit SportSG’s websites at www.sportsingapore.gov.sg and https://www.activesgcircle.gov.sg/

Follow SportSG on:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/livebetterthroughsport/
Instagram - www.instagram.com/sport_singapore/
YouTube - www.youtube.com/SingaporeSports

About National Healthcare Group Polyclinics

National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP) forms the primary healthcare arm of the National Healthcare Group (NHG). Its seven polyclinics serve a significant proportion of the population in the central and northern regions of Singapore.

NHGP provides a comprehensive range of health services for the family, functioning as a one-stop health service centre providing treatment for acute medical conditions, management of chronic diseases, women & children services and dental care. The focus of NHGP’s care is on health promotion and disease prevention, early and accurate diagnosis, disease management through physician led team-based care as well as enhancing the capability of Family Medicine through research and teaching.

Through the Family Medicine Academy and the NHG Family Medicine Residency Programme, NHGP plays an integral role in the delivery of primary care training at medical undergraduate and post-graduate levels. With the Primary Care Academy, NHGP provides training to caregivers and other primary care counterparts in the community sector.

More information is available at www.nhgp.com.sg.

About the National Library Board

The National Library Board (NLB) nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through its network of 29 libraries, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore. NLB also forges strategic partnerships that encourage awareness, appreciation and greater discovery of Singapore's history through its rich collections in Singapore and the region.

NLB achieves excellence through innovation, focusing on citizen engagement and co-creation, resource and digital innovation. This creates learning opportunities, greater access to library resources, services, and archival collections, as well as a continual development of innovative library spaces. Established on 1 September 1995 as a statutory board, NLB is under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).

For more information, please visit the NLB website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube channels.

About National Parks Board

The National Parks Board (NParks) is responsible for enhancing and managing the urban ecosystems of our City in Nature. We are the lead agency for greenery, biodiversity conservation, and wildlife and animal health, welfare and management. We are also working closely with the community to enhance the quality of our living environment.

NParks manages some 400 parks, 3,347 hectares of nature reserves, the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin and the Sisters' Islands Marine Park. Adding to this is the extensive network of Nature Ways, and the over 300 km Park Connector Network that links major parks, nature areas and residential estates island-wide. Every year, we run over 3,500 educational and outreach programmes across our various green spaces.

NParks has developed an urban biodiversity conservation model, which aims to conserve representative ecosystems in land-scarce Singapore. NParks also monitors and coordinates measures to enhance the presence of biodiversity in our urban landscape.

NParks is working closely with partners in the landscape, horticulture, veterinary and animal sectors to increase productivity, and provide training for all levels of the workforce. Enhancing competencies of the industry will support Singapore’s vision of being a City in Nature.

For more information, visit www.nparks.gov.sg and www.facebook.com/nparksbuzz