Sports Hub Open House

Finally, 13 years after the idea of a new National Stadium was mooted, Singapore Sports Hub has opened its door.  The old National Stadium was closed in 2007 & was demolished in 2010.  Construction was halted in 2011 & resumed in 2012.  I have fond memories of the old National Stadium because I lived nearby then (still), & when I was in secondary school, we participated in the National Day Parade & had our combined schools (Chung Cheng High (Main), Chung Cheng High (Branch), Duman High & Yu Ying) sports day there too (no prize for guessing which secondary school I was from).  I could still remember how it was like until today.

Photo Credit

So when I learnt that there was an Open House, I told myself I have to go.  AJ & I went on 27 June (Fri).

Certainly, the icon of the stadium is its retractable dome-shaped roof, the world's largest free-spanning dome roof of diameter of 312m. It is able to close in about 20 minutes to allow a match to go on in event of bad weather. The stadium is the only 1 in the world which can host 4 different sports, namely, rugby, cricket, football & athletics, as its seating can be reconfigured easily in 2 days.

The 55,000 red & white seats are designed to trick the eyes into seeing a crowd when there is none. There is also a ventilation system fuelled by solar energy that pipes cool air to every seat. Compared to the exclusive shelter at the old National Stadium where only VIPs could sit, now all spectators can watch a match under a shade with cool breeze.

Next Tuesday onwards, you could book for a 1 1/2-hour guided tour. Booking is required & a fee will be charged from August.  More information will be revealed later by the Sports Hub. 

There are 2 sand courts where one can play beach volleyball or other sports such as futsal, rugby & netball. They are free for use even after next month, but booking is required (very nice of them!).

Even if you are not in the mood for sports, you can take a stroll along the Stadium Riverside Walk, a walkway by the river that offers a great view of the city skyline.  It is a very romantic scene, trust me.

There is also a retail mall named Kallang Wave.  It is 41,000 sq m big & has key tenants like FairPrice Xtra (very important to me as it gives me another avenue to shop for grocery), H&M (already opened) & Foodfare.  As there are still minor works here & there in the Sports Hub, more shops will be open in time to come.

The highlight of the Open House on 27 June has got to be the fireworks.  For the 1st time in our lives, AJ & I got to witness it happening so close to us.  It was indeed spectacular & the 3D effect was so real.

The Sports Hub is open free for admission from now till 31 July.  The facilities are free to use till 31 July too.  Booking, however, is required.  Please refer to its website www.sportshub.com.sg or call 6653-8900. 

More photos of the Sports Hub can be viewed in my Facebook Fanpage.