If there’s one thing that many Choa Chu Kang residents were excited about last year, it was the opening of a futsal court.
The court, which opened at Keat Hong last June, is part of The Arena @ Keat Hong next to Block 411 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3 & Block 427 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4.
However, it seems like not everyone has been satisfied with the facility.
Man Complained About Booking Fees on Facebook
Earlier this month, on 2 June, a Facebook user took to the social media platform to complain about the expensive booking rates of the court.
In the post, the netizen claimed that it was unfair to expect young children to be able to pay for the deposit.
He also pointed out that other courts, like the basketball court, badminton court and volleyball court, are free to use.
Apart from that, the netizen also (somehow) linked the high booking fees to Singapore’s “dreadful” football scene and added that the high fees mean that children do not have anywhere to play football without worrying about others complaining.
In his post, the netizen also featured an image of a poster which stated the rates for booking the futsal court.
According to the poster, booking the futsal court costs $30 per hour during non-peak periods (9 am to 7 pm on weekdays) and $50 per hour during peak periods (7 pm to 9 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 9 pm on weekends and public holidays).
Residents are also only allowed to book the court for a maximum of two hours.
The poster also stated that there is a $100 refundable deposit for every session.
Comparison With SAFRA Jurong Futsal Court
When compared with the fees for booking the futsal court at SAFRA Jurong, here’s where the court at Choa Chu Kang stands.
SAFRA Jurong’s futsal court costs $55.60 for two hours during non-peak periods (7 am to 7 pm on weekdays) and $121.20 for two hours during peak periods (7 pm to 1 am on weekdays, 7 am to 1 am on weekends and public holidays).
Which basically means the futsal court SAFRA Jurong is more affordable for off-peak periods, but the one at Chu Kang is cheaper during peak periods.
However, SAFRA Jurong does not require a deposit to be paid.
Town Council’s Response
When responding to queries from CNA on 27 June, the Chua Chu Kang Town Council explained that the booking fee and deposit are to “encourage accountability” of the users and to ensure that they are using the court for the right purposes.
The Town Council also emphasised that they have refunded the deposit for every booking.
Apart from that, the Town Council pointed out that the futsal court is made of artificial turf, meaning that it is more costly to maintain than other courts.
It is also equipped with an “interactive wall for gamified play”, which is expensive to replace.
Yup, because football isn’t just about kicking a ball and hoping it goes in the direction you want to anymore.
According to the Town Council, the booking fees for the futsal court at The Arena @ Keat Hong is either the lowest or one of the lowest for courts with artificial turfs in Singapore.
Since the opening of the futsal court, the Town Council has also seen an increase in regular bookings of its facilities.
As for the inconvenience of residents having to visit the Town Council’s office to book the court instead of booking it online, the Town Council to Lianhe Zaobao explained that this ensures that people who book the court are Chua Chu Kang residents.
The Chua Chu Kang Town Council also told Zaobao that the refundable deposits are returned in the form of cheques so that the deposit can only be refunded to the person who paid for it.
Residents’ Opinions
When Zaobao visited the area yesterday (27 June), several residents shared their opinion on the futsal court’s booking fees.
25-year-old Muhammad Joan Hairey, an army regular, said that he used to play street football with his friends before the area was renovated into the futsal court.
However, he has since stopped playing there as the court needs to be booked in advance and a payment of at least $130 needs to be made before he and his friends can play there.
Nine-year-old Syed Nabeel shared that he has only played in the futsal court thrice since its opening.
He only played at the court when his friends booked it due to the relatively high price of booking it.
He added that the $100 deposit is too high for students of his age.
New Scheme: Residents Can Book Court for Free on Sundays
But for those out there who still think that the courts are too expensive to book, here’s some good news.
Come 1 July, residents will be able to enjoy free sessions at the futsal court on Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm.
Based on the Town Council’s statement, the scheme is to increase the support for sports in Singapore, particularly football.
The Town Council also harped on the importance of the court allowing groups to get together and play sports as a community.
When speaking about this new scheme last week on Facebook, the area’s Member of Parliament (MP) Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim shared that the bookings will be available on a first-come-first-served basis.
“These complimentary bookings are offered for social games only (e.g. no private coaching),” the MP highlighted.
Similar to the normal booking process, members of the public will have to head to the Choa Chu Kang Town Council’s main office to book the court for Sundays.
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