SINGAPORE: The Minister for Community Development Youth and Sports has not ruled out Singapore hosting the 2010 Youth Olympics.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan says no decision has yet been made on whether Singapore should bid to host the first Youth Olympics.

He does not intend to speed up work on the Sports Hub to get it ready by 2010 instead of 2011.

But he said that should not rule out Singapore's ability to host the games.

"My attitude is, take a look around Singapore I think we are a compelling location even without the sports hub ready yet. If the IOC agrees with it then we can get into the game. Otherwise, we can always go for it in subsequent years," he said.

Dr Balakrishnan was in Bukit Panjang to launch a new facility that could eventually produce competitors for the Youth Olympics.

The Singapore Sports Council has teamed up with the People's Association to build a sports complex and community club under one roof.

This will ensure maximum usage by residents of all ages.

It will be located in the heart of the town on the edge of Bukit Panjang Park.

The plan is to have the tennis, badminton and street soccer courts in one area and the main sports complex in another.

That way, users will be able to swim in the pool or work out in the gym and look out over the water and have park views.

The pond will also be used for water sports, such as canoeing and kayaking, if the area is considered safe.

The original idea was to build just a sports complex on Cashew Road.

But after visiting the area, the MCYS minister decided to switch to the location initially proposed by the area's former Member of Parliament David Lim.

Mr Lim had suggested building a sports complex next to Bukit Panjang Park.

But choosing a design that blended in with the environment and ambience was not easy.

"It took, to be honest with you, quite some time to come up with a design that was acceptable to all…we must have gone through 10 or even a dozen designs before we finally settled on this. So it has been a challenge but it has been well worth it," says Dr Balakrishnan.

The new leisure complex is expected to be ready by the third quarter of 2009. - CNA/yy