S$100 deposit for booking Choa Chu Kang futsal court to encourage user 'accountability': Town council

SINGAPORE: A S$100 deposit for booking a Choa Chu Kang futsal court is meant to encourage user “accountability” as well as proper usage of the facility, said the town council after the cost of the deposit came under scrutiny.

In response to CNA's queries, Chua Chu Kang Town Council said the futsal court at The Arena @ Keat Hong has an artificial turf that requires higher maintenance, as well as an "interactive wall for gamified play" that can be costly to replace.

"The booking fee and refundable deposit are to encourage accountability on the part of the users and ensure proper usage of the court," the town council said on Tuesday (Jun 27), adding that all deposits so far have been fully refunded.

The current non-peak, weekday fee for bookings between 9am and 7pm is S$30 per hour, while the peak hour rate is S$50 per hour. 

“These are possibly the lowest or among the lowest rates in Singapore for the use of a court with an artificial turf,” said the town council.

The other sports facilities in the Arena, such as the badminton, basketball and volleyball multi-purpose courts, are free-to-play and do not need any booking.  

The town council added that since the opening of the futsal court a year ago, there has been an increase in regular bookings.

From Jul 1, residents will be able to book the futsal court for free on Sundays from 9am to 3pm. 

"To widen the reach and strengthen support for sports and soccer, the town council will also waive the deposit fee for Sunday complimentary sessions for Choa Chu Kang residents," it added.

These free bookings will be on a first-come-first-served basis, Member of Parliament for the area Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim announced last week.

“We hope this move will open up more opportunities for our residents, including students and youth, to enjoy games at the futsal court and enhance sports and community bonding in our estate,” said the town council.