Water sports galore at new community club
A dragon boat race was among the activities at the launch of PAssion WaVe @ Marina Bay. More than 20,000 people are expected to benefit from the new club. Photo: Wee Teck Hian
SINGAPORE — A new community club in the Tanjong Rhu area officially launched today (Oct 11) offers visitors the pick of the widest range of water activities, from newfangled ones such as bell-boating to more familiar sports such as kayaking and windsurfing.
Touted as Singapore’s first “specialist” community club, PAssion WaVe @ Marina Bay also offers land sports, lifestyle classes and programmes catered to specific causes and groups of people.
For instance, the lifestyle programmes offered at the club include coffee appreciation, denim upcycling, terrarium-making and urban gardening workshops.
There will also be programmes tailored for those with special needs, the disabled and seniors, such as the bimonthly line-up of water sports activities for clients of the Singapore Association for Mental Health.
More than 20,000 people are expected to benefit from the new club, located at Rhu Cross, by the Marina Bay waterfront area. This is the eighth Water-Venture park opened by the People’s Association.
Plans are underway to upgrade other centres to specialist community clubs as well, starting with the ones at East Coast and Pasir Ris.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the launch today, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said he liked the idea of making use of themed community spaces, particularly for water.
“We hope that we (can) have more themed activity centres and community areas (where) residents (who) share the same interest can come together.
“I think water is a particularly important aspect for us and it’s something which we all can identify with — whether it’s the sea because we’re an island or our inland water bodies,” he said.
The official Water-Venture Committee (Marina Bay) was also officially appointed today. Its chairperson Celine Koh said the committee and volunteers had met up with residents before coming up with the list of activities.
Residents living near the new facility said they are inclined to visit the area to try their hand at the water sports.
Engineer Lim Kok Yong, 44, said the new facility will be a good place for his family to gather on weekends, where some can pick up water sports while the rest participate in the other lifestyle programmes.
