Safra Bayshore targeted to open in 2030 next to TEL’s Bedok South station: Zaqy

SINGAPORE – Come 2030, operationally ready national servicemen, regulars from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and full-time national servicemen can look forward to participating in activities at the largest Safra clubhouse in Bayshore. The new Safra Bayshore clubhouse, which is targeted for completion in 2030, will replace the existing Tampines clubhouse, said Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad on June 29. Safra Bayshore will be located next to the Thomson-East Coast Line’s (TEL) Bedok South MRT station, which is slated to open in 2026.

The new clubhouse will also be Safra’s largest, with a gross floor area of at least 30,000 sq m – the equivalent of about four football fields. “That is double the size of the current Safra Tampines... It will offer a wider range of modern and affordable facilities,” said Mr Zaqy at Safra Toa Payoh, where he launched initiatives to appreciate national servicemen as Singapore celebrates its 60th year of independence. The Tampines clubhouse, built in 1988, is Safra’s oldest.

Safra Bayshore, to be built behind Temasek Secondary School, will replace the Tampines facility to provide activities for servicemen and their families. Plans to build the clubhouse were announced in March.

Mr Zaqy, who is also Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment and Safra president, said the social and recreational organisation has been engaging national servicemen living in the east to determine the mix of facilities and activities at Safra Bayshore, and a committee has been formed to develop the club. “Special attention will also be given to the club design in achieving high sustainability standards, as well as providing sheltered communal spaces for national servicemen and their families to gather for various arts, sports, music events and fairs,” he added.

Lieutenant-Colonel (NS) Jayson Goh, co-chairman of the Safra Bayshore steering committee, said the team will focus on how the clubhouse can better serve servicemen and their families. LTC Goh, who is also executive vice-president for airport management at Changi Airport Group, added that the larger size of the new clubhouse will also mean it can accommodate more amenities and services, compared with the other clubhouses. A Safra spokesperson said more details about the construction of the Bayshore facility will be revealed in the future.

Mr Zaqy said the new clubhouse’s location will allow those living in the east of Singapore to access its facilities more conveniently through public transport. Bedok South MRT station had initially been targeted to open by 2025, but construction challenges, including tunnelling near existing critical infrastructure, had delayed works. The station will be part of an integrated transport hub, which will also house a bus interchange. Some 10,000 homes, including about 7,000 Housing Board flats, will be built in Bayshore as an extension of Bedok town in the coming years. At present, there are seven Safra clubhouses across Singapore located in Choa Chu Kang, Jurong, Mount Faber, Punggol, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Yishun.

Appreciating servicemen

Mr Zaqy also announced the launch of a host of new initiatives aimed at appreciating national servicemen in the lead-up to SAF Day on July 1 and National Day on Aug 9. These include a variety of deals and discounts for national servicemen and Safra members come July 1, such as discounts on booking fees for some Safra club facilities and membership fees for selected interest groups.

More than 4,000 burgers will be given away islandwide by fast-food chain Burger King to national servicemen on July 1 to celebrate SAF Day. Between July 2 and July 6, the Burger King at Safra Choa Chu Kang will also give away 300 burgers to servicemen and members. Safra has organised a video competition, collaborated with Temasek Polytechnic on two short films and organised an art jam with more than 35,000 pre-school children to reflect its appreciation for servicemen in Singapore.

Mr Zaqy said: “Given how our national servicemen have contributed to Singapore’s defence and security over the years, it is right for us to express our appreciation for their sacrifices and commitment.” He added: “It does not always take grand gestures. Even the smallest interactions in our daily lives can affirm their sacrifices.” Mr Zaqy, who has served as Safra president since 2020, will hand over the reins of the organisation to Minister of State for Defence Desmond Choo in July. “I am confident that under his leadership, Safra will continue to make inroads to further strengthen efforts to appreciate national servicemen, and to meet their evolving family lifestyle needs and life-stage needs,” Mr Zaqy said.

— The Straits Times, New flyover connecting Bayshore with ECP to be completed by 2030, Feb 24, 2025

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/safra-bayshore-targeted-to-open-in-2030-next-to-tels-bedok-south-station-zaqy