SINGAPORE – One-stop community hub One Punggol, which features everything from a library and a 700-seat hawker centre to childcare and senior care centres, will open in stages from the middle of next year.

Expected to serve around 200,000 residents, the five-storey building is connected to Punggol MRT station, Punggol Town Square, Waterway Point mall, Punggol Waterway Park and residential blocks by walking paths.

Built on a 2.8ha plot, which is the size of about four football fields, One Punggol follows in the steps of two other integrated community hubs – Our Tampines Hub and Heartbeat @ Bedok – that also house multiple community facilities.

Senior Minister of State for Health, and Communications and Information, Dr Janil Puthucheary, who was at the topping-up ceremony on Saturday (Dec 4), said that, while construction was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, it is on track to open progressively.

The hub, which is around 80 per cent completed, brings together multiple agencies – including the People’s Association, Housing Board and the Ministry of Health – to provide facilities and services under one roof.

A multi-purpose hall on the fifth floor has four badminton courts and 600 retractable seats for performances and ceremonies. The hall also has futsal and basketball courts, as well as culinary and music studios.

Besides offering views of Punggol Town Centre, the rooftop will also feature barbecue pits and a community garden.

The Punggol Regional Library, which will span all five floors, will roll out inclusive spaces, technology, programmes and special collections for all patrons, including people with disabilities.

Since Punggol is a young estate, the childcare centre will provide an estimated 500 pre-school places next year.

The Senior Care Centre will have a full-day care programme for seniors who require supervision while their caregivers are at work.

One Punggol will also host food and beverage establishments and tuition enrichment providers, among other retailers.

Additionally, a one-stop centre to access government agency services, first pioneered at Our Tampines Hub, will be part of the hub by mid-next year.

The centre, equipped with a concierge counter and a digital self-help lobby, will allow members of the public to tap more than 200 government agencies’ services.

Residents gave feedback on what they wanted in One Punggol.

“(One) of the examples… was the ability for the whole family to come together even though they may be doing slightly different activities, like the way the hawker centre overlooks some of the sports facilities, so perhaps (the children) can play basketball while their parents are watching over them at the same time,” said Dr Puthucheary.

Saturday’s ceremony was also attended by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Mr Teo Chee Hean; Minister of State for Education, and Social and Family Development, Ms Sun Xueling; Minister of State for Home Affairs, and Sustainability and the Environment, Mr Desmond Tan; as well as MPs Yeo Wan Ling and Sharael Taha.

Punggol resident Zeera Ramli, 35, a supervisor at a coffee house, is looking forward to the opening of One Punggol, especially since she has two children.

She plans to utilise facilities like the community rooftop garden and hopes the “hawker centre will have more Malay or Muslim stalls”.

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