【摘要】
裕廊西41街第493座巴刹和咖啡店2016年10月份遭人纵火烧毁, 新巴刹“浴火重生”,2019年1月1日正式开幕。新建成的裕廊中央 广场(Jurong Central Plaza)一楼是巴刹和咖啡店,二楼则设活 跃乐龄中心,提供日间看护、复健、健康检查等服务。裕廊集选区 议员尚达曼部长 、李智陞部长以及洪维能先生,一同为裕廊中央 广场主持开幕仪式。
More than two years since a Jurong West market burned down, its replacement was given an official opening by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on the first day of 2019.
The new $6.2 million two-storey market, hawker centre and community complex is located in Jurong West Street 41, the same site as its predecessor, but about 30% bigger.
The complex features a more spacious, 547 sqm market with 35 stalls and a 437 sqm coffee shop with 13 stalls on the ground floor.
The second storey houses an active ageing hub that consists of a senior activity centre, an eldercare centre and an open space for activities. Many residents are impressed with the ventilation and wide corridors at the new complex.
At the launch of the complex, Mr Tharman noted “This project started off when we had a big problem… But this project shows that no problem is too big when we work together with one heart.”
The proximity of the market to the active ageing hub, which will start operating in the second quarter of this year, not only makes various services more accessible to the elderly but also allows for collaborations.
For instance, there is an arrangement now for market stallholders to donate meat and vegetables so that volunteers can cook and serve free lunches upstairs for needy senior citizens.
What Happened?
A fire by arson in the early hours of 11 Oct, 2016 razed a wet market at Block 493 to the ground and damaged a coffee shop at Block 494, affecting the livelihood of stallholders and forcing residents to shop elsewhere. A temporary market was constructed opposite Block 495 in just six weeks, thanks to great support from the community.
“Each stallholder will donate about $5 to $10 worth of what they are selling so that it is not a lot for each stallholder, but it all adds up and enables it to be sustainable and meaningful for residents.”
Mr Ang Wei Neng, MP of Jurong GRC on how stallholders can do their part for the community.