Resettled Residents Asked: What Estate Name And Facilities Would You Like?

Source : The Straits Times, Jan 8, 2008

IF HOME is where the heart is, all the better if the residents love its name.

More than 500 households in Silat Road and Henderson Road recently had the novel experience of voting for the name of their future estate, among other things, in a pilot consultation exercise, as part of a redevelopment project.























They chose 'Kim Tian Green' as the name - since the new estate will be in Kim Tian Road - over alternatives such as 'Kim Tian Heights' and 'Kim Tian Towers'.

Also, an overwhelming 83 per cent of respondents supported proposals for amenities such as a pebble walk, a space for a community garden, a family playground and an activity court.

The HDB said it will proceed with the facilities.

The consultation, which took place between September and October last year online and via mailed survey forms, came about after a forum to enhance community bonding last year highlighted the need for the HDB to gather the opinions of residents being resettled.

In addition, the HDB organised a mini-exhibition on the proposals, as well as two briefing-cum-feedback sessions chaired by the Members of Parliament for the area - Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee and Ms Indranee Rajah.

Under a redevelopment exercise for the Silat and Henderson precincts announced last year, households living in their 739 flats will be offered homes among the 1,100 two- to five-room replacement flats in Kim Tian Road.

Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu, who headed the community bonding forum last year, said: 'It is encouraging to see that residents want to be involved in the planning of their precinct. It demonstrates that residents are keen and ready to realise the vision...for greater community ownership and bonding'.

Meanwhile, the HDB also said yesterday that the current joint selection scheme for residents whose HDB flats are undergoing redevelopment will be improved.

Currently, up to four households can select their replacement flats together if they are neighbours on the same floor, or if they are related families. With the improved scheme, any group of up to six households in the precinct will be allowed to pick their flats together. This scheme is aimed at preserving neighbourly ties when residents are resettled.

Flat owners in Blocks 9 to 12, and 9A and 12A Ghim Moh Road will be the first to use the enhanced flat selection scheme. The registration period for their replacement flats began on Dec 28 and will end on Jan 25.

Those who wish to pick their flats through this joint selection scheme need only indicate their preference in the application forms for the new flats.