Facelift For 3 Centres

Source : The Straits Times, July 1, 2009

THREE hawker centres at Block 1 Jalan Kukoh, Block 79/79A Circuit Road and Beo Crescent Market/Food Centre - will close for upgrading from Wednesday and reopen in the first half of next year.

The facelifts, to cost a total of $6.8 million under the National Environment Agency's (NEA) Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme (HUP), will inject a new lease of life to the centres, which are over 35 years old. Stallholders can also look forward to better hygiene conditions.

Improved ventilation, spatial enhancement and upgraded toilet faciities are some key aspects of the upgrading works at the three centres.

Other fundamental scope of works includes replacement of sanitary and plumbing pipes, electrical rewiring, change of floor and wall tiles, improvement in lighting conditions as well as provision of better fire safety features.

To offer patrons better convenience, all three centres will also be upgraded with elderly and handicap-friendly features such as ramps to enhance the existing barrier-free accessibility.

�During the upgrading period, stallholders from the three centres may apply to operate temporarily at available vacant stalls in other non-upgraded centres, said NEA.

� The NEA currently manages 109 hawker centres. To date, 74 hawker centres have been upgraded under HUP.

Some hawker centres that are currently undergoing upgrading include Tekka Centre, Block 628 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4 and Block 270 Queen Street.