SINGAPORE: The public will be able to use facilities like food and beverage outlets, a childcare centre and fitness area at the upcoming NS Hub in Bukit Gombak.
“These include F&B outlets, an e-Mart, a childcare centre and an outdoor community area equipped with fitness equipment, a running track and a football field,” the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said in a news release on Monday (Nov 25).
The NS Hub is expected to be ready in 2023 and occupy an area the size of nine football fields. It will be located opposite Cashew MRT Station near the current MINDEF headquarters.
Facilities in the NS Hub will be open to public. (Illustration: MINDEF)
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen first announced plans for the NS Hub in his Committee of Supply debate speech in March.
“We will also open the doors of NS Hub to the public, because it is a public place where we want them to gather for leisure, to learn more about NS and to consider a career with MINDEF/SAF,” Dr Ng said on Monday at a groundbreaking ceremony in Gombak Camp.
“And like our SAFRA Clubhouses, NS Hub will also be a good place to congregate and relax with family and friends.”
The NS Hub will bring NS services, from the pre-enlistment medical to the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) for operationally-ready national servicemen (NSmen), under one roof.
MINDEF said the NS Hub’s fitness conditioning centre, where servicemen can attempt their IPPT or Remedial Training, will be the first purpose-built, all-weather facility for the Singapore Armed Forces.
Fitness facilities at the NS Hub include exercise studios and a sheltered running track. (Illustration: MINDEF)
“The NS Hub will be a one-stop service centre that brings greater ease and convenience, and better serves the needs of the NS community,” the ministry said, adding that the centre will use smart technology and data analytics to improve visitor experience.
“Smart technologies will enable visitors to carry out transactions more efficiently through e-services available across various facilities in the NS Hub.”
SHORTER WAITING TIME FOR MEDICAL SCREENINGS
For instance, pre-enlistees can expect 30 per cent shorter waiting times for medical screenings with the use of facial recognition and other “intelligent features”, MINDEF said.
Visitors can also perform digital transactions through the NS Hub visitor mobile app and receive personalised responses when booking appointments or getting updates.
“Data on various frontline services such as queue and transaction durations, combined with data from smart sensors, will be collected and analysed to generate insights to better improve services for the NS community,” MINDEF added.
The NS Hub will feature smart technology to improve efficiency. (Illustration: MINDEF)
The NS Hub will be as environmentally friendly as it technologically advanced.
MINDEF said the centre will use renewable energy and energy-efficient solutions, such as shading devices and solar panels, to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint. The aim is for it to be among the top 10 per cent of energy-efficient buildings in Singapore.
“Through these initiatives, MINDEF aims to save more than S$700,000 on utilities annually,” it said, adding that it will plant about 600 new trees in the centre. This is four times the existing number of trees in the area.
“Fifty per cent of the felled trees will also be made into useable features such as seats in the NS Hub.”
The NS Hub will have an environmentally sustainable design. (Illustration: MINDEF)
Dr Ng said the NS Hub will represent more than just a building where servicemen come to enlist, go for medicals and take the IPPT.
“I believe that the NS Hub is the physical embodiment of Singapore’s unique NS commitment and culture,” he added.
“It is my hope that NS Hub will become a national icon for future generations of NSmen, and one that represents this nation’s commitment to a strong defence for Singapore.”
