The running track on the fifth floor of Our Tampines Hub has officially reopened after nine months of refurbishment. The World Athletics-approved facility features a multi-layer cushioned surface that reduces impact on joints, improves grip and traction, and stays cooler underfoot even on hot days.
Some 200 seniors and 60 students had a taste of the new running track’s features during a walking event on Sunday (1 November).
Speaking at the launch of the event, Minister for Social and Family Development and Tampines GRC MP Masagos Zulkifli said Our Tampines Hub had been open for nearly 10 years, and its facilities were being refurbished and upgraded, where the running track had been one of them. He recalled that before the hub was built, more than 15,000 residents were consulted, and they had expressed a desire for a community running track accessible around the clock. As the football field would frequently be used for various training activities, the track was ultimately built on the fifth floor.
“Because it was so well used, the surface of the track had worn out... We have now replaced it with renewable material made of tyres, and I hope that, together with the new technology that comes with it, our residents will use it comfortably.”
The project is also part of broader refurbishment works at Our Tampines Hub, which are being carried out in phases to minimise disruption to residents and businesses. Work on the running track was completed at the end of September.
4,000 old tyres find new life in running track, contributing to sustainability
Sheah Jin Han, 32, a director of H&H Resources Pte Ltd, which carried out the refurbishment, said the new track turned waste into a useful resource. Its base layer is made of recycled styrene-butadiene rubber from 4,000 discarded tyres. Processing the old tyres into material suitable for laying the track took a year, he said. Using discarded tyres was not a new approach; its main advantage was the material's consistent firmness, which made the track easier to walk on.
“The biggest challenge was ensuring that the phased refurbishment did not affect businesses on the fifth floor, so our team of 15 often had to lay the track at night.”
He added that while running tracks are generally red, research had found that blue tracks could reduce temperatures by up to 5%. This feature was thus incorporated into the design to make exercising more comfortable in hot weather.
“She walked faster than me”: 12-year-old student on walking with a senior
The intergenerational walk organised by Our Tampines Hub brought together 200 seniors from 14 Active Ageing Centres and 60 students from nine schools. The event aimed to encourage interaction among residents of different ages and encourage older residents to be more active.
One participant was Lukas Zaw, a 12-year-old pupil at Tampines Primary School. He walked with a woman in her 60s and was surprised that she was faster than him. He had to quicken his pace to keep up.
“We chatted as we walked. I told her I had just finished my Primary School Leaving Examination and shared my thoughts on which secondary school I wanted to go to.”
Another participant, Daniel Leong Zee Khee, 74, who is semi-retired, has lived in Tampines for more than 40 years and often used the old track. After spending about 10 minutes jogging three laps, he found the new track springier and easier both to walk and jog on.
