A group of more than 10 children who play football on a badminton court near their HDB block have to give way to other users even if they arrive first, sometimes having to wait until residents playing badminton leave before they can resume their game. Parents are hoping the authorities will allow the court to be shared, giving children more space for outdoor play.
The issue concerns a badminton court near Block 411 Commonwealth Avenue West.
Resident Guo Xiuli told Lianhe Zaobao (LHZB) that her 11-year-old son began playing football downstairs about two years ago. About 10 to 20 children and young people of different races, aged between nine and 20, usually join in. Some of the older ones have been playing football there for six to eight years.
But a sign prohibiting football means the children often have to give way to people playing other sports. Guo said that sometimes, even when more than 10 children arrive first to play football, they still have to give way to two residents playing badminton, leaving parents feeling helpless.
Guo said the children still go to the court every day to play football. Occasionally, nearby residents point to the sign prohibiting football and scold them. The children then apologise and stop playing, only to return the next day.
She and her husband separately emailed their constituency's MPs about one or two months ago to raise the issue, hoping the authorities could offer a solution.
She said the town council replied that the space was a badminton court and could not be used for football. The department responsible for sports facilities initially suggested that the children use a football field about 400 metres away.
However, she felt it was impractical to ask the children to play farther away. Playing near their HDB block allows parents and older family members to keep an eye on them and helps foster interaction among neighbours.
She also said some children had visited the alternative site suggested by the authorities and found uneven ground, including holes hidden by weeds, raising concerns about accidents while playing.
To resolve the issue, she suggested installing protective netting around the badminton court to prevent footballs from flying out and hitting passers-by or rolling onto the road. She also proposed removing the sign prohibiting football so residents could share the space and be considerate towards one another.
“The children come to play football every day, but the badminton court is often empty. Installing protective netting would allow the children to play without worry and keep passers-by safe.”
She also suggested considering converting a nearby vacant plot into a football field, but said she had yet to receive a further reply about a month after making the suggestions.
Town council: Footballs flying out of court could endanger passers-by
Responding to queries from LHZB, West Coast-Jurong West Town Council said it understood the importance of providing shared spaces for children and young people to take part in sports and recreational activities.
However, the badminton court near Block 411 Commonwealth Avenue West is next to homes, a sheltered walkway and a pick-up and drop-off point. Footballs flying out of the court could pose safety risks to residents, vehicles and passers-by.
The town council said it would review residents' suggestions and explore providing safer facilities for football, taking into account safety, the suitability of the site, residents' needs and available resources.
While it works with the relevant agencies to find suitable alternative sites, the town council also suggested that residents consider using the sports facilities near Blocks 352 and 354 Clementi Avenue 2.
The town council stressed the need to balance the needs of different users while ensuring public spaces remain safe for everyone, and thanked residents for their understanding.
