Time for an Adventure!
A Day in the Life of …
Indulge Your Imagination
Albert Einstein once said: “Play is the highest form of research”. So what better place and way to indulge in the best form of “research” than at many of the fascinating playgrounds found in CCK Town?
In this three-parter series, we take you to playgrounds that stir your imagination and unleash new creative power.
For the young and young-at-heart, what are you waiting for?
Time for an Adventure!
Let your child’s curiosity and spirit of exploration take over this December holiday. Conquer these playgrounds which are perfect for an adventure. We show you where in the last of our three-parter on the wonderful places you can play in CCK Town.
Not only can children get their daily dose of Vitamin D through outdoor play, but they can also improve their eyesight at the same time. Studies have shown that at least 2 hours a day spent outdoors reduces the risk of myopia significantly.
Why not set out now for a tree-mendous time?
Bukit Gombak: Voyage up this treehouse and pretend you are Andy and Terry from Andy Griffiths’ Treehouse series at Block 531, Bukit Batok Street 51!
CCK estate: Let your inner Tarzan loose in this ‘jungle’ at Block 10 Teck Whye Avenue.
CCK estate: A short walk away from the playground is this treetop observation deck at Block 10 Teck Whye Ave for some real nature spotting.
Brickland: Go on a quest by hopping across these coloruful stones, clambering across the nets and whizzing down the slide for a grand time at Block 811 Choa Chu Kang Ave 7.
Keat Hong: Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, until you find your dreams at Block 407 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3.
Hong Kah North: Take a walk on the ‘wild’ side at Block 404 Bukit Batok West Avenue 7.
A Day in the Life of …
Role-playing games are great for improving children’s creativity and helping them develop problem-solving skills.
Discover your very own “Kidzania” in your backyard where your kids can play their favourite characters and roles. Check these out during the school holidays!
Keat Hong: Be the King of the hill at this castle-themed playground at Block 435 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4
Bukit Gombak: Join Old MacDonald on his farm for some rustic fun at Block 535 Bukit Batok Street 52
Hong Kah North: Be a heroic firefighter racing to the rescue with this red fire engine at Block 413/415 Bukit Batok West Avenue 4
Brickland: Attention! Be on your guard as a Commando at this guard post at Block 817A Keat Hong Link
CCK estate: Be an intrepid explorer or Robinson Crusoe and conquer the wilderness at this treehouse in Block 134 Teck Whye Lane
Indulge Your Imagination
Kick off your explorations in CCK Town and join us to embark on a journey of make-believe. Be adventurous and conquer air, sea and land, we have got you all covered!
Toot toot! Ship Ahoy! Time to take-off!
Brickland: Commandeer your own army tank near Keat Hong Gardens at Block 815C Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7. This military-themed playground pays homage to the estate’s heritage as an army camp.
Bukit Gombak: Embark on your mountaineering trip at Block 510 Bukit Batok Street 52. This climbing wall at the playground can be a kid’s Mount Everest or K2.
Chua Chu Kang estate: Climb on these jeeps and get ready for a safari at Choa Chu Kang Park. Vroom, vroom, an adventure is just round the corner.
Keat Hong: Sail away on this pirate ship and be your own Captain Jack Sparrow at The Arena @ Keat Hong.
Hong Kah North: The sky is the limit here at Block 339/345 Bukit Batok Street 34. Take off in creative play in this airplane-themed playground.
The More We Play Together
Tone Up Power!
Get Your Body Pumping
Did you know there are more than 30 fitness stations in CCK Town? With so many open-air fitness corners in our estates, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to exercising. These well-equipped outdoor gyms at the foot of our HDB blocks are free to use and found across the Town.
In this 3-parter series, we will take you across CCK Town and show you the kind of fitness corners there are for you to keep in shape.
Time to get fit & fab!
The More We Play Together
For families with young children, finding time to exercise may be tricky. So what better way there is than to combine a trip to the fitness corner together with a jaunt to the playground?
With playgrounds and fitness corners nowadays conveniently co-located next to one another, it is possible for families to have some multigenerational fun.
Take your pick from a treehouse in Bukit Gombak, a pirate’s ship in Hong Kah North and an inclusive playground that welcomes all at The Arena @ Keat Hong.
Remember, a family that plays together, stays stronger together. Here are some fitness corners with playgrounds conveniently located next to them:
Brickland: Blk 489B Choa Chu Kang Ave 5
Bukit Gombak: Blk 531 Bukit Batok St 51
Chua Chu Kang Estate: Blk 229 Choa Chu Kang Central
Keat Hong: The Arena @ Keat Hong, Block 411 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3
Hong Kah North: Block 412A Bukit Batok West Avenue 4
There is no lack of facilities in CCK Town for both the young and old to get active. If you have not checked out some of these spots, why not make it a point to do so this week? You could get some exercise and entertain the youngsters at the same time!
Tone Up Power!
This hydraulic bench press, which can be found in many fitness corners, is great for toning and sculpting the upper body.
Without any weights attached, hydraulic fitness machines in these fitness corners rely on a fluid system to let users enjoy smoother and gentler movements. This also places less stress on the joints, resulting in a more enjoyable workout.
Bukit Gombak: Blk 531 Bukit Batok St 51
Hong Kah North: Blk 319 Bukit Batok Street 21
Using the bench press activates your entire upper body muscles – the triceps, shoulders, back and core.
Greater upper body strength improves muscular endurance and is effective for getting better at sports like sprinting and football.
These are some of the fitness corners in CCK Town equipped with hydraulic machines:
Brickland: Blk 489B Choa Chu Kang Ave 5
Bukit Gombak: Blk 531, Bukit Batok St 51
Chua Chu Kang: Blk 159 Jalan Teck Whye
Keat Hong: Blk 412 Choa Chu Kang Ave 3
Hong Kah North: Blk 319 Bukit Batok Street 21
With so many options for working out and keeping fit, there is no reason not to get moving. Check out these fitness corners and get started today! Tone up to a fitter and more fabulous you!
Get Your Body Pumping
A cardio workout, short for cardiovascular exercise, improves your endurance by strengthening your heart, lungs and muscles.
The goal is to engage in moderately intense physical activity that raises your heart rate into the zone where you burn the most fat and calories.
Did you know that using the elliptical can burn some 270 to 400 calories in just 30 minutes?
Unlike other popular but high-impact cardio activities like running, the elliptical is gentler on your knees, ankles, hips and other joints since your feet never lift off the pedals.
It also lets you work both your upper and lower body at the same time.
Here are some of the elliptical machines you can find in CCK Town:
Bukit Gombak: Block 513 Bukit Batok Street 51
Brickland: Block 489B Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5
Chua Chu Kang Estate: Block 229 Choa Chu Kang Central
Hong Kah North: Block 404 Bukit Batok West Avenue 7
Keat Hong: Block 483A Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5
An active lifestyle can boost your physical and mental health, giving you improved self-esteem, mood and energy. With such a big variety of equipment available in the many fitness corners spread out across CCK Town, it is never too late to get started on a fitter and healthier you!
What is this pair of old MRT seats (pictured above) doing in the void deck of Block 252, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 2? It is your chance to take a ride on the train of sustainability!
These are the first community seats upcycled from retired MRT trains installed in Brickland estate this November. In the coming months, residents can look forward to another 17 sets of these seats to gradually make their journey across CCK Town and into your void deck.
(From left to right) Lim Yi En Eaden, Alisha Zafrah, Muhammad Salim and Klaudia Chong excitedly showing off the new community seat.
Together with 80 excited preschoolers from PCF Sparkletots Preschool @Brickland 807C, Brickland MP Don Wee unveiled the first pair of upcycled MRT seats as part of CCK Town’s sustainability efforts (pictured above).
The children were all geared up to “ride the train” and learn more about upcycling. They found out that old MRT train parts such as the passenger seats and metal handrails are not easily recyclable and would have to be thrown away.
Hence, the Action for Green Towns collaboration between SMRT and 15 PAP Town Councils has gotten together to “rescue” some 14,400kg of reinforced plastics, metals and other hard-to-recycle materials from Singapore’s only landfill, Pulau Semakau, which is expected to be full by 2035.
The entire project is expected to upcycle at least 1,500 MRT seats into community seats at void decks as well as other communal areas. Another 1,400 handrails will be repurposed as safety handrails for less mobile residents.
About 900 intercom panels and LED light covers found in trains will also be transformed into plant holders for use in community green gardens.
Are you ready to give the new community seats the thumbs-up like Muhammad Salim, Klaudia Chong and MP Don Wee (pictured below)?
Snap and share a shot of yourself on our “sustainability train” to show your support for a greener CCK Town.
Make your action count!
#Action4GreenTowns #Sustainability
It’s our collective responsibility to keep the public spaces clean!
Everybody can do their part! In support of SG Clean Day on Sunday, 30 October 2022, you may want to gather in groups to show your commitment by cleaning up your community together.
We would also like to take this opportunity to remind all residents to bin the trash and keep the environment litter-free.
Together, let’s create a cleaner and safer Chua Chu Kang Town for all!
Deepavali falls on different days every year and typically between October and November. Its exact date is determined by the Indian lunar calendar. This year, it falls on 24 October.
One of Singapore’s major ethnic holidays, Deepavali is also widely considered to be India’s most important annual holiday.
How much do you know about this festival which is celebrated by over 1 billion people around the world? Test your knowledge with this fun quiz:
To all residents celebrating the occasion, Happy Deepavali!
Clues
Down
1 The Hindus, ____ and Sikhs mark the religious festival of Deepavali.
3 Not all _____ celebrate Deepavali.
Across
2 Another name for Deepavali is _______.
4 Deepavali was declared a public holiday by the colonial government in the month of October and year, Nineteen-Twenty ____.
5 Many believe that the lights during Deepavali guide the goddess ______ into their households.
Did you know all the answers? Read more about the Festival of Lights and find out if you answered correctly.
#1 Did you also know that Deepavali has been celebrated for over 2,500 years?
In Singapore, even though this festival has been marked by Indian immigrants since the early 1800s, it was declared an official holiday only in October 1929 by the colonial government.
#2 Deepavali is not the Indian New Year, which is usually observed in March or April. Instead, Deepavali is a religious festival that marks the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge above ignorance. Therefore, the festivities usually feature oil lamps, colourful light displays and sparklers.
#3 This festival is commemorated not only by the Hindus but also by the Jains and Sikhs too. While the different religions all share the tradition of lamp-lighting for this festival, they each have their own unique beliefs and practices.
For the Hindus, it marks the slaying of the tyrannical demon, Narakasura, by Lord Krishna. It also commemorates the return of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana after their 14-year exile and defeat of the demon king, Ravana, according to the Ramayana epic.
The Sikhs refer to the festival as ‘Bandi Chhor Divas’, and celebrate the release of their sixth guru, Guru Hargobind’s release from a Mughal prison.
The Jains, on the other hand, mark the liberation of Lord Mahavir from the endless cycle of reincarnation and his attainment of nirvana. They refer to the festival as ‘Mahavira Nirvana Divas’.
#4 During Deepavali, the lighting of oil lamps at dusk symbolises the sun chasing the darkness away. This practice is especially apt for a festival which falls on a new moon every year, which makes for the darkest night.
Many Indians also believe that these lights guide the goddess Lakshmi into their households, bringing with her good fortune.
In India, firework displays and firecrackers are very popular during Deepavali celebrations.
#5 Deepavali or Diwali – confused over the names used for the Festival of Lights and how to greet your Indian friends?
Both names are variations of a Sanskrit term meaning “row of lights”.
The name Deepavali is used by Tamil-speaking southern Indians, whereas Hindi-speaking northern Indians call it Diwali. So, you can wish them Happy Deepavali or Happy Diwali, depending on whom you are speaking to.
How did you score on the fun facts? Here are the answers to the quiz:
To all residents celebrating the occasion, Happy Deepavali!
Snap & Win: CCK Town 2023 Calendar Photo Contest
Submit your entries here or email corpcomms@ccktc.org.sg
The third run of CCK Town’s annual calendar photo contest is now open!
Submit your entries by 16 October 2022 and stand a chance to win attractive prizes and have your photo showcased in CCK Town’s 2023 Calendar.
This year, we are looking for pictures that embody the “3Ps” of CCK Town: Passion, Places and Panorama.
Passion: Show how and what residents love about our Town – be it their favourite spots or activities residents engage in.
Resident Latifah Hasan (centre, in red) enjoys dancing and hanging out at Keat Hong Community Club with her ‘kakis’.
Places: Share the beautiful nooks and crannies in our Town.
Have you visited Bukit Batok Hillside Park and its beautiful Japanese-style Torii gates featured in Grace Zheng’s winning shot last year?
Panorama: Wow viewers with those stunning vistas you captured of our Town.
Show off awesome & picturesque scenes of CCK Town as Lukman Chow did with his entry last year.
The top 3 prizes are:
- 1stprize (worth over $700): HP Deskjet 6020, Fitbit Luxe Fitness Tracker, 1-year Microsoft 365 family license and $300 worth of FairPrice vouchers
- 2ndprize (worth almost $500): HP Deskjet 4120E, Fitbit Inspire 2, 1-year Microsoft 365 family license and $200 worth of FairPrice vouchers
- 3rdprize (worth over $300): HP Deskjet 2722, Fitibit Aria Air Smart Scale, 1-year Microsoft 365 family license and $100 worth of FairPrice vouchers
- 4th to 12th prize winners will each receive $50 FairPrice vouchers
Submit your entry here or email corpcomms@ccktc.org.sg
Closing date: 16 October 2359 hours
Winners will be revealed in December 2022.
Stay tuned for photography tips from the top 3 winners of last year’s photo competition. Learn how you can submit the best shot to up your winning chances!
See Terms & Conditions here.
The race is on for shutterbugs across CCK Town to win a coveted spot in CCK Town’s 2023 Calendar. (Join the photo contest here or email corpcomms@ccktc.org.sg)
We spoke to the top 3 winners of the 2022 Calendar Photo Contest to bring you their winning tips and the inspiration behind their beautiful photos.
Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
The key to getting a good shot is patience, said Hong Kah North resident Yong Kuo Hoong, whose photo of the sunrise at Sungei Buloh’s Eagle Point (below) clinched the top prize in the 2022 Calendar photo contest.
Kuo Hong, a geography teacher, also won the top prize in the 2021 Calendar Photo Contest with his photo of sunrise at Kranji Dam (see below).
“I love taking photographs and since the theme of the last contest was nature — my favourite subject — I decided to just give it a try again,” said the two-time winner, who got hooked on photography at university.
Though he was unable to travel overseas in the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he said the time spent exploring the hidden nooks and crannies of our sunny isle has “opened [his] eyes to the beauty that can be found within Singapore’s shores”.
Kuo Hoong said CCK Town Council’s contest was a really good idea because it showed the public that natural beauty does exist in urban Singapore — if one knows just where to look.
For his winning shot, he captured Sungei Buloh’s Eagle Point at sunrise as it allowed him to show off his forte, sunrise photography, and to challenge himself shooting in a new location.
He checked out the photos that had been taken of Sungei Buloh Eagle Point and researched online for the best available vantage points.
Patience, he said, is critical to getting a good shot. He visited Eagle’s Point at least twice to maximise his chances. He explained: “You may not get the shot you want immediately. The weather may be too cloudy but if you wait a while, the light may change, and you will be amply rewarded.”
Be adventurous
For real estate agent Bryan Goh, the pandemic provided him with an opportunity to take photos in unusual settings.
In the past, the CCK estate resident would head to the Central Business District to enjoy the annual New Year’s Day fireworks. When the venue of the fireworks was changed to the heartlands in 2021 due to the pandemic, he was game to try something different.
“The heartlands fireworks may not be as grand, but it is a nice change of scenery; you get a photo that’s not the run of the mill,” he said. His tip: Keep trying different things.
His picture of the fireworks cascading over CCK Town won him the most likes in CCK Town Council’s First View from Your Window Instagram contest earlier this year.
His photo of sunrise at Kranji Reservoir (pictured below) won him the second prize in the 2022 Calendar Photo Contest.
Bryan had also participated in the Town Council’s 2021 Calendar Photo Contest with this scene of youths playing basketball (pictured below).
All You Need is a Little Planning
Retired polytechnic lecturer Clement Lee is a familiar face in Hillview as the volunteer photographer is often on the ground to capture community events — free of charge.
The Bukit Gombak resident first picked up a camera during his junior college days. He said: “Back then, it was an expensive hobby because you had to pay to develop every single shot that you took on film.”
However, he said the advent of digital photography has made the hobby accessible to many more people as one can snap as many photos as one likes and just choose the best to print.
Since his retirement a few years ago, he started spending more time honing his craft and going on overseas shooting trips with his photo buddies. Since the pandemic, he has been exploring the island in search of nice spots and has shot countless sunrises and sunsets.
His favourite haunts to shoot in CCK Town are Little Guilin and Bukit Batok Nature Park, which are near his home. These two locations are featured in his entries for the 2021 and 2022 Calendar Photo Contests.
Little Guilin is featured in Clement’s entry for the 2021 Calendar Photo Contest.
His winning entry for 2022 cast the spotlight on a group of residents stretching in front of Bukit Gombak Sports Complex. He said: “Sunrises and sunsets are very common, so I wanted to inject a human element to show people at their early morning exercise.”
Planning, he added, is needed for good photos. For example, he had to wake up at 6am to be there at 6.30am to catch the people in action with the sunrise.
Inspired by Clement, Bryan and Kuo Hoong? Put these tips into action and up your chances of getting your best shot into the 2023 calendar!
Join the photo contest here or email corpcomms@ccktc.org.sg
Prevention is the best defence when it comes to avoiding accidents or fires.
Let’s review some safety precautions you should observe both at home and in common spaces.
In your home
- Don’t overload electrical points
- Don’t use faulty electrical appliances, wiring or insulators
- Use electrical and plugs that bear the SAFETY mark
- Never charge batteries or devices such as power banks or personal mobility devices overnight or leave them to charge unattended
- Never leave cooking unattended
- Don’t keep more than 1 LPG cylinder as spare
- Keep fire starter materials such as matches away from children
- Keep flammable materials (e.g. clothes, curtains) away from an open flame
- Don’t smoke in bed
In common areas
- Keep corridors, staircases and staircase landings free of clutter
- Don’t place anything near the fire hoses as that may hamper fire rescue efforts
- Always extinguish matches and cigarette butts completely before disposal
What to do in case of fire
- Stay calm and do not panic
- Alert others of the fire by shouting
- Dial 995 for the SCDF
- Turn off the gas mains if you can reach them
- Activate the nearest fire alarm
- Fight the fire only if you are able to do so without endangering yourself or others.
- According to the SCDF, extinguish fires by:
- Using water on burning papers, wood, and fabrics but never on flammable liquids such as oil as this will cause the fire to spread
- Using a suitable fire extinguisher
- Using a hose reel
- If possible, close the door of the affected area to contain the fire
- Evacuate everyone from the room or area without endangering yourself
- Evacuate the building in a safe and orderly manner via the stairs; do not use the lift
- Do not return to the building until the authorities say you can do so
Fire safety equipment to have at home
All new public and private homes built since June 2018 are required to have home fire alarm devices.
Although they are not mandatory for existing homes, SCDF recommends every household to install these smoke or heat detectors as they provide early warning of a fire by sounding an alarm.
Check here for SCDF’s guide on such devices.
A dry powder fire extinguisher is also good to have at home, says the SCDF, even if it is not required by law.
Download a copy of the latest Civil Defence Emergency Handbook to get the most updated tips on how to deal with all kinds of emergencies, from fires to natural disasters.
CCK Town residents love SG in plenty of ways!
Residents from all walks of life wore their hearts on their sleeves as they marked our beloved Little Red Dot’s 57th National Day!
We spoke to the winners of the top three entries about why they love National Day and how they made their entries shine.
The Neo family in their matching outfits and SG57 decoration clinched the top prize of a HP Envy printer.
United for SG – The Neos (from left): Kok Keong, Jia Quan, Jia Ying, Chakriya and Jia Fu are residents of Chua Chu Kang estate.
Chakriya said her family loves decorating their home for various festivities, like Chinese New Year, Hari Raya and Deepavali. The children especially enjoy celebrating the different festivals in multi-racial Singapore.
Even before they saw the Town Council’s contest on the digital lift panels, the family had decided to emblazon their home in red and white decor.
On National Day, they had a mini-celebration at home and enjoyed a specially-made cake in the shape of the Singapore flag. They then headed out to Marina Bay to soak in the festive mood and admire the fireworks.
The second prize of a HP Deskjet printer went to Vivian Ong (pictured below, on right) whose entry with her relative Anna Teoh featured a collection of National Day Parade memorabilia.
Vivian showcased her SG pride with her collection of items from National Day Parade (NDP) fun packs like a Singapore scarf and other collectables.
The Hong Kah North resident is a big fan of NDPs, having attended many parades. Each year, she will try her luck to ballot for tickets to her favourite annual show where she gets to display her love for the Little Red Dot.
Some years, she was so lucky that she won tickets to both the NDP Preview as well as the show on 9 August. She just loves the electrifying atmosphere at the parade.
She said: “National Day has always been important to me because it is a rallying point to remind Singaporeans of our resilient spirit – that we will continue to persist and succeed, no matter the circumstances. Our Singapore Spirit will remain strong as long as we remain united. Majulah!”
The third prize was won by the brother and sister pair, Aadon and Aadelynn Lim, who clinched a HP Deskjet printer.
Keat Hong residents Aadon, 7, and Aadelynn, 6 decked in their patriotic outfits and next to a National Day banner outside their grandmother’s home in Bukit Gombak.
Their mother, Pauline Chua, said they decided to support the social enterprise, Singapore Fashion Runway, which was selling beautiful outfits for this year’s National Day. There was only one piece of each size, which thankfully fit the children, Pauline said.
August is a special month for Aadon and Aadelynn, she added, because they have a celebration lasting almost two weeks starting from their father’s birthday on August 1, and the country’s National Day on August 9.
Happy 57th National Day, Singapore!
With Mid-Autumn Festival round the corner, retailers are coming up with ever more extravagant packaging to entice consumers to purchase their mooncakes.
While these boxes make for pretty gifts, the elaborate packaging generate more waste which is harmful for the environment.
This problem of excessive packaging that cannot be recycled is not confined to Mid-Autumn Festival. On various occasions where gifts are exchanged, whether it is Valentine’s Day or Christmas, packaging waste will be generated.
The more elaborate the packaging, the less likely it can be recycled. The glossy laminate and the decorative ribbons, metal studs or tassels all make recycling impossible. All that has only one place to go: straight into the incinerator.
In fact, packaging waste contributes to a third of the 1.8 million tonnes of domestic waste generated last year, according to statistics from the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment!
Repurpose or re-use where possible
Although you cannot recycle mooncake boxes or fancy packaging, with some creativity, you can repurpose them for other uses.
They can double up as serving trays or for keeping small items, from jewellery to sewing kits to stationery.
Or, turn them into pretty lanterns! Some can even be reused as bags.
Pretty mooncake boxes getting a second lease of life as containers to store treats and organise small items.
The right way to recycle
You can do your bit for the nation’s greening effort — for the past two years, only about 13% of Singapore’s domestic waste gets recycled.
Learn what can go into the blue recycling bins and what gets recycled.
For example, consumers may conveniently deposit paper, plastics, glass and metals into the blue bin, assuming they will all be recycled. But many are not aware that only certain types of paper, plastics, glass and metals can be recycled. According to data given by the National Environment Agency, up to 40% of contents found in recycling bins cannot be recycled currently due to contamination from other non-recyclable products, including food and liquid waste. By identifying and placing only recyclable items into the recycling bins, consumers can do their bit to make sure everyone’s recycling efforts are not in vain.
Check against these charts from the National Environment Agency before you head for the Bloobin!
Paper
Plastics
Glass
Metal
