Completion of the Adam Road Food Centre Upgrading Project under the $420 million Hawker Centres Upgrading Progrmme (HUP), Ministry of Environment Press Release, 2 May 2002

Singapore Government Press Release

Media Division, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts,

MITA Building, 140 Hill Street, 2nd Storey, Singapore 179369

Tel: 837-9666

ENV NEWS RELEASE NO: 48/2002

DATE OF ISSUE: 02 May 2002

COMPLETION OF THE ADAM FOOD CENTRE UPGRADING PROJECT UNDER THE $420 MILLION HAWKER CENTRES UPGRADING PROGRAMME (HUP)

The Adam Food Centre, which was closed for upgrading for the past five months, is scheduled to reopen for business in mid-May. The upgraded centre will be handed over to the hawkers on 2 May 02 for them to prepare their stalls to resume their businesses.

The Adam Food Centre is one of the 29 centres selected for upgrading under the first batch of the $420 million Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme (HUP), announced by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Lim Swee Say, in February last year. It is the first ENV hawker centre to be completed under the first batch of HUP and the third hawker centre to be completed so far under the HUP. It was upgraded at a cost of $1.73 million. [The other two hawker centres upgraded under the HUP are at Ang Mo Kio (Blk 453A, Ave 10 and Blk 341, Ave 1)].

The grassroots and hawker representatives have been involved in the upgrading of the popular 28-year old Adam Food Centre, from the start. One of their main concerns was to improve the food centre’s natural ventilation and lighting and to make it more accessible to all. (The old design had low roof and elevated platforms at the entrances to mitigate flooding, which used to occur in the area quite frequently in the past). Another consideration was to have a more flexible seating arrangement to accommodate different group sizes of customers.

The hawkers were offered alternative stalls in other hawker centres to operate temporarily for the duration of the upgrading period. However, all declined the offer. The first-generation stallholders in the centre were also offered cash grant of $23,000 should they choose to leave the trade. All, however, decided to continue their business and return to the upgraded centre. The hawkers will be given a removal allowance of $1,000 as a form of assistance when they return to the upgraded centre. These grants and offers are not exclusive to the hawkers operating at Adam Food Centre - these are also extended to all hawkers operating in centres selected for upgrading under the HUP.

ENV, working with the grassroots organisations and the architects, has made special efforts to preserve some very mature and majestic angsana trees in the area, as well as the special nonagon design of the centre. At Annex are details of the major improvements made to the centre.

ANNEX

IMPROVEMENTS TO ADAM FOOD CENTRE

Improvements	Before HUP	After HUP
Enhanced accessibility, especially for the elderly and wheel-chair bound	Entrances to food centre constructed with raised platforms and steps to prevent floodwater from entering the centre; different floor levels.	Floor of entire centre raised higher and to a single level, without provision of raised platforms at the entrances. (Note: Bukit Timah Flood Alleviation scheme has since been implemented)
Better ventilation in the centre and improved natural lighting	Low roof (1.9 m at lowest end)	Higher roof (3.1m at lowest end almost 7m at highest end).
Facilitation of fume discharge – improved ventilation to stalls	No hood and flue connected to mechanical exhaust system	Individual hood and flue for each stall connected to mechanical exhaust system.
Increased environmental friendliness with usage of solar power and a more coordinated recycling programme.	No solar energy system used. Previously, recycling was on an ad-hoc basis.	Solar energy provided for lights at landscaped area and 2 signboards of centre. ENV has tied up with the waste collector for collection of used drink cans from the recycling bins placed within the centre. Under the table-cleaning contract, the cleaners are required to dispose of all used drink cans in the bins provided for recycling.
Increased and more flexible seating capacity	Lesser seating capacity, comprising 69 tables with 345 seats	20% increase in seating capacity, comprising 117 tables with 414 seats. - Tables with different number of seats provided to cater to different group sizes.
Provision of al fresco dining	Central open courtyard without outdoor seating	Central open courtyard provided with timber deck and tables.
Improved ambience with natural surroundings	No proper landscaped area	Proper landscaped area provided.
Increased sanitary facilities, including provision of a handicapped toilet. Toilet designed to allow natural ventilation and lighting. Better aesthetics.	Smaller toilet block (Gross floor area: 40m²) Male : 2 water closets 4 urinals 2 wash–hand basins Female : 2 water closets 2 wash–hand basins	Bigger toilet block (Gross floor area: 78m²) Male : 3 water closets 5 urinals 5 wash–hand basins Female : 4 water closets 5 wash–hand basins One common toilet for the handicapped
Aesthetics and safety enhanced with hidden meters	Water and electricity meters exposed without compartments	Water and electricity meters housed in enclosed compartments.

Minimized disruption in the event of drain blockage/chokes

2 or more stalls shared a common floor trap

Every stall provided with a floor trap

- To pinpoint the source of blockage should the floor trap be choked, without affecting other stalls

Bigger refuse disposal area allowing a bigger working area

Smaller bin centre

(Gross floor area: 10m² for 4 bulk bins)

Bigger bin centre

(Gross floor area: 22m² for 8 bulk bins)

More efficient table cleaning system.

No formal table cleaning system

Table cleaning to be formalised with tender called by ENV.