The festival housed over 10 different sports tryouts to reach out to the community of persons with disabilities (PwDs) and members of the public to educate them about para sports. Photo: Sport Singapore
The Inclusive Sports Festival, held in conjunction with GetActive! Singapore, served as a continuation of the legacy of the successful ASEAN Para Games 2015 hosted by Singapore, as well as to drum up support for Team Singapore athletes headed to the ninth edition of the Games in Kuala Lumpur.
The festival was held over this weekend at Our Tampines Hub and unlike smaller scale para sport tryouts conducted throughout the year, the festival housed over 10 different sports tryouts to reach out to the community of persons with disabilities (PwDs) and members of the public to educate them about the para sports options available. Besides the tryouts, the festival also included fringe activities and performances by PwDs and able-bodied performers.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Grace Fu, was the guest-of-honour at the festival and helped launch the facilities at the integrated sporting hub.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Grace Fu (right), trying out a game of wheelchair rugby. Photo: Sport Singapore
Our Tampines Hub (OTH) is the first of five Regional Sports Centres to be ready under the Sports Facilities Master Plan, and caters to sportings needs at national, regional, town and neighbourhood levels.
Major facilities at OTH include a swimming complex, a 5,078-seater football stadium, a community auditorium, a gym, sports halls, and an elevated 1.1km jogging track. The hub is also slated to have a tennis centre, futsal and hockey courts ready by the end of the year.
During her visit, Minister Fu encouraged Singaporeans to take up sports.
“You see communities beginning to embrace sports and more parents bringing their children,” said Minister Fu.
“They see the benefits of sports, not just in building physical wellness, but also in encouraging them to reach out and be sociable and emotionally strong as well.”