On This Day In 1975, The First Permanent SAFRA Clubhouse Was Opened In Toa Payoh
On this day 50 years ago (19 Feb 1975), the first permanent SAFRA clubhouse officially opened at 293, Lor 6 Toa Payoh. It sat on 2.5 acres of land and cost nearly $2 million to build.
At the time, National Service was still in its early years, and the Singapore Armed Forces Reservist Association (SAFRA) had been operating a clubhouse out of a temporary space in Prince Edward Lane, which previously belonged to the Norwegian Seamen’s Mission.
With membership growing rapidly and reaching nearly 10,000 by the mid-70s, the need for a proper clubhouse became clear.
The vision for SAFRA clubhouses
During the opening ceremony, then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew shared his vision for SAFRA, stating that more clubhouses would be established in key residential areas.
These spaces would serve as convenient meeting places for NSmen, regular SAF personnel, and their families, offering a range of sporting, social, cultural, and educational facilities.
Back then, becoming a SAFRA member was only $5 for officers and $2 for other ranks.
Upgraded over the years
As Singapore grew, so did SAFRA Toa Payoh. In 1989, the clubhouse underwent a massive $4 million renovation. The facelift introduced new facilities like leisure pools and a dance studio.
The next major revamp came in 2013. With a gross floor area of 24,000sqm (equivalent to four football fields), the newly designed clubhouse features a striking cylindrical design and colourful pop-up frames on its aluminium facade.
Members and visitors could now enjoy Bishan-Toa Payoh’s first-ever bowling centre and a rooftop beer garden offering a scenic view of the clubhouse’s three swimming pools - a 50m lap pool, a training pool, and a children’s water play pool. The clubhouse also became home to popular F&B outlets and learning centres. It is equipped with a 1,500sqm gym, which includes an Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) Centre for NSmen looking to train.
SAFRA today
SAFRA clubhouses have expanded across the island, with eight locations serving 475,000 members. In addition to Toa Payoh, you’ll find SAFRA clubhouses in Choa Chu Kang, Jurong, Mount Faber, Punggol, Tampines, Yishun, and at 29, Carpenter Street.
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