Residents propose alternative sites for elderly studios

[limlim]

Daddy

:moneyflies: :moneyflies: :moneyflies: :moneyflies:

the contractors mebbe laughing all the way to the bank..

Who awards the contracts? is it transparent tender process like for major HDB projects or the TC decide themselves?

[Nebbermind]

sometimes no tender…just variation order since someone is already maintaining those things.

[meowal]

Yea, our mp is Sim Ann. I’m utterly bitter abt this. I only got to know abt this project when I saw the resident organising the petition paste flyers at the life to ask ppl to go sign on the petition. There was completely NO communication about this and sales is supposed to start in march??!!

[limlim]

Nebbermind:

sometimes no tender....just variation order since someone is already maintaining those things.

Lack of planning or well planned........

hmmmmmmm..............

[Daddy D]

http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_773946.html


\"HDB to build studio apartments for elderly along Toh Yi Drive
The Housing Board has decided to go ahead with its plans to build 130 units of studio apartments for the elderly at the junction between Toh Yi Drive and Toh Yi Road....\"

Sorry to break the news... LPPL...
:siam:

[raysusan]

Daddy

http://www.straitstimes.com:80/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_773946.html


\"HDB to build studio apartments for elderly along Toh Yi Drive
The Housing Board has decided to go ahead with its plans to build 130 units of studio apartments for the elderly at the junction between Toh Yi Drive and Toh Yi Road....\"

Sorry to break the news... LPPL...
:siam:

130 units
Looks like it is a heavy construction

[limlim]

130 blocks or 130 pigeon holes?

[Mdm Koh]

Since they've decided to build the apartments, let's wait and see. I think old folks will prefer slopes to stairs. Stairs are the real killer as they may suffer from rheumatism and have bad knees. It may not be a bad thing for them if they can get to their apartments by walking up a 45-degree slope. In fact, many elderly people will deliberately choose to walk up a slope in order to avoid taking the stairs.


As for the earlier suggestions by the petitioners that the old folks will be panting after they walk up the slope, some old folks pant even when they're walking on level ground.

I've been to Toh Yi before and I don't think the slope is the main issue. I can understand why the residents of the area are angry that they were not consulted earlier. It's also very wasteful to build recreational facilities and tear them down again so soon.

[Nebbermind]

are there alot of elderlies in Toh Yi Estate? Are they trying to encouraging them to give up their current flats and move them into the studio units....then few yrs later enbloc the Toh Yi flats and sell the land to private developers? :?

[meowal]

The Toh Yi estate is only abt 20 - 30 yrs old, ready for en bloc? It is quite a possibility because most of toh yi is a private estate, land price probably can go for very high. There are elderly in the estate but enough to fill up 130 units. I don’t think so…


We received a letter from HDB last night saying they have done their studies and will proceed with the development - same usual crap that comes out from them, very much expected. They also included artist’s image on how the blocks will look like etc. One of the resident here wrote an open letter to the head of HDB :

Open letter to clementi HDB Mr. Ho
Dear Mr. Ho Shu Yee,

I refer to your letter "Studio Apartment Project At Toh Yi Drive" dated 5th March 2012, and would like to clarify the below.

1) On 8th February closed door dialogue with the residents HDB and CCC members agree to re-host a dialogue in regards to the project with invitation to all residents. Since then no such session was being called for could you kindly clarify why is the original mutual agreement was not being honored but merely issuing us residents with the above mentioned communication letter?

2) You state "The SA project will benefit elderly residents here, who may wish to move into such a development." could you provide concrete numerical statistic as to how many desired or express their wish to move into the SA?

3) Why was the various improvements you mentioned were not being carried out for the past years but only now? I understand that such improvements were being requested over the years by the residents and is there any particular or valid reason for the delay?

4) You mentioned you had studied the terrain issue carefully. Could you share how your studies or consideration was being conducted? Were subject matter expert such as Doctors,
Health care professional, elderly care volunteer or any other relevant authority in practice participate or consulted in assessing if the terrain is suitable for housing the elderly from not only on physiological adaption considerations but also psychological point of view?

5) You mentioned "the present site is the most suitable in the area" if so why are rest areas required? What is your definition of "most suitable"? Is it from mere building engineering point of view or overall assessment of suitability for the elderly in term of care giving, quality of life, safety point of view (to ensure elderly safety with children playing in their recreational area) and security point of view?

6) Site 1 you explained "the site is too small for a full studio apartment, and there will not be sufficient units to provide a senior’s facility for elderly residents. In addition, the site currently house car park lots, and we will need to relocate these lots if the development is located there."
Could you define and explain "full studio apartment"? Could you advice based on concrete numerical statistic what is deem as "sufficient units" how many units would it house as compare to the site you suggested? Will carpark lots at the existing site suggested not affected when the construction is on? How will the traffic of construction vehicle and movement of machinery be managed?

7) You state site 2 "is not suitable for SA development now" are you suggesting that there will come a time or under certain condition that the site will be suitable? If carparks can be integrated into your suggested design why it is not possible to incorporate that into the site 2 design so that car park need is not neglected?

Site 3 & 4 you cited "busy roads and are earmarked for other future developments", could you define "busy roads"? Why such road condition not manageable with introduction of safety measures? What are the other future developments that is so valid that must be given priority?

I look forward in receiving your reply the soonest. I would appreciate if you could provide a reasonable time frame you required for the reply.