Potential Breaches of COVID-19 SMMs at Sky Gardens of HDB Blocks and Proposal to Gate Up such Gardens
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns potential COVID-19 safe management measure breaches and disamenities at HDB sky gardens, where Ms Joan Pereira proposed gating these areas or implementing key card access for residents. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee responded that HDB community spaces are intentionally open to the public to encourage social bonding, and permanent gating would alter this essential character. Instead, the Ministry employs targeted measures like increased patrols by Safe Distancing Enforcement Officers and enforcement actions to manage gatherings and ensure compliance. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee highlighted collaborations with Town Councils and agencies to implement temporary restrictions during peak periods, such as New Year’s Eve. Residents are also encouraged to use the OneService App to report non-urgent municipal issues or breaches, ensuring communal spaces remain accessible while minimizing local disamenities.
Transcript
26 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for National Development in light of potential breaches of COVID-19 safe management measures and disamenities that may occur at sky gardens located at HDB blocks, whether the Ministry will (i) review its policy and consider gating up these sky gardens and (ii) provide key card access to residents.
Mr Desmond Lee: HDB estates are designed with community spaces to encourage social interactions and bonding. These areas are intended to be open and accessible to the public, as well as the residents of the block or estate. In some newer estates, sky gardens are included among community spaces. While we recognise the potential for disamenities from visitors to sky gardens, gating them up or providing key card access to residents will alter the open character of our HDB estates.
Instead, HDB works with relevant parties, such as the Town Councils and Government agencies, to implement targeted measures to address potential disamenities.
For instance, in the case of HDB blocks at the SkyVille @ Dawson project in the Member’s ward, patrols by Safe Distancing Enforcement Officers have been stepped up at the sky garden in general, given an increase in the number of gatherings. They have taken enforcement action against individuals who disregard COVID-19 safe management measures, and will continue to do so. Should residents encounter non-urgent municipal issues or observe breaches of COVID-19 safe management measures at sky gardens, they may also submit their feedback via the OneService App. During New Year’s Eve 2021, agencies, including HDB, SPF, NEA, as well as the Town Council and Residents’ Committee, had also worked with the Member to implement measures to mitigate potential disamenities, such as restricting access to the sky garden after 10pm and increasing patrols by Safe Distancing Enforcement Officers.
HDB will continue to work with the Member and agencies, such as Town Councils and NEA, to ensure that while communal spaces like sky gardens in HDB estates remain open for all to enjoy, potential disamenities for residents are minimised.