Former SIA sports complex
When you think of Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its employee benefits, you may think of travel discounts or bonuses worth more than half a year’s salary. But what you may not know is that the airline also has its own sports club.
The SIA Group Sports Club was originally based at Paya Lebar Airport, before moving to 24 Turnhouse Road and later settling into its current home at 726 Upper Changi Road East. That move left the former SIA sports complex at Turnhouse Road abandoned, but not demolished, and it’s still standing today like a forgotten relic.
History of the former SIA sports complex
Image credit: @chenshunann via Instagram
The SIA Group Sports Club has been a part of SIA’s history even before the company was called Singapore Airlines. It started out as the Malayan Airways Sports Club back in 1949, and has continued to be a source of sports and recreational fun for club members and SIA’s employees till today.
Before the club shifted to its current home, sitting alongside other SIA facilities on Upper Changi Road, it had been housed in 3 other locations: Wilfred Road in Bendemeer/Boon Keng, Paya Lebar Airport, and 24 Turnhouse Road.
Image adapted from: Urban Redevelopment Authority Annual Report 1978-1979
Of the 3, the former SIA sports complex, sitting on Turnhouse Road, was the club’s 3rd location and easily one of the most well-known.
Going from one group of flyers to another, the complex sits on what was once the British Royal Air Force’s Changi Base, and was built over the former Royal Air Force Changi Airmen’s Swimming Pool.
A view of the complex from the sea.
Image credit: @chenshunann via Instagram
The Turnhouse Road location was completed in 1982, and this $11 million complex even won an award for its architectural design, featuring cantilever balconies, sloped roofs, and a viewing terrace that connected all the different areas and was considered unique for its time. Its seaside location also offered a beautiful ocean view for visiting club members.
Alas, it faced the risk of getting shut down a year after completion due to declining club membership, but the club ended up moving out and leaving the complex behind in 2006.
Facilities in the former SIA sports complex
Swimming pools
Swimming pools in the former SIA sports complex, photographed in 1999.
Image credit: Patricia Graham via Facebook
Considering it was built over a pool, an updated one was a given. The Olympic-sized 7-lane pool was the go-to for club members looking to beat the heat, with a smaller kids’ pool next to it for any young ones tagging along.
What the former SIA sports complex’s swimming pools look like now.
Image credit: gabtng via Imgur
Today, the once-clear pool water has been replaced by stagnant rainwater, dotted with fallen leaves from the surrounding trees.
Various sports courts
What the tennis courts at the former SIA sports complex look like now.
Image credit: gabtng via Imgur
Ball sports were also a common sight at the complex, with tennis and basketball courts scattered throughout the grounds.
While most members would play under the sun, some would also train for their tournaments in indoor courts, such as the squash courts.
Multipurpose hall
Badminton courts set up in the former SIA sports complex multipurpose hall back then.
Image adapted from: Urban Redevelopment Authority Annual Report 1982-1983
No sports complex is complete without a multipurpose hall, and this one was no exception. SIA’s championship-winning badminton team trained here as the SIA logo sat proudly on the wall.
This hall once hosted the World Airlines Badminton Team Championships in 1993, but now sits in darkness with tarps covering up the windows.
Is the former SIA sports complex haunted?
Image credit: gabtng via Imgur
When a building gets abandoned, and nature starts running its course with it, you might wonder if any otherworldly beings have settled in with the plants and the dirt. Chances are, the answer is yes, regardless of whether you believe in that sort of thing.
Screenshot from: Reddit
Supposedly, even the government believes there’s something roaming the run-down halls, as accounts have said that government-hired monks visit the complex yearly to bless it and keep evil spirits away.
This writer is too terrified to go deeper into the horror stories, but if you’d like to experience the spookiness for yourself, the former SIA sports complex is usually a stop for ghost tours in the Changi area. You’ll get to immerse yourself in the paranormal as your tour guide shares more tales from the past.
Check out our list of other spots believed to be the most haunted places in Singapore.
Can you enter the former SIA sports complex?
While entry into the complex is usually prohibited, you can enter with permission from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), whether you’d like to make use of the unique charm of an abandoned building for a photoshoot or just want to explore a bit of local history.
Image credit: @super0sg via Instagram
On very rare occasions, the complex can be rented for events, allowing entry for participants. Super 0 Openair once transformed the empty facilities into a thriving club for a weekend in 2015.
Even without a licence, you can still take a peek at the complex from the outside. Just be careful not to trespass, unless you want to risk getting haunted by law enforcement instead.
The former SIA sports complex is a part of Singapore’s sporting history
Image credit: @chenshunann via Instagram
While this sports complex may be abandoned, the spirit of encouraging sports is still alive in Singapore. The SIA Group Sports Club still lives on in its new clubhouse, and many other complexes are popping up all around the island for all to enjoy.
For more interesting pieces on SG’s heritage:
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local, gabtng via Imgur, Urban Redevelopment Authority Annual Report 1982-1983