I REFER to Ms Shirley Pang Guan Guan's letter, 'Build huge tent over Chinatown festive street stalls' (ST, Jan 16).
We thank Ms Pang for her suggestion to make Chinatown festive street stalls a more conducive place to visit and shop during the Chinese New Year period.
We had previously considered the idea of having a huge common tent to provide more shelter. However, several factors prevented us from implementing it.
Chinatown's inner streets, which are mostly flanked by shophouses, are generally narrower than most modern streets in Singapore. Given the limited space and close proximity of buildings, a common tent would block the upper floors of the shophouses.
When we stage a big celebration such as the Chinese New Year festivities, public safety is our top concern. We work closely with the Singapore Civil Defence Force to ensure that the event area provides easy access for fire-fighting and rescue operations. An expansive canopy over the street stalls will pose immense difficulties for fire engines to access affected shophouses quickly.
We will continue to work with the various agencies and stakeholders to improve the comfort and safety of visitors during these celebrations.
We wish all Singaporeans and visitors an enjoyable time in Chinatown as they soak in the festive atmosphere and enjoy the offerings at the street stalls this year.
David Ong
Chairman
Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens' Consultative Committee
No comments:
Post a Comment