Reconstruction of the Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic Headquarters

Origin

The Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic was established in 1969. Located at 48 Lorong 23, Geylang, Singapore 338376, the clinic has been taking care of the medical and healthcare needs of the public for many years. It was no longer cost-efficient to maintain the old building which also did not have sufficient space to cater to its present needs. In 2005, majority of the board members agreed that the building should be demolished. To take its place would be a new seven-storey building. A committee was set up to look into its reconstruction.

Demolition, Ground Breaking Ceremony and Reconstruction

Demolition of the old building took place in September 2005. The administrative office and clinic had to relocate to a temporary rented premise at 14, Lorong 25 Geylang, Singapore 388295. Ground breaking ceremony of the construction site took place at 9.30 a.m. on 13 November. The service was led by Chairman Venerable Ming Yi, Vice-Chairman Venerable Wan Cheong and Board member Venerable Fa Hui.

Piling was completed at the end of December and this was followed by the pitching of metals. One level of the building was constructed every fortnightly. At the same time, the laying of network cables, installation of sanitary system and partitions for each level was also completed. The architect of the new building is Mr. Tan Tee Seng and the constructed surface area is 1690.712 m2 with the actual land area used is 678 m2. The building has a front border of 5 m and the borders behind and on both sides of the building are 7.5 m and 3 m respectively. Each level of the new building has an increase in space, from 217 m to 270 m. This is 600 ft bigger than the old building. Hence, the area for use increased by a quarter compared with the past. The committee took a year to plan, prepare drawings and made amendments until approval was given by the relevant government departments. Invitation for tenders to reconstruct the building was carried out and Kenwa Constructors Pte Ltd was awarded the contract. Construction expenses were estimated at $4 million and were tax-exempt.

Completion

The building was completed after mid-December 2006. For the next few months, a series of tests on the new building was carried out by the relevant authorities before the construction firm officially handed the new building to us in March 2007. Interior design and installation of the building was completed within the next few months. On 31 July, 2007, Venerable Ming Yi led a group of other venerable and followers to enshrine the image of Buddha in the new building. Cleansing of the new building also took place simultaneously. The new seven-storey building began operation officially on 6 August. The car park is located at the ground level while the registration area, dispensary, patients' waiting area is located on the second level. The acupuncture rooms are located on the third level and the designated administrative office is at the fourth level. The meeting rooms are on the fifth level while the exhibition of historical artefacts room is located on the sixth level. The auditorium is at the seventh level and the balcony is on the attic.

New Milestones

The Buddhist Free Clinic's new building began operation today. The management has implemented certain changes and improvements. Consultation hours at the clinic have been extended and we have recruited additional medical staff to serve the public. We will continue to serve the members of the public and each visit to the clinic promise to be a refreshing experience for all.

List of Donors (S$5,000 and above)