I've done figure skating for years now, and it's the only sport I've been dedicated to. However, in Singapore, we lack an ice arena that caters to figure skaters like me, speed skaters, hockey players and even those who simply enjoy public skating. Now, people who have been training in any of these sports have no choice but to quit because of the closure of JCube. Another option is to go overseas, and this is something I know personally. There are people leaving to go to Malaysia every single week just to get practice hours in, simply because Singapore no longer has a rink that is functional for people who participate in such sports. In the whole entire country, there is one single rink; Kallang, which is much smaller and is not functional for these people who do any of these sports, due to the size and the rules.

Currently, there are no dedicated facilities where we can train effectively or where the public can experience the joy of skating. This is not only limiting our athletes, but also the public who enjoy doing a simple activity with friends, for example during the December month, where people would like to celebrate the Christmas spirit with some ice skating to replace the hot weather.

Singapore has produced world-class athletes in various sports disciplines despite being a tropical country. We have seen success stories from swimming to table tennis - why not winter sports too? With over 5 million residents and numerous tourists each year (source: Department of Statistics Singapore), there is undoubtedly potential for an ice arena to thrive here.

We urge our government officials and private investors to consider this proposal seriously. By establishing a multi-purpose ice arena in Singapore, we will be promoting diversity in sports culture while providing opportunities for aspiring athletes like myself and recreational activities for everyone else. There are plenty of sports centres in Singapore, which rely on memberships and people who visit frequently. This system could work similarly for an ice arena, with regular athletes paying for memberships (to make it more accessible) and one-time-comers paying for a singular ticket. There could also be bookings for company events, parties, shows and other social events. It could be booked for hockey games, races and private coaching as well in a weekly schedule, with public skating sessions available as well.

Coaches who had to stop coaching in JCube would benefit largely from this as well. There were a number of them who had to stop coaching, and they either had to move back to Kallang, which I doubt that many, let alone any of them did, or stop coaching as a whole and find a new job or move away.

As mentioned, and I will summarize again, this idea would benefit a huge number of people. Athletes across multiple sports (figure skating, ice dancing, pair skating, curling, ice hockey, speed skating, etc.) will once again be able to find a purpose in their sport and will no longer have to leave the country every week to practice. So will people who enjoy ice skating with friends, or as a fun activity even if they don't do it as a sport. Coaches, as I just mentioned can find a purpose in teaching again. A lot of people would want to go, if it's in an accessible area, which would make a lot of money if this ice arena were built, meaning it would benefit both sides.

I know it's hard to manage a full ice rink in Singapore, with the limited space there is and the climate we have. But that's what would make it special. Of course, with the little resources and space there is, another suggestion would be to place an ice rink in an already-existing available area, e.g. a mall, such as JCube. It would have to be big enough for people to practice and to avoid overcrowding.

Just like any sport, whether it's footballers who deserve football pitches to practice on or tennis players who deserve tennis courts to practice on, with the many that there already are, the whole country and its athletes deserve one, just one singular ice rink where they can express themselves in their sport. Please support us by signing this petition. Together we can bring about change! Share this with coaches, your fellow athletes/teammates, or simply just people who enjoy skating, because I genuinely believe this is something Singapore could benefit from.

Even if you don’t live in Singapore but agree with this petition, please do sign because we really want a rink!

Written by me with the help of AI as well to establish facts and data.