Tucked away in a little nook off Gambas Avenue lies the island’s only remaining natural hot spring. During its peak, Sembawang Hot Spring would have up to 300 visitors seeking to soak and bath in the thermal spring water, believed to contain healing properties and even good fortune.
The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) acquired the land containing the spring during their expansion of the Sembawang Air Base in 1998, but left it accessible to the public through a side gate along Gambas Avenue. Public interest started waning ever since — due to its relative isolation and unwelcoming environment (tall fences and signs reminding people about it being military ground everywhere), not to mention a rash of scalding cases and an incident in 2002 in which an elderly diabetic lost six toes to gangrene after soaking in the hot spring.
After years of speculation about the fate of Sembawang Hot Spring, MINDEF announced that they are prepared to return the land to the Singapore Land Authority as it will not impact their operational requirements.
Channel News Asia reports that MINDEF would like to see the National Parks Board (NParks) taking over the site and improve and maintain the hot springs, as well as putting in more welcoming amenities such as toilets.
The announcement follows Sembawang MP’s suggestion in Parliament that the hot spring could be converted into a popular attraction, as well as NParks confirming that they’re working on transforming the area into a park.
