The magnificent race horses and cheering crowds have been gone for more than eight years now since the Singapore Turf Club moved out of its Bukit Timah premises off Eng Neo Avenue.
For a while, the vacated land was bereft of identity, with Giant hypermarket and some secondhand car dealers dominating the space.
Today, it is a different scene. It has transformed into a bustling family-friendly hub filled with fun activities.
The area, known as Turf City and Horsecity, is chock full of activities for the young and adventurous, including horse riding, dance, tennis, yoga, Brazilian martial arts, muay thai, golf for kids and gymnastics.
There is even an indoor skatepark, an indoor kids' playground, an obstacle course for people to play with guns which fire plastic and paint pellets, futsal courts, and a driving range with real grass instead of fake turf.
Aside from these, the area also boasts food outlets such as bistro Picotin and Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant, retail shops and hypermarket Giant.
Turf City has been leased out by the Singapore Land Authority since 2001, after the Singapore Turf Club moved to its new site in Kranji, while Horsecity, located down the road, had been vacant until 2007.
These sites are leased out for three years at a time.
Says Mrs Mani Shanker, in her 40s, director of Blue Dolphin Gallery, which manages the 139,900 sq ft Horsecity and also runs horse riding school Gallop Stable: 'Our core business is equestrian. There are many activities and most are very much related to horse riding.'
According to her, skateboarding, which is offered here, promotes balance, while yoga, also offered here at Om Shiva Yoga, is about good posture. Both activities complement the techniques of horse riding.
She and her husband, Mr Shanker Rajagopal, have turned the area, which used to be stables for horses, into a family-centric venue with facilities that include a childcare centre and a music school for kids. Each hut is a stand-alone outfit for a tenant.
Mr Ernest Paguia, 37, is the golf centre manager for Horsecity's Kinder Golf, which relocated from Jelita Shopping Centre in Holland Road seven months ago. He says: 'The space here is completely different from urban areas. Here, there is so much greenery and wide open space.
'And children like space - they function better.'
He says the expanse of space is one of the biggest draws of Horsecity for his business.
Last March in Turf City, Mr Khoo Ken Hee, 46, opened Frontline Airsoft, Singapore's first venue for airsoft, a game of automatic and semi-automatic guns with plastic pellets.
He explains the choice of location for his company: 'Turf City has a lot of space and it is centrally located, right in the heart of Bukit Timah.'
He adds that parents can easily pop into the supermarket or grab a bite while their children go about their activities.
Parents agree. They, too, like the convenience of Turf City and Horsecity for their activities and amenities.
Says housewife Mandy Singal, 29, who often takes her children to indoor playground Fidgets in Turf City: 'It is very good for rainy days. I just put them there and go for a coffee - it is a big relief for mothers.'
Bank officer Jill Tan, 34, and her family often head to Horsecity for a meal, and to Turf City to pick up groceries.
She says: 'This area is great for families. My children are a bit too young for the activities now, but in a few years, I will sign them up for gymnastics and tennis lessons.'
She adds with a laugh: 'They are fascinated by the names Turf City and Horsecity, and whine about not seeing any horses. So, it looks like I might have to sign them up for horse riding, too.'
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This article was first published in The Sunday Times.
