Navy Region Center Singapore celebrated the grand reopening of The Terror Club and Sports Complex, Oct. 19, after a six-month reconstruction and renovation project.

The project cost was more than $2 million and included major renovations to the clubhouse bar and dining area, the facility's swimming pool and a complete overhaul of the sports complex's ball field.

The club, located at the Port of Singapore Authority in Sembawang, Singapore, serves an allied military community of more than 1,500 active duty service members, civilians and their families, along with another 400-plus from ships rotating in and out of the U.S. Navy Region Singapore area.

Rear Admiral Charlie Williams, commander, Navy Region Singapore, expressed the importance of the facility and its role in supporting the region.

"The Terror Club is a venue that brings our Singapore military community together," said Williams. "These remodeled facilities are an investment in the quality of life for our service members, civilians, and their families, now and for many years to come."

Capt. Scott Murdock, commanding officer, Navy Region Center Singapore, gave gratitude to all the key players involved in making the project a success.

"We truly have an amazing team that worked very hard to bring this project to reality," the captain said. "We all care deeply for this community and for the fleet, and we wanted to provide them with a five-star complex that will be a Singapore destination point for the fleet, fighter and families for years to come."

Named after the HMS Terror, an Erebus-class monitor that served in both World Wars, the Terror Club was built in the mid-1930s to provide rest and relaxation to officers assigned to the ship.

Having undergone its last overhaul in 1994, the Terror Club and Sports Complex desperately needed a face-lift. In the clubhouse, many of the walls and interior finishes had significant wear and tear. In addition, the operations area at the bar needed upgrades to include a refrigeration section for its kegs and drink containers. Old exterior walls were replaced with glass to allow for better natural lighting.

"This gives the Terror Club less of a pub feel, giving patrons a better view of the pool and landscape," said Ayub Hassan, supervisory civil engineer for Naval Facilities Engineering Command Far East, and the U.S. Navy construction lead for the project. "This makes for a better dining experience."

Additional new construction found inside the clubhouse includes a dedicated climate-controlled slot machine room offering patrons a choice environment.

One of the highlights of the grand reopening was the newly refurbished swimming pool. Not having been upgraded since its original construction in the early 1970s, the pool's old tile work was completely demolished and replaced with more slip-resistant tiles. The previous tiles were old, cracked and missing in some places. As an added feature, the poolside deck surface areas were remodeled with a new pebble-wash finish, adding a modern look to the redesign. During the grand reopening celebration, more than two dozen children and young adults lined up along the edge of the pool and jumped in simultaneously to commemorate the pool's use.

"The water temperature was perfect and the new tiles felt way better than the last ones," said Ethan Stringham, a 14-year-old resident and student of the Singapore American School. "I look forward to coming here as much as possible."

The second major phase of the project was redesigning the field to alleviate drainage problems during heavy rain, as is common in Singapore.

"The field is located in a low-lying area susceptible to floods, and as a result, the field was always soggy with the natural turf having a very shallow root system," Hassan said.

To mitigate this problem, engineers elevated the north and northeast end of the field by 4 feet. They also installed sub-surface and surface drains underneath its artificial turf system.

Having the artificial turf installed is not only cost effective in terms of cutting grass and spot repairing, but now the sections of the field are permanently marked for soccer, flag football and baseball. No chalking is needed for these sporting areas and there is even a permanently-marked three-lane track that covers a sixth of a mile.

Once patrons enter the complex and walk along its lush tropical garden landscape and experience its architectural redesigns and modernization, one could appreciate and delight in its leisure and amenities. All agreed that facility's facelift allows the Terror Club to meet its original intentions: to provide rest and relaxation to support the local allied military community and visitors of Sembawang, Singapore.

For more news from Commander, Task Force 73, visit http://www.navy.mil/.