Cracks found above Sports Hub mall’s rock climbing walls

SINGAPORE — Only a month after it opened, the much-touted indoor rock climbing walls at Kallang Wave Mall at the Singapore Sports Hub had to be shut down temporarily after cracks appeared on the glass panel of the ceiling above the walls on Monday evening.

The walls, managed by Climb Central, were cordoned off immediately and activities were suspended due to a fracture in the upper layer of one double-laminated glass panel on the ceiling, said Mr Philippe Delavaud, SportsHub Pte Ltd’s chief executive, in a statement last night.

A maintenance team was immediately called in to inspect the skylight.

“After their inspection, qualified engineers have confirmed the double-laminated glass panel (is) structurally safe, with the bottom layer fully intact,” said Mr Delavaud, adding that the upper layer within the glass panel would be replaced by next week.

“It is suspected that the upper layer in this one glass panel inherited material impurities during the toughening process,” he said.

Mr Delavaud stressed that Sports­Hub would “continue to conduct regular checks to all glass panels in the skylight for any irregularities”.

On Monday night, Climb Central posted on its Facebook page that “due to some unfortunate circumstances with the glass ceiling” above the climbing facility, “all climbing activities have been stopped till further notice”.

However, Mr Delavaud said operations would continue as usual from today and that stores in the mall are not affected by the incident and would remain open for business. Those who had already booked and paid to use the facility on Monday have been offered alternative dates to use the climbing walls or a full refund, he said.

Marketing manager of Climb Central, Ms Melissa Ho, told TODAY the mall’s management informed them about the incident at about 6pm on Monday. “(We were told) there was some issue with the glass ceiling above and that we have to cordon off the climbing area,” she said.

When TODAY visited the mall yesterday afternoon, curious onlookers on the ground floor were spotted taking pictures of the rock climbing walls and the ceiling above them.

Undergraduate Sam Tan, 26, a first-time visitor to the mall, said: “It looks dangerous, because it looks like the ceiling is cracked.”

A spokesperson for the FairPrice Xtra store at the mall described Monday evening’s incident as isolated and concentrated only in the area above the climbing facility.

“The safety of our customers and staff is our utmost priority, and we are in touch with the retail operator and maintenance operator on this matter,” the spokesperson said, adding that the store will remain open.