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Monday, June 18, 1973
GREENLIGHT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY CENTRES
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council has given the
greenlight for a massive expansion of community centres, children and youth
centres and the community youth officers scheme, in line with proposals
made in the social welfare white paper and the five year development plan.
It has accepted the financial commitment of more than $35 million
in both capital and recurrent costs to meet this expansion.
The main apending will be in capital cost which amounts to some
$23 million. This sum will be used for building seven community centres,
five estate welfare buildings and 15 community halls in different areas of
Hong Kong between now and 1978.
The provision of estate welfare buildings and community halls is
being extended to cover all public housing wherever possible.
Community halls will be built in public housing estates for a
population of 20,000 or over while estate welfare buildings will be built
in estates which house more than 50,000 people.
Community centres will be provided in areas of 100,000 people not
covered by estate welfare buildings or community halls.
Of the amount approved, more than $6 million will go towards operating
costs of these community centres, estate welfare buildings and community halls.
At the moment, there are some 69 children and youth work units
with the majority of them operated by the voluntary agencies. Each unit
provides some form of service to 2,000 children and young people in the
course of a year.
The number