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Wednesday, October 17, 1973
The Council will also include within its purview the 5-year
Programme of Recreational Development and Nature Conservation, which
was announced last year. This is now beginning to get into its stride,
and to pass from the stage of planning to construction,
In addition to country parks and reserves already planned on
Hong Kong Island, Tolo Harbour, Shing Mun, Lion Rock and Pak Sha Wan,
two areas which are particularly rich in recreational opportunities are
Lantau Island and the Saikung peninsula. To enable Government to decide
how bost to utilise these special opportunities a comprehensive planning
study was commissioned from consultants and their recommendations are
expected in about a year's time. These plans should provide a framework for
the development of major holiday centres for our own people and for visitors,
as well as for the informal enjoyment of the countryside and beaches.
I attach great importance to this programme. Though recreational
facilities in the old urban areas will be greatly expanded, the sheer lack
of space makes it likely that they will always fall short of what we would
wish for so large a concentration of population. It is therefore essential
that proporly equipped recreational areas be opened up in the mountains
and beaches that surround the city, with proper road access, and staff
to keep them clean and attractive and to help the public to do so, and thus
ensure that everyone gets the maximum enjoyment out of them.
To those