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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1974.
FIRST PLAY STREET IN HONG KONG
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CHILDREN OF SIX TO 14 LIVING IN CENTRAL WILL HAVE A WHOLE STREET TO THEMSELVES IN WHICH THEY CAN PLAY WITHOUT WORRY OF TRAFFIC.
THE STREET IS KAU U FONG IN THE HEART OF CENTRAL DISTRICT. FROM SUNDAY COCTOBER 13) IT WILL BE TURNED INTO A PLAY AREA FOR THEM FROM 3 TO 6 PH ON A TRIAL BASIS FOR THREE KONTHS.
THE PROJECT WAS PLANNED BY MR. BERNARD MUI, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICER FOR CENTRAL UHO SAID WITH LIYING CONDITIONS AS THEY ARE IN THE AREA CHILDREN HAVE VERY LITTLE PLACE TO GO TO PLAY. HE ESTIMATED THERE WERE BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR THOUSAND CHILDREN LIVING THERE.
+WE ALREADY HAVE A PEDESTRIAN PRECINCT IN CENTRAL AT WEEKENDS WHICH IS QUITE POPULAR WITH THE PUBLIC SO WHY NOT HAVE A STREET FOR CHILDREN?+
THE IDEA OF A PLAY STREET, HE POINTED OUT, WAS NOT NEW AS SOME COUNTRIES ALREADY HAD STREETS SET ASIDE AT SPECIFIC HOURS FOR CHILDREN. +BUT IT IS THE FIRST TIME THIS IS BEING TRIED OUT IN HONG KONG+
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICE (CENTRAL), THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE IT WAS DECIDED TO CLOSE THE STREET TO TRAFFIC ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS AND OPEN IT AS A CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND.
MR. MUI SAID A NUMBER OF VOLUNTARY YOUTH AGENCIES WHO WERE APPROACHED TO EXTEND THEIR SERVICES INTO THE AREA PROVIDING RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE CHILDREN HAD EXPRESSED GREAT INTEREST IN DOING SO, IT WAS HOPED TO INCLUDE PING PONG, CHINESE CHESS AND OTHER GAMES TO HELP THE CHILDREN ENJOY THEMSELVES, HE SAID.
TO MARK THE OPENING OF THE STREET, THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG HAS DONATED $4,000 FOR A FUN FAIR ON THE FIRST DAY. THIS WILL BE FROM 2 TO 6 PM AND WILL CONSIST OF A LION DANCE, BAND MUSIC AND 15 GAMES BOOTHS RUN BY LOCAL YOUTH GROUPS, SCHOOLS, CLANSMEN'S ASSOCIATIONS, KAIFONGS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
MR. HUI SAID IT WAS ENCOURAGING THAT SUCH A PROJECT COULD BE STARTED AND WAS A DEMONSTRATION OF THE CONCERN OF THOSE INVOLVED FOR PROVIDING MORE OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR CHILDREN.
RESPONSE FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS PROVES MORE PEOPLE WERE BEGINNING TO RECOGNIZE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WERE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
HE HOPED SIMILAR PROJECTS COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
COPIES OF A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE KAU U FONG PLAY STREET PLAN WILL BE DISTRIBUTED SEPARATELY IN G.I.S. PRESS BOXES THIS EVENING.
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