SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 1976
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LAND RECLAMATION IS THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION AND IN HONG KONG THIS CAN LITERALLY MEAN MOVING MOUNTAINS. FOR, UNLIKE MOST COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE CARRIED OUT RECLAMATION WORKS, HONG KONG CAN MAKE ONLY LIMITED USE OF SEABED DREDGE MATERIAL FOR FILL. ITS SEABED IS LARGELY COMPRISED OF MUD AND SILT, SO MASSIVE EARTH- WORKS ARE SOMETIMES REQUIRED TO PROVIDE FILL FROM NEARBY MOUNTAIN- SIDES.
HOWEVER, USING FILL FROM MOUNTAINS HAS CEASED TO BE THE MOST COMMON METHOD OF RECLAMATION IN HONG KONG. WHEREVER PRACTICABLE, A SEAWALL IS NOW ESTABLISHED AT THE REQUIRED DISTANCE FROM SHORE AND THE ENCLOSED AREA IS THEN OPENED AS A PUBLIC DUMP FOR SUITABLE MATERIAL.
IN THIS WAY FILLING COSTS ARE REDUCED, ALTHOUGH DRAINAGE THROUGH RECLAIMED LAND CONTINUES TO BE AN EXPENSIVE AND COMPLICATED TASK.
DESPITE THE HIGH COSTS OF OBTAINING LAND FROM THE SEA, RECLAMATION OPERATIONS ARE INDISPENSABLE TO HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT.
EVEN IN THE 19TH CENTURY LAND RECLAMATION WAS SEEN AS A SOLUTION TO LAND SHORTAGE, AND THE HARBOUR SHORELINES WERE GRADUALLY EXTENDED INTO THE SEA.
FOR EXAMPLE, QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL ONCE BORDERED THE SEA. TODAY IT IS FAR INLAND AND ALL THE MANHATTAN-STYLE SKYSCRAPERS THAT RISE ON THE HARBOUR SIDE OF THIS ROAD ARE BUILT ON LAND ACQUIRED THROUGH SUCCESSIVE RECLAMATION OPERATIONS STARTING OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
TODAY THE ONLY REMAINING BIT OF ORIGINAL NORTHERN SHORELINE OF HONG KONG ISLAND IS AT THE LEI YUE MUN CHANNEL, WHERE A POINT OF THE ISLAND JUTS OUT TOWARDS KOWLOON PENINSULA,
ON KOWLOON SIDE, RECLAIMED LAND EXTENDS FROM KWAI CHUNG RIGHT AROUND TO THE NORTHERN HEADLAND OF LEI YUE MUN CHANNEL.
THE MOST RECENT MAJOR FACILITY CONSTRUCTED ON A RECLAIMED SITE IN HONG KONG IS THE NEW FIVE-STOREY GENERAL POST OFFICE TO BE OPENED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, ON AUGUST 11.
HONG KONG'S SECOND RACE COURSE AT SHA TIN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, AN INTERNATIONAL-CLASS TRACK SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 1978, IS ALSO BEING BUILT ON RECLAIMED LAND.
EVEN OUR LATEST RESERVOIR, DUE TO START IMPOUNDING IN 1978-79, IS BEING CARVED FROM THE SEA. DAMS ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED TO LINK BOTH ENDS OF HIGH ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND. THE SEA WATER WILL THEN BE PUMPED OUT AND FRESH RAINWATER ALLOWED TO REPLACE IT.
/PROBABLY