5
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1976
KAM SHAN COUNTRY PARK
******
JUST A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT IS THE SCENIC SHEK LI PUI AREA WHICH PROVIDES AN IDEAL AND INFORMAL RECREATIONAL GROUND FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE DISTRICT AND OTHER LOCALITIES.
EVERYDAY, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE AREA WHICH HAS NOW BEEN GAZETTED AS THE PROPOSED KAM SHAN (GOLDEN HILL) COUNTRY PARK. IT COVERS ABOUT 337 HECTARES (833 ACRES), MOST OF WHICH ARE WATER CATCHMENT AREAS OF THE KOWLOON AND SHEK LI PUI RESERVOIRS.
THERE ARE TWO MAIN TYPES OF USERS OF THE PROPOSED PARK THE MORNING WALKERS AND DAY VISITORS. THE FORMER ARE MOSTLY ADULTS, HOUSEWIVES AND RETIRED PEOPLE. THEY COME MAINLY FROM SHAM SHUI PO AND MONG KOK BY BUSES AND OTHER FORMS OF TRANSPORT. A NUMBER ALSO WALK TO THE PARK FROM THEIR HOMES.
MANY OF THE REGULAR PARTICIPANTS HAVE FORMED THEMSELVES INTO GROUPS OR FORMAL MORNING WALKERS' ASSOCIATIONS.
A SURVEY ON THIS ACTIVITY CARRIED OUT BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT IN THE SUMMER OF 1974 REVEALED THAT THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF MORNING WALKERS ON A TYPICAL DAY+ WAS SOME 800 ON WEEKDAYS AND ABOUT 1,000 ON WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS. OVER 50 PER CENT OF THESE PEOPLE SPEND ABOUT TWO HOURS IN THIS ACTIVITY.
THE DAY VISITORS OR SECOND SHIFT+ PEOPLE ARE MAINLY OFFICE AND FACTORY WORKERS AND STUDENTS. MOSTLY THEY COME ON WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS. THE BARBECUE PICNIC IS THEIR MOST POPULAR PAST-TIME.
THE AREA IS MORE POPULAR IN THE WINTER MONTHS BECAUSE IN SUMMER PEOPLE PREFER TO SPEND THEIR LEISURE TIME ON THE BEACHES AND IN SWIMMING POOLS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITORS IN 1975 WAS MORE THAN 30,000 AN INCREASE OF 145 PER CENT OVER THE FIGURE OF 1974.
SINCE 1973 THE AREA HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR COUNTRYSIDE RECREATION AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO PROVIDE MORE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS FOR RECREATION AND FAMILY OUTINGS.
SO FAR, A TOTAL OF 23 PICNIC SITES, FOUR MORNING WALKERS GARDEN+ SITES, AND SEVEN +APPROVED BARBECUE SITES+ HAVE SEEN ESTABLISHED. ADDITIONALLY THERE ARE NUMEROUS FACILITIES SUCH AS CHILDREN-PLAY AREAS, TABLES, EENCHES AND RAIN SHELTERS.
THERE IS ALSO A NATURE TRAIL FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
/APART FROM