WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1976
15
MORE COUNTRY PARKS ON THE WAY ******
THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY PARK CONCEPT AND ONE MAY ANTICIPATE A STEADY AND HOPEFULLY INCREASING PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES WITHIN DESIGNATED COUNTRY PARKS AND POTENTIAL COUNTRY PARK AREAS ADMINISTERED AND MANAGED AS SUCH IN ADVANCE OF DESIGNATION, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, THE HON. EDWARD NICHOLS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
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IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN, HE SAID THE FIRST THREE COUNTRY PARKS SHING MUN, KAM SHAN AND LION ROCK WITH A TOTAL AREA OF SOME 2,300 HECTARES HAD RECENTLY BEEN GAZETTED.
+ IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE FIRST SPECIAL AREA, TAI PO KAU, WILL BE GAZETTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, HE SAID. +IT IS HOPED TO GAZETTE TWO MORE COUNTRY PARKS ON HONG KONG ISLAND EARLY IN 1977, OTHERS WILL FOLLOW AS SOON AS PLANNING AND BOUNDARY DEFINITION PERMITS.+
MR. NICHOLS POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THE NECESSARY COUNTRY PARKS REGULATIONS BE BROUGHT INTO LAW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
+ I UNDERSTAND THAT DRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN AGREED AND THAT DRAFTING ITSELF SHOULD BE COMPLETED SOMETIME AROUND FEBRUARY 1977, + HE ADDED.
HE SAID THERE WERE ALREADY 15 MANAGEMENT CENTRES IN HIS DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSERVATION AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SOME 80 SQUARE MILES OF COUNTRYSIDE INCLUDING MORE THAN 4,000 HECTARES OF WOODLAND.
+WITHIN THESE AREAS THERE ARE MORE THAN 250 KILOMETRES OF FOOTPATH, 45 KILOMETRES OF MANAGEMENT ROADS, ALMOST 200 PICNIC AND BARBECUE AREAS - VARYING INDIVIDUALLY FROM A FEW HUNDRED SQUARE METRES TO MORE THAN A HECTARE, 13 ADVENTURE PLAYGROUNDS, 13 RAIN SHELTERS, AND PROTOTYPE CAMPING SITES AND TOILET FACILITIES, HE SAID.
WITHIN THE RESOURCES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, HE CONTINUED, THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY WAS GIVING TOP PRIORITY TO THE
INTRODUCTION OF PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND FACILITIES IN THE SAI KUNG PENINSULA.
+A TEMPORARY MANAGEMENT CENTRE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED PENDING COMPLETION OF THE FIRST PERMANENT CENTRE WHICH SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, HE SAID.
THERE ARE