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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1976
THERE ARE PLANS FOR TWO MORE MANAGEMENT CENTRES IN THE REGION IN 1977/78 AND CONTINUED COUNTRY PARK DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE AREA IS ENVISAGED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS IN ANTICIPATION OF THE INCREASINGLY HEAVY RECREATIONAL COMMITMENT AS THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME NEARS COMPLETION, HE SAID.
+AS ADDITIONAL STAFF BECOME AVAILABLE ATTENTION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE RECREATIONAL POTENTIAL OF LANTAU ISLAND AND THE SCENIC COUNTRYSIDE TO THE NORTH OF TOLO HARBOUR, MR. NICHOLS ADDED.
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION FROM MR. TIEN ON THE PROVISION OF FOREST ROADS AND JEEP TRACKS TO FACILITATE FORESTRY OPERATIONS AND THE EARLY SUPPRESSION OF HILL FIRES, HE SAID PLANS FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE INCLUDED $2 MILLION OF NEW CONSTRUCTION IN 1977/78 TO PROVIDE A MANAGEMENT ROAD INTO THE AREAS NORTH OF THE PAT SIN LING AND AN IMPROVED NETWORK WITHIN THE TA! TAM CATCHMENT ON HONG KONG ISLAND.
+PROVISIONALLY LONGER TERM PLANNING ENVISAGES THE USE OF THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME ACCESS ROADS FOR FIRE FIGHTING AND MANAGEMENT PURPOSES PLUS A NOTIONAL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR KILOMETRES OF NEW ROADS PER ANNUM FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS TOGETHER WITH CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE EXISTING NETWORK. HE SAID.
MR. NICHOLS POINTED OUT THAT NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION WAS AIMED AT PROVIDING A COHERENT NETWORK OF ROADS PRINCIPALLY WITHIN COUNTRY PARKS AND CONCENTRATING PRIMARILY ON THOSE AREAS WHERE THE RISK OF FIRE WAS KNOWN TO BE PARTICULARLY HIGH, AND ON AREAS DEFICIENT IN ACCESS.
HE SAID THESE ROADS WERE REFERRED TO AS +MANAGEMENT+ ROADS RATHER THAN +FIRE FIGHTING+ ROADS BECAUSE BESIDES SERVING PRIMARILY AS FIRE FIGHTING ACCESS DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR. THEY SERVED WIDER MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS AND PROVIDED +PEDESTRIAN+ ROADS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC UTILISING COUNTRY PARK FACILITIES AT ALL TIMES.
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