SATURDAY, JULY 9, 1977
GOVERNOR OPENS ABERDEEN SWIMMING POOL
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HONG KONG'S LATEST, MOST SCENIC AND BEST EQUIPPED SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX, AT ABERDEEN, WAS OPENED TODAY BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE. WHO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE MAN WHOSE DONATION OF $10 MILLION LARGELY FUNDED THE COMPLEX, MR. Y.K. PAO.
THE NINE-POOL COMPLEX, BUILT FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AT A TOTAL COST OF ABOUT $12 MILLION, OCCUPIES AN IMPRESSIVE SITE BELOW THE DENSELY POPULATED WONG CHUK HANG HOUSING ESTATE AND LOOKS OUT OVER THE BOAT HARBOUR AT SHUM WAN BAY. THE LAND, VALUED AT AN ESTIMATED $140 MILLION, WAS DONATED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
ITS FEATURES INCLUDE NEW FACILITIES FOR THE HANDICAPPED, WITH CHANGING-ROOMS DESIGNED SPECIALLY FOR THEM AND WITH A RÁMP TO ENABLE WHEELCHAIRS TO MOVE EASILY FROM THE TEACHING-POOL LEVEL UP TO THE MAIN 50-METRE OLYMPIC-SIZE POOL.
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IN ADDITION TO THE MAIN POOL, WHICH CAN BE HEATED IN WINTER, THERE ARE: A SECONDARY POOL OF THE SAME SIZE A DIVING POOL- TWO TEACHING POOLS A TRAINING POOL AND THREE PADDLING POOLS FOR CHILDREN.
CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE COMPLEX STARTED IN AUGUST 1975. EVEN BEFORE THE OFFICIAL OPENING TODAY, ITS FACILITIES HAVE BEEN ENJOYED BY THOUSANDS OF ABERDEEN RESIDENTS SINCE IT WAS OPENED TO THE PUBLIC TWO WEEKS AGO.
AFTER UNVEILING A PLAGUE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE COMPLEX, SIR MURRAY, SPEAKING AT THE SIDE OF THE MAIN POOL, SAID THAT ABERDEEN WAS LUCKY TO HAVE THIS FINE NEW FACILITY, WHICH WOULD BRING A WELCOME ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF ENJOYMENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND.
HE EXPRESSED WARM PRAISE FOR THE GENEROSITY OF MR. Y.K. PAO AND SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE COMPLEX WOULD BE WELL AND EFFICIENTLY MANAGED BY THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT ON BEHALF OF THE URBAN COUNCIL.
HE ALSO WELCOMED THE PRESENCE AT THE CEREMONY OF SIR PAUL BRYAN. M.P. CHAIRMAN OF THE ANGLO-HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP, AND LADY BRYAN, WHO ARE VISITING HONG KONG.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, MR. A. DE O. SALES, WHO INVITED THE GOVERNOR TO OPEN THE COMPLEX, SAID HE WAS PARTICULARLY HAPPY THAT THE COMPLEX, THE EIGHTH TO BE COMPLETED IN THE URBAN AREAS OF HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, EMBODIES EXTRA FACILITIES TO SERVE THE HANDICAPPED,
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