FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1979
7
NEW TOWNS BRING BLOOMS BOOM
****
THE GOVERNMENT WILL NEED TO GROW OR BUY 8.5 MILLION TREES, PLANTS, SHRUBS AND FLOWERS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO IMPLEMENT PROPOSALS FOR LANDSCAPING THE NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THE GOVERNMENT WAS THINKING OF DEVELOPING ITS OWN PLANTATIONS BUT STRESSED THAT THE ENORMOUS NEED+ PRESENTED A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL GROWERS TO CULTIVATE UNUSED LAND TO HELP MEET THE SUPPLY.
AND HE POINTED OUT THAT THE LANDSCAPING OF THE NEW TOWNS WOULD ALSO PROVIDE THE STIMULUS AND INCENTIVE FOR THE GROWTH OF A NEW PROFESSION OF LANDSCAPING IN HONG KONG,
MR. AKERS-JONES TOLD A LUNCH MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG ISLAND WEST THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY SPENT $4 MILLION IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS IN ATTRACTING SOME OF THE WORLD'S FINEST LANDSCAPE CONSULTANTS TO DRAW UP DETAILED AND STRATEGIC PLANS FOR THE NEW TOWNS OF SHA TIN, TUEN MUN, TSUEN WAN, TAI PO AND FANLING-SHEUNG SHUI.
HE DESCRIBED THE RESULTS OF THE CONSULTANTS' STUDIES AS +HIGHLY STIMULATING AND EXCITING+ MASTER LANDSCAPE PLANS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT AT THE HEART OF THESE PRACTICAL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES LIES THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT OF OUR NEW TOWNS, HE SAID.
+THESE PLANS SHOW US HOW TO DESIGN OUR HIGH DENSITY TOWNS IN HONG KONG IN SOME MEASURE LIKE THE LOW DENSITY GARDEN CITIES OF OTHER COUNTRIES.
+HIGH DENSITY LIVING NEED NOT, IF WE TAKE CARE, BE HIGH DENSITY CONCRETE. GOING HIGH GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN THE OPEN SPACE AS THOUGH WE WERE DEALING WITH MUCH LOWER HUMAN DENSITIES.
+ IT IS THE PLANNING AND THE PLANTING OF THE OPEN SPACES BETWEEN THE TOWER BLOCKS WHICH PROVIDES THE STIMULUS AND INCENTIVE FOR A NEW PROFESSION IN HONG KONG OF LANDSCAPING, HE SAID.
MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S LANDSCAPING PLANS FOR THE NEW TOWNS INCLUDED:
* A 10.5-HECTARE PARK AS PART OF THE TUEN MUN TOWN CENTRE.
*
A RIVERSIDE PARK RUNNING THE WHOLE STRETCH OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN.
*
THE TRAINING OF THE LAM TSUEN AND TAI PO RIVERS THROUGH THE HEART OF A NEW LOOK+ TA1 PO WITH ITS BANKS BEAUTIFIED AND SHADED BY TREES.
* THE CONVERSION OF THE FORMER KWAI CHUNG RUBBISH TIP INTO
A 27-HECTARE PARK.
+HOWEVER,