WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1979
YEAR.
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FIRST WATER SPORTS CENTRE TAKING SHAPE
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HONG KONG WILL HAVE ITS FIRST WATER SPORTS CENTRE EARLY NEXT
THE MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR CENTRE COMPRISING A NUMBER OF JOINT- USER FACILITIES AND INDIVIDUAL CLUB HOUSES IS TAKING SHAPE AT TAI MEI TUK NEAR PLOVER COVE.
ON THE 5 500-SQUARE METRE SITE, THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE A CANTEEN, HOSTELS, WASHROOMS, CHANGING FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT SUCH AS CANOES, DINGHIES AND YACHTS FOR COMMUNAL USE WHILE SEVERAL VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS WILL SET UP THEIR OWN CLUB HOUSES.
COMMENTING ON THIS JOINT-VENTURE TODAY (WEDNESDAY) MR. WONG KIN-FAI, TECHNICAL AND PLANNING OFFICER OF THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE SAID HE ANTICIPATED THAT TAI MEI TUK WILL BECOME A MAJOR CENTRE FOR WATER SPORTS ACTIVITIES WHEN THE AREA IS FULLY DEVELOPED.
+THE PROPOSAL CAME ABOUT,+ ACCORDING TO MR. WONG, +AFTER THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FROM VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR THE ALLOCATION OF LAND IN THE PLOVER COVE AREA TO SET UP WATER SPORTS FACILITIES.+
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE SITE WAS CHOSEN AND EARMARKED FOR DEVELOPMENT BY VARIOUS PARTICIPATING VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, HE SAID.
IN ORDER TO ECONOMISE CONSTRUCTION COSTS FALLING ON THESE ORGANISATIONS AND TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF WATER SPORTS AS EVIDENCED BY INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE GOING TO BEACHES AND THE SEA, ABOUT $1.5 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED FROM THE GOVERNOR'S SPECIAL FUND TO PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL FACILITIES,
+CHARGE FOR BOARD AND LODGING, AND THE USE OF EQUIPMENT WILL BE MINIMAL WHILE THE USE OF OTHER FACILITIES WILL BE ENTIRELY FREE MR. WONG SAID.
HE NOTED THAT THE SITE IS SITUATED NEAR THE MAIN DAM OF THE PLOVER COVE WATER SCHEME WHICH TOGETHER WITH THE SURROUNDING ISLANDS ACT AS NATURAL WINDBREAKS, AND THE RELATIVELY CALM WATER SERVES AS AN EXCELLENT PRACTISING GROUND FOR NOVICE CANOEISTS AND SAILORS.
+AT THE SAME TIME, THE MORE EXPERIENCED ENTHUSIASTS CAN VENTURE OUT TO TOLO HARBOUR TO THE SOUTH.+
+THE CENTRE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO WATER RECREATION IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.
MR. WONG SAID THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE WILL RUN COURSES AT VARIOUS LEVELS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO DO NOT BELONG TO ANY OF THE ORGANISATIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE SCHEME.
HE ALSO STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY IN WATER SPORTS ACTIVITIES. WHILE PARTICIPANTS AT THE CENTRE WILL BE URGED TO OBSERVE ALL THE SAFETY RULES, THE RSS WILL ON ITS PART PROVIDE FAST RESCUE CRAFT TO PATROL THE BOATING AREA.
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