FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1981
NEW ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRE SETS PATTERN
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THE NEW TAI WO HAU ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRE IS THE FIRST TO BE BUILT HERE IN ACCORDANCE WITH A NEW DESIGN AGREED IN 1977, SETTING THE PATTERN FOR FUTURE ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
HE WAS SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY MARKING THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRE.
IN THE PAST, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT OPERATED A NUMBER OF ESTATE WELFARE BUILDINGS AIMED AT PROVIDING CO-ORDINATED WELFARE SERVICES UNDER ONE ROOF.
*WITH THE GROWING NEED TO FOSTER BETTER COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS, THE DEPARTMENT FOUND THAT THE OLD-TYPE ESTATE WELFARE BUILDING, BUILT AFTER THE FASHION OF AN ESTATE PRIMARY SCHOOL, COULD NOT COPE ADEQUATELY WITH COMMUNITY DEMANDS,+ MR ALLEYNE SAID,
WHAT WAS NEEDED WAS A FOCAL POINT WHERE LOCAL PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS CAN MEET AND PLAN TOGETHER PROGRAMMES, FUNCTIONS AND PROJECTS TO MEET THEIR OWN NEEDS AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE AREA WHERE THEY LIVE.+
TO MEET SUCH NEEDS, ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRE BUILDINGS WERE PLANNED TO PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR CONFERENCES, RECREATION, READING AND SELF-STUDY, INTEREST GROUPS, CHILD CARE SERVICES AND SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AND THE HANDICAPPED.
MR ALLEYNE DESCRIBED THE SERVICES PROVIDED AT THE NEW CENTRE AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE JOINT EFFORTS OF BOTH VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND THE GOVERNMENT+.
HE EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE TEAM SPIRIT WOULD CARRY ON SO THAT VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS THE COMMON GOAL OF BETTER SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
THE TAI WO HAU ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRE, BUILT ON AN 800-SQUARE-METRE SITE, SERVES MORE THAN 70 000 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE ESTATE AND IN NEIGHBOURING KWAI CHUNG.
ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND IN AN ANNEX TO THE MAIN BUILDING IS A MULTI-PURPOSE HALL LARGE ENOUGH FOR MASS FUNCTIONS AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
THE MAIN BUILDING ITSELF HAS SIX FLOORS WHERE A VARIETY OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED, INCLUDING A GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK UNIT, SERVICE CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY, A CHILD AND YOUTH CENTRE, A READING AND SELF-STUDY ROOM, A YOUTH CENTRE FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED AND A NURSERY.
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