THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1982
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CHALET-TYPE BUILDINGS NEEDED FOR COUNTRY PARKS
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SERVICE CLUBS COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNTRY PARKS PROGRAMME BY DEDICATING SMALL BUILDINGS SUCH AS SIMPLE CHALET-TYPE ACCOMMODATION FOR BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO HOLIDAY IN, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS), MR JOHN WHOLEY, SAID TODAY
THURSDAY).
IDEALLY THESE SHOULD BE FUNDED, DESIGNED, SUPERVISED AND CONSTRUCTED BY THE SPONSORS, USING THE SKILLS AND PROFESSIONAL TALENT USUALLY AVAILABLE IN SUCH CLUBS, MR WHOLEY ADDED.
HE WAS SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG HARBOUR.
MR WHOLEY SAID +SUCH CHALETS MIGHT COST $100 000 EACH, EXCLUSIVE OF LAND, AND THE SPONSORSHIP OF ONE OR MORE UNITS MIGHT PROVIDE A SERIOUS BUT WORTHWHILE CHALLENGE TO FUND-RAISING OFFICERS IN CLUBS SUCH AS LIONS.+
HE ADDED THAT PARTICIPATION IN COUNTRY PARKS WORK BY PERSONAL VOLUNTARY SERVICE WAS ALREADY FINDING ACCEPTANCE IN SOME SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES AS THE STATUTORY COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE 40 000 HECTARES OF LAND NOW DESIGNATED AS COUNTRY PARKS.
LAST YEAR MORE THAN 6.8 MILLION VISITOR DAYS WERE RECORDED IN THE COUNTRY PARKS SYSTEM, WHERE SOME 2 500 TONNES OF LITTER WERE LEFT BEHIND AND 196 HILLFIRES HAD TO BE DEALT WITH.
THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT THESE TOTALS WILL BE EXCEEDED THIS YEAR, MR WHOLEY SAID.
+WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE OR TWO REMOTE AREAS, ALL THE COUNTRY PARKS ARE NOW UNDER PROPER MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION, AND WORK IS CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES WHICH ARE SO POPULAR WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, HE SAID.
WHILE ALL THE MANAGEMENT WORK IS DONE BY PUBLIC SERVANTS WITH PUBLIC FUNDS, THERE ARE AREAS OF WORK WHERE PUBLIC FUNDS ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE AND WHERE PRIVATE PARTICIPATION BY WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS OR COLLECTIVELY, BY PUBLIC-SPIRITED SERVICE CLUBS SUCH AS LIONS COULD MAKE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO FACILITIES AND MANAGEMENT OF COUNTRY PARKS, HE SAID.
SEVERAL ORGANISATIONS HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED ASSISTANCE WITH PUBLICITY BY SPONSORING DESCRIPTIVE COUNTRY PARKS PAMPHLETS.
GENEROUS ASSISTANCE HAS ALSO BEEN GIVEN BY THE LIONS CLUB AND OTHER SERVICE CLUBS IN PROVIDING TRADITIONAL CHINESE-STYLE PAGODAS
IN SOME OF THE COUNTRY PARKS.
/+A MORE