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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1982
FIRST EVER WONG TAI SIN CIVIC WEEK
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THE WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT BOARD, IN CONJUNCTION WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, HAS ORGANISED A WEEK OF ACTIVITIES FROM FEBRUARY 14 TO 21 TO INFORM RESIDENTS IN THE DISTRICT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES WHICH NOW EXIST OR ARE PLANNED TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES.
THE MAIN FEATURE OF THE WEEK WILL BE AN EXHIBITION WHICH WILL DEPICT 100 YEARS OF LIFE IN WONG TAI SIN FROM 1890 TO 1990.
OTHER ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE A SCHOOL DEBATE COMPETITION, A DRAWING COMPETITION FOR YOUNGER RESIDENTS, OUTDOOR FILM SHOWS AND INDOOR VIDEO-CASSETTE DEMONSTRATIONS, AN URBAN COUNCIL SPONSORED VARIETY SHOW AND A CARNIVAL. THE WEEK'S ACTIVITIES WILL COST
IN EXCESS OF $100 000, ABOUT 50 PER CENT BEING PROVIDED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD.
PARTLY BY ACCIDENT, AND PARTLY BY DESIGN, THERE EXISTS AN EXCELLENT PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD OF THE AREA NOW CALLED WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT COVERING EACH DECADE FROM 1890 TO THE PRESENT DAY.
THE NAME WONG TAI SIN, TAKEN FROM A MAJOR TEMPLE IN THE AREA, WAS APPLIED TO THE PRESENT DISTRICT WHEN THE DISTRICT POLICE STATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE EARLY 1960S. BEFORE THAT, THE DISTRICT WAS THE RURAL HINTERLAND MOST ACCESSIBLE FROM KOWLOON WALLED CITY. THIS EXPLAINS WHY THE DISTRICT WAS OFTEN PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY AS +COUNTRYSIDE AROUND KOWLOON CITY+.
THE OTHER LUCKY ACCIDENT FOR THE LOCAL HISTORIAN WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AIRPORT AT THE END OF THE 1920S IN THE AREA NOW COVERED BY SAN PO KONG. FROM THEN ON THE DISTRICT WAS REGULARLY PHOTOGRAPHED FROM THE AIR.
AS AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY DEPENDENT ON RICE AND FISH FARMING UP UNTIL THE 1950S, THERE IS LITTLE TO TELL OF THE EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED OVER THE HUNDREDS OF YEARS BETWEEN THE EARLIEST OCCUPATION OF THE AREA IN THE EARLY HAN DYNASTY UNTIL KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE LEASED TO BRITAIN. BUT THE ACCIDENTS OF FATE WHICH LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT FROM AN AGRICULTURAL BACKWATER TO A BUSTLING RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL AREA WITH ALL ITS PROBLEMS ARE DRAMATICALLY PORTRAYED IN THE EXHIBITION.
THE MAIN PART OF THE EXHIBITION CONSISTS OF DISPLAYS ILLUSTRATING PRESENT-DAY LIFE IN THE DISTRICT PORTRAYED THROUGH EXHIBITS BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SHOWING THE ASPECTS OF LIFE
IN WONG TAI SIN EACH DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
AND THE EXHIBITION DOES NOT STOP WITH THE PRESENT: MODELS AND ARTISTS' IMPRESSIONS WILL SHOW VISITORS HOW THE DISTRICT WILL DEVELOP IN THE FUTURE, AND HOW GOVERNMENT, THE DISTRICT BOARD AND THE URBAN COUNCIL WILL FACE THE LEGACY OF PROBLEMS HISTORY HAS BEQUEATHED.
THE EXHIBITION WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FROM 5 PM ON SUNDAY (FEBRUARY 14) AND BETWEEN 11 AM AND 8 PM DAILY UNTIL SATURDAY (FEBRUARY 20).
/IT WILL