THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1982
8
EIGHT MILLION VISITS TO COUNTRY PARKS
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PEOPLE IN HONG KONG MADE MORE THAN EIGHT MILLION VISITS TO THE VARIOUS COUNTRY PARKS LAST YEAR.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY THE ACTING SENIOR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER (COUNTRYSIDE) OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MR JOHN HEYWOOD.
ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG SOUTH, MR HEYWOOD REPORTED THAT THE COUNTRY PARKS WERE MANAGED BY ABOUT 1 500 STAFF OPERATING FROM 27 MANAGEMENT CENTRES.
HE NOTED THAT THIS MEANT THERE WAS ONE STAFF MEMBER FOR EVERY 28 HECTARES OF COUNTRY PARK LAND, OR ONE MAN FOR EVERY 5 400 VISITORS A YEAR.
LAST YEAR, THE STAFF DISPOSED OF 2 800 TONNES OF LITTER LEFT BEHIND BY VISITORS AND PLANTED 250 000 TREES IN THE PARKS.
+COUNTRYSIDE LEFT ALONE WITHOUT MANAGEMENT DOES NOT REMAIN THE SAME.
IT GOES THROUGH ITS OWN SERIES OF CHANGES, SOME BENEFICIAL, SOME NOT, MR HEYWOOD SAID.
HE REPORTED THAT THE FIRST COUNTRY PARK RANGER POST ESTABLISHED LAST SEPTEMBER IN THE SAI KUNG PENINSULA COUNTRY PARK HAD DEALT WITH MORE THAN 16 000 ENQUIRIES FROM VISITORS.
MR HEYWOOD DISCLOSED THAT A VISITOR CENTRE WOULD BE BUILT IN THIS PARK SPECIFICALLY TO HANDLE PUBLIC ENQUIRIES SO THAT THE RANGER POST MIGHT DEVOTE ITS FULL ATTENTION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL AND GUIDE DUTIES.
THE NEW VISITOR CENTRE, SIMILAR TO THOSE AT THE COUNTRY PARKS IN ABERDEEN AND PAT SIN LENG, WILL BE COMPLETED IN TWO YEARS.
MR HEYWOOD NOTED THAT THE STAFF FOR RANGER SERVICES, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A KEY PART OF THE COUNTRY PARK SCHEME+, WOULD BE EXPANDED TO 230 PEOPLE.
HE ALSO DISCLOSED THAT SOME OF THE EARLY PICNIC SITES WERE BEING RE-DESIGNED WITH BETTER PAVED PATHS, BETTER RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND BETTER PROTECTION FOR PLANTS.
WATER CUT IN KWUN TONG
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FRESH WATER SUPPLY TO SOME AREAS IN KWUN TONG WILL BE TURNED OFF FOR SIX HOURS FROM 10 AM TO 4 PM ON SUNDAY (AUGUST 8) FOR WATER MAINS WORK.
THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE YAU TONG DISTRICT AND PREMISES ALONG LEI YUE MUN ROAD AND CHA KWO LING ROAD.