SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1983
GOVERNOR OPENS YOUTH HOSTEL
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TODAY (SATURDAY) OFFICIALLY OPENED THE MONG TUNG WAN YOUTH HOSTEL IN CHỈ MA WAN, LANTAU ISLAND.
THE 100-BED HOSTEL IS THE EIGHTH PROJECT COMPLETED BY THE HONG KONG YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION AND IS BUILT WITH A $4 MILLION DONATION FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB.
IN HIS ADDRESS TO GUESTS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, SIR EDWARD NOTED THAT SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1975, THE HONG KONG YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION HAS DONE MUCH TO PROVIDE LEISURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
+THE HOSTELS ENABLE THEM TO GET AWAY FROM THE BUILT-UP URBAN AREAS, TO STAY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE AND TO ENJOY THEMSELVES IN NATURAL SURROUNDINGS AT A VERY LOW COST, HE SAID.
+BUT THE HOSTELS ALSO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOUNG AND ENTHUSIASTIC BUDGET TRAVELLERS FROM ABROAD TO VISIT HONG KONG AND GET TO KNOW ABOUT OUR CITY; AND IN RETURN AN EVER INCREASING NUMBER OF YOUR MEMBERS MAKE USE OF THE FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO THEM IN 66 COUNTRIES OVERSEAS WHEN THEY GO ON THE IR HOLIDAYS.
THIS IS AN ENCOURAGING TREND AND REFLECTS BOTH THE STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN LIVING STANDARD AND THE DEEP INTEREST OF OUR YOUNGSTERS IN BROADENING THE IR OUTLOOK THROUGH TRAVEL, HE SAID.
SPEAKING AT THE SAME CEREMONY, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION, MR JOHN MCLEAN, GAVE GUESTS A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ASSOCIATION.
*THE YOUTH HOSTEL ASSOCIATION IN HONG KONG BEGAN WITH NO MONEY, ONLY AN IDEA, AN IDEA THAT SOMETHING MORE COULD SURELY BE DONE TO PROVIDE MEANS FOR THE YOUTH OF HONG KONG TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE, HE SAID.
+AND SO THE CONCEPT OF THE OLD YOUTH HOSTEL SYSTEM OF EUROPE THAT SOME OF US IN THAT FIRST COMMITTEE HAD OURSELVES EXPERIENCED BECAME THE FRAMEWORK AROUND WHICH WE WORKED IN HONG KONG.+
THE FIRST HOSTEL WAS BUILT FROM AN ABANDONED DORMITORY FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AT PLOVER COVE DAM WITH A $100 000 DONATION FROM THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION.
+WE NOW HAVE EIGHT OPERATING HOSTELS, WITH A CAPACITY OF 606 BEDS, MR MCLEAN SAID.
+FIVE YEARS AGO WE HAD ABOUT 6 500 MEMBERS. THIS YEAR WẸ HAVE 20 000 MEMBERS.+
THE ASSOCIATION HAD PROGRESSED SO FAR THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT SOON IT WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST CHINA IN EITHER THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE VISITING HONG KONG OR IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SIMILAR SYSTEM IN CHINA TO ASSIST BOTH THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF CHINA AND OF OTHER COUNTRIES, HE ADDED.
/THE MONG