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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1984
MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THIS JOINT GOVERNMENT/URBAN COUNCIL PROJECT IS ESTIMATED TO COST $474 MILLION, OF WHICH ABOUT $110 MILLION WILL BE BORNE BY THE COUNCIL.
UPON COMPLETION IN 1987 IT WILL PROVIDE A CONCERT HALL, A LYRIC THEATRE, A DRAMA THEATRE AND A FEAST OF SUPPORTING FACILITIES.
THE CONCERT HALL, TO BE EQUIPPED WITH ONE OF ASIA'S BIGGEST PIPE ORGANS, WILL HAVE A SEATING CAPACITY OF 2 300 WHILE THE LYRIC THEATRE WILL SEAT SOME 1 850 PEOPLE.
THE 400-SEAT DRAMA THEATRE WILL BE THE ONLY THEATRE IN HONG KONG WITH VARIABLE STAGE FORMATS SUCH AS AN END STAGE, ARENA, TRAVERSE AND THRUST. IT WILL BE IDEAL FOR EXPERIMENTAL DRAMA PRODUCTIONS.
MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE ROLE OF THE COUNCIL AS A PRIME PROMOTER OF ART AND CULTURE.
→THE ADDITION OF THIS ULTRA-MODERN CULTURAL FACILITY SYMBOLISES A FURTHER BREAK-THROUGH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ART AND CULTURE IN THE LOCAL SCENE, HE SAID.
+LOCAL GROUPS WILL ALSO BENEFIT INDIRECTLY AS A RESULT OF THE EASING OF THE PRESENT PRESSURE ON THE USE OF PERFORMING VENUES AT CITY HALL.+
APART FROM THESE PERFORMING VENUES, THE CENTRE WILL ALSO HOUSE AN ARTS LIBRARY, A TWO-STOREY RESTAURANT WITH A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE HARBOUR, A MARRIAGE REGISTRY AND OFFICE ACCOMMODATION FOR THE CULTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
BUT THIS IS ONLY PART OF THE VERITABLE TREASURE CHEST OF CULTURAL FACILITIES THAT WILL BE SPRINGING UP IN TSIM SHA TSUI, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID.
TO FURTHER ENRICH THE CULTURAL LIFE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE, HE ADDED, THE COUNCIL WILL ALSO BE PROVIDING A MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND A MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
THE EXISTING MUSEUM OF HISTORY CAME INTO BEING IN THE 1970S AND IS AT PRESENT LOCATED IN CONVERTED ARMY BUILDINGS IN KOWLOON PARK.
WHEN IT MOVES TO ITS OWN PURPOSE-BUILT PREMISES IT WILL PROVE A FASCINATING ATTRACTION FOR YOUNG AND OLD, AND FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS ALIKE.
AS FOR THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, A PROJECT FOR WHICH THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A MOST GENEROUS DONATION OF $200 MILLION TOWARDS ITS CONSTRUCTION COST, IT IS EXPECTED TO SERVE AS AN EDUCATIONAL ADJUNCT AS WELL AS FULFILLING THE PURPOSES OF A MUSEUM.
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