PRESS RELEASE
Royal Visit
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1986
THE QUEEN JOINS SHOPPERS AT NEW TOWN PLAZA
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SHA TIN'S NEW TOWN PLAZA CAN ATTRACT AS MANY AS 200 000 PEOPLE ON WEEKENDS, BUT IT HAS NEVER SEEN CROWDS LIKE THIS MORNING WHEN LOCAL RESIDENTS JAMMED THE CENTRE TO SEE THE QUEEN MAKE ONE OF HER WALKABOUTS THROUGH THE COMPLEX.
AFTER VISITING LUNG HANG ESTATE AND CALLING ON THE TUNG FAMILY IN THEIR HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLAT, HER MAJESTY WENT BY CAR TO THE PLAZA, WHERE SHE WAS RECEIVED BY THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO, WHO PRESENTED THE DISTRICT OFFICER, SHA TIN, MR LEO KWAN, THE CHAIRMAN, SUN HUNG KAI PROPERTIES, MR KWOK TAK-SENG, AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION, MR PETER QUICK.
THE QUEEN AND HER PARTY TOOK THE ESCALATOR TO THE FOURTH LEVEL WHERE HER MAJESTY SAW THE PLAZA'S FAMOUS MUSICAL FOUNTAIN IN OPERATION.
MR LIAO PRESENTED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SHA TIN DISTRICT BOARD, MR NG CHAN-LAM AND THE SHA TIN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT MANAGER, MR Y.Y. NG. MR LIAO THEN CONDUCTED HER MAJESTY AROUND AN EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN.
THE FORMALITIES AND THE PRESENTATIONS OVER, THE QUEEN THEN WALKED THROUGH THE SHOPPING ARCADE, STOPPING TO CHAT TO SHOPKEEPERS AND RESIDENTS.
FOR THE ROYAL VISITOR IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW PRIVATE ENTERPRISE BLENDS WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S REHOUSING SCHEME. FOR, ALTHOUGH THE NEW TOWN PLAZA IS THE MAIN ATTRACTION IN SHA TIN, IT WAS BUILT BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS SUN HUNG KAI PROPERTIES.
COSTING $330 MILLION, THE EIGHT-STOREY PLAZA WAS DESIGNED TO BRING A RANGE OF SHOPPING AND LEISURE FACILITIES UNDER ONE ROOF, THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD BEEN DONE IN HONG KONG ON SUCH A SCALE.
/BESIDES A