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THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1987
PARKS COVERING AN
AREA OF OVER CENT
"TODAY, THERE ARE 21 COUNTRY 40,000 HECTARES OF THE COUNTRYSIDE, WHICH IS NO LESS THAN 40 PER OF THE TOTAL LAND AREA OF HONG KONG.
"COUNTRY PARKS ARE, TODAY, AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE RANGE OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOR THE FAMILY," HE SAID, OF NEARLY 10 MILLION LAST THAT THEY ATTRACTED A PATRONAGE ADDING YEAR.
ALSO OFFICIATING AT TODAY'S OPENING
CEREMONY WERE MRS FORD, THE DIRECTOR
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, MR CARLOS PUBLIC RELATIONS
THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, MR AUGUSTINE CHUI, OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE,
PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT COUNTRY PARKS BOARD CHEUNG, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTRY PARKS BOARD COMMITTEE, MR WILLIAM WAN.
ON THE ADVICE MR FORD NOTED THAT THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY,
REVIEW OF THE OF THE COUNTRY PARKS BOARD, HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED A
AND PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS FOR ITS FUTURE COUNTRY PARKS PROGRAMME, PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT AFTER EXAMINING THE MAJOR TRENDS AFFECTING THE COUNTRY PARKS.
THINGS, A DEMAND FOR THE REVIEW HAS IDENTIFIED, AMONG OTHER
FACILITIES AND FOR MORE COUNTRYSIDE MORE CONVENIENT, HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND VISITOR INFORMATION.
OF A BY
"THE OPENING OF THIS VISITOR CENTRE IS A TIMELY ADDITION NEW SERVICE TO THE VISITORS OF THE SHING MUN COUNTRY PARK WHICH IS
YEAR, THE NUMBER OF FAR THE MOST POPULAR. LAST
VISITORS EXCEEDED
380,000, HE SAID.
MR FORD
SAID THAT
THE
TO
VISITOR CENTRE AIMED
PROVIDE AND THE SHING INFORMATION ON THE COUNTRY PARKS PROGRAMME IN GENERAL,
ΤΟ AND HELPED
PROMOTE MUN COUNTRY PARK IN PARTICULAR,
UNDERSTANDING AND THE NEED FOR AND APPRECIATION OF THE BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE ITS CONSERVATION.
ENHANCE "I HOPE PEOPLE WILL MAKE USE OF THIS VISITOR CENTRE TO
THE SHING MUN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COUNTRY PARK. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT, HAVING VISITED THE PEOPLE SHOULD COME AWAY WITH HEIGHTENED CONSCIOUSNESS IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING OUR COUNTRYSIDE AND OF KEEPING PARKS CLEAN AND ATTRACTIVE AT ALL TIMES," HE ADDED.
SECRETARY,
CENTRE, OF THE THE COUNTRY
ACCOMPANIED
SHING PLANT
SHRUB
AFTER THE OPENING CEREMONY, THE CHIEF BY MR CHUI AND DR LEE, TOURED THE VISITOR CENTRE AND THE NEARBY MUN ARBORETUM WHERE HE SAW SOME OF THE LOCAL RARE AND PROTECTED
COLLECTION OF SPECIES WHICH FORM PARTS OF A
AND 1,900 TREE SPECIMENS. THE ARBORETUM IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG.
WILL BE OPENED TO THE THE NEW VISITOR CENTRE
PUBLIC FROM
TOMORROW. OPENING HOURS ARE FROM
30 AM TO 4.30 PM, IT CLOSES ON
TUESDAYS.
9.
SCHOOL
CAN
VISITS TO THE SHING MUN ARBORETUM WILL BE RESTRICTED TO PARTIES OF FORM 6 OR ABOVE BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT. ADVANCE BOOKINGS BE MADE TO THE DEPARTMENT'S CONSERVATION EDUCATION UNIT ON 3-7332121.
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