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The Agriculture and Fisheries Department's (AFD) Senior Country Parks Officer, Mr Lai Ching-wai, said the department was extremely grateful to the charities trust for the $1 million grant, adding that country park visitors would stand to benefit.
Mr Lai said the donation would be used to upgrade facilities and exhibits in the centre with a view to giving it new impetus and innovative themes.
"The existing displays at the centre, which were installed more than 10 years ago and have since not been replaced, are now showing signs of deterioration. Some of the information in the displays is out-dated and needs updating," he said.
The trust's generous donation could not have come at a time more appropriate than this, he added.
Mr Lai noted that the Sai Kung Country Park Visitor Centre was one of the most popular centres in Hong Kong with more than 200,000 visitors recorded last
year.
During the closure of the centre, people could still make use of the six other visitor centres in the territory, he said.
These visitor centres are located in country parks in Aberdeen, Tai Mo Shan, Clear Water Bay, Shing Mun and Plover Cove as well as in the Lions Nature Education Centre in Tsiu Hang, Sai Kung.
Country park visitor centres are open to the public daily between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm, except Tuesdays.
No advance booking is required for visiting these centres. Organised groups which need information for planning visits to these centres can contact AFD's Conservation Education Unit on 2733 2121.
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