XN000022-1977-03-20 — Page 4

SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 1977

OPENING OF COMMUNITY HALL IN LEK YUEN ESTATE

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WILL FORMALLY OPEN ITS COMMUNITY HALL IN LEK YUEN ESTATE, SHA TIN, NEXT MONTH.

THE HALL IS ONE OF FIVE COMPLETED RECENTLY UNDER A NEW PROJECT AIMED AT PROMOTING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE OTHER FOUR ARE IN LEI MUX SHUE, LAI KING, HING WAH AND KWAI SHING ESTATES.

THREE OF THE HALLS ARE ALREADY IN OPERATION WHILE THE OTHER TWO ARE EXPECTED TO BE OPENED AS SOON AS THE NECESSARY STAFF ARE MADE AVAILABLE.

MR. LAM KWOK-WAN, PRINCIPAL SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER (OPERATION) OF THE GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK DIVISION, SAID THAT THE PURPOSE OF SETTING UP COMMUNITY HALLS WAS TO PROVIDE A PLACE IN AN ESTATE WHERE RESIDENTS COULD COME TOGETHER AND PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

+THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THESE ACTIVITIES,+ MR. LAM SAID, +WE HOPE THAT RESIDENTS WILL LEARN TO UNDERSTAND AND CARE FOR EACH OTHER AND ALSO TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVE IN.+

ULTIMATELY, RESIDENTS MIGHT BE MOTIVATED TO TRY TO SOLVE SOME PROBLEMS PREVALENT IN THEIR COMMUNITY, HE ADDED.

MR. LAM POINTED OUT THAT THIS WOULD CREATE A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE AND, IN TURN, IT WOULD HELP BUILD A MORE COHESIVE AND STABLE SOCIETY WHICH WAS WHAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WAS ABOUT.

THE PRESENT POLICY IS TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY HALL FOR EACH HOUSING ESTATE WITH A POPULATION OF 20,000 TO 50,000.

IN ADDITION TO THE FIVE WHICH WERE COMPLETED RECENTLY, TWO SITES HAVE ARE NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN YUE WAN AND TAI HING. ALSO BEEN PROVIDED IN SHEK YAM, KWAI FONG, PAK TIN, LAI YIU AND WO CHE ESTATES AND WORK WILL START SHORTLY.

MR. LAM SAID THAT MANY OF THESE COMMUNITY HALLS WERE EXPECTED TO BE READY IN 1977-78.

EACH OF THEM CONSISTS OF A MULTI-PURPOSE HALL WITH FACILITIES SUCH AS A STAGE, CHANGING ROOMS AND A CONFERENCE ROOM, TOTALLING ABOUT 4,000 TO 5,000 SQUARE FEET IN AREA.

YOUTH GROUPS, RELIGIOUS BODIES AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS CAN MAKE USE OF THE FACILITIES IN THEIR ESTATES, FREE OF CHARGE, TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS, THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES AND PARTIES.

THE OPENING HOURS OF THE COMMUNITY HALLS ARE FROM 9 A.M. TO 10 P.M., MONDAY TO FRIDAY. FOR SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, THE HOURS WILL BE ADJUSTED TO SUIT REQUIREMENTS.

MR. LAM EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS THE INTENTION OF THE DEPARTMENT TO SET UP FOR EACH HALL AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPRISING AS ITS MEMBERS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RESIDENTS, THE HOUSING MANAGER AND REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE HALL CAN BE UTILISED IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY.