XN000022-1977-04-09 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1977

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TUEN MUN NEW TOWN - A YOUNG CITY FOR YOUTH

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YOUTH RECREATION AND WELFARE WILL BE A KEY FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TUEN MUN NEW TOWN, ONE OF THREE MASSIVE TOWNSHIPS BEING BUILT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO HOUSE SOME 1.8 MILLION PEOPLE BY THE MID-EIGHTIES.

ABOUT

THE TUEN MUN OF THE FUTURE WILL BE A YOUNG CITY ONE-THIRD OF ITS ULTIMATE 500,000 POPULATION IS LIKELY TO BE UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE, REFLECTING HONG KONG'S OVERALL POPULATION STATISTICS WHICH LAST YEAR SHOWED 42 PER CENT UNDER THE AGE OF 20 AND 30.2 PER CENT UNDER 15.

+ THE NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE HAS THEREFORE BEEN A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWN, SAID A SPOKESMAN FOR THE P.W.D.'S NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING THE NEW TOWNS SCHEME.

+GREAT EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN THE NEW TOWN, AND YOUNG STUDENTS ATTENDING THE CITY'S PROJECTED TOTAL OF 40 PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND 32 SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A WIDE RANGE OF CULTURAL FACILITIES, + HE SAID.

DETAILS OF THE FACILITIES FOR YOUTH ARE NOW BEING SHOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME AT A PUBLIC EXHIBITION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWN AT THE HOH FUK TONG COLLEGE IN TUEN MUN. THE EXHIBITION IS BEING STAGED BY THE P..D.'S NEW TERRITORIES DEPARTMENT AND IS OPEN BETWEEN 10 A.M. AND 7 P.M. DAILY,

THE LOCATIONS OF EACH OF THE NEW PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, HAD BEEN CAREFULLY PLANNED SO THAT STUDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE TO WALK MORE THAN 400 METRES TO REACH THEIR SCHOOLS.

SITES FOR A LOCAL POLYTECHNIC AND TWO TECHNICAL INSTITUTES HAD ALSO BEEN PLANNED TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THE SKILLED TRADESMEN AND TECHNICIANS NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE NEW INDUSTRIES OF TUEN MUN.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID A TOTAL OF 124 HECTARES OF LAND -- ABOUT 10 PER CENT OF THE ENTIRE NEW TOWN AREA -- HAD BEEN SET ASIDE FOR OPEN SPACES.

+THESE WILL OFFER A VARIETY OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES INCLUDING HILL WALKING, CAMPING AND ORGANISED SPORTS, + HE SAID. +IN ADDITION, LANDSCAPED GARDENS WILL BE FORMED AND OF COURSE THE BEACHES OF CASTLE PEAK BAY WILL REMAIN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.+

A LARGE TOWN PARK WOULD BE BUILT IN THE CENTRAL AREA OF THE NEW TOWN WITH A SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX, AND A SECOND SWIMMING CENTRE WAS PLANNED TO SERVE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY'S NORTH-WESTERN AREAS.

THE SPOKESMA