XN000022-1977-04-28 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1977

NEW PARK FOR TUEN MUN NEW TOWN

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A $390,000 PARK THE FIRST RECREATIONAL PROJECT IN TUEN MUN NEW TOWN TO BE FINANCED BY A PRIVATE DONATION - WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY BY SIR YUET-KEUNG KAN, SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

THE PARK, FEATURING NINE CHINESE PAVILIONS AND A REFRESHMENT KIOSK WITH FLOWERS AND GREENERY, WAS LATER HANDED OVER TO THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR MANAGEMENT,

THE PROJECT, WITH ITS FOUNDATION STONE LAID 16 MONTHS AGO BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, IS NAMED AFTER ITS DONOR, MR. DEACON CHIU, A COMMUNITY LEADER IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

LOCATED AT THE CENTRE OF TUEN MUN, IT SERVES AS AN ADDITIONAL REST GARDEN FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE NEW TOWN.

THE ORGINAL COST WAS LESS THAN HALF OF THE $390,000 BUT WAS LATER REVISED TO UPGRADE THE QUALITY AND DESIGN TO EMBODY THE USE OF HIGH-QUALITY CHINESE-STYLE ROOFING AND GLASS MOSAICS.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, SIR YUET-KEUNG SAID THE PARK WOULD HELP FILL THE GROWING NEED FOR RECREATIONAL AMENITIES OF THE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING TUEN MUN NEW TOWN.

HE NOTED THAT IN RECENT YEARS, THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN SPENDING IN TUEM MUN LARGE SUMS OF MONEY IN THE PROVISION OF HOUSING, EDUCATION, MEDICAL AND COMMUNICATION FACILITIES TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVING STANDARD.

HE PRAISED MR. CHIU FOR HIS DONATION OF THE PARK AND FELT IT SHOULD BE AN ENCOURAGING LEAD FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

EARLIER, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES DESCRIBED THE PROJECT AS A +MATERIAL SIGN OF THE PUBLIC'S PARTICIPATION IN THE BUILDING OF THE NEW TOWN AND COMMUNITY.

+ HOPE, AS THE YEARS GO BY, MANY OTHERS WILL FOLLOW THIS EXAMPLE,+ MR. AKERS-JONES ADDED.

FOLLOWING THE HANDING OVER OF THE PARK, THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES, MR. BRIAN WILSON, SAID THE DEACON CHIU PARK WAS A MOST WELCOME ADDITION TO RECREATIONAL AMENITIES IN THE NEW TOWN WHICH NOW HAD A POPULATION OF ABOUT 50,000.

HE SAID THAT TUEN MUN, IN COMMON WITH THE OTHER NEW TOWNS AND DEVELOPMENT AREAS, WAS PLANNED TO PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF RECREATONAL FACILITIES NECESSARY FOR A POPULATION OF 500,000 PEOPLE, FROM SMALL SITTING-OUT AREAS TO LARGE SPORTING COMPLEX SUCH AS SWIMMING POOLS AND FOOTBALL STADIA.

+ THE TASK IS A MAMMOTH ONE, BUT IT MUST NEVERTHELESS BE ACHIEVED IF THE AIM OF MAKING THE NEW TOWNS SELF SUFFICIENT IS TO MEAN ANYTHING, HE SAID.

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