XN000022-1977-07-17 — Page 8

SUNDAY, JULY 17, 1977

ALL THAT NOW REMAINS AT THE SITE ARE JUST THE FOUNDATIONS AND BASE OF THE BUILDING, WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED OF SUN-BAKED BRICK, AND THE WALLS, SOME 457 MM (18 INCHES) THICK. THE HIGHEST PART OF THE WALLS STILL SURVIVING IS ABOUT THREE METRES (10-FEET) HIGH. TWO OLD WARTIME GUN EMPLACEMENTS ALSO EXIST NEARBY.

ALTHOUGH TAI TAM COUNTRY PARK IS ONLY NOW GAZETTED, THE AREA THE AREAS AROUND THE HAS BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR MANY YEARS. RESERVOIRS HAVE BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY BY HIKERS, RAMBLERS AND MORNING WALKERS. ONLY SINCE 1971 HAS THE AREA BEEN PROPERLY DEVELOPED FOR COUNTRYSIDE RECREATION AS PART OF GOVERNMENT'S COUNTRYSIDE RECREATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.

FOR STROLLERS AND NATURE LOVERS THERE ARE CAREFULLY PREPARED WALKS, STRETCHING FROM THE MONUMENT (SET UP IN MEMORY OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING THE WAR) AT TAI TAM RESERVOIR ROAD IN WONG NEI CHUNG GAP, TO TAI TAM ROAD. THEY ARE MARKED BY COLOURED POSTS IN BLUE, RED GREEN OR WHITE TO SERVE AS DIRECTION GUIDES SO THAT HIKERS SHOULD NOT GET LOST.

THROUGHOUT THE PARK PICNIC SPOTS ARE ALSO BEING LAID OUT WITH

LIGHTING ANY FIRE ANYWHERE BARBECUE PITS, TABLES AND BENCHES.

THAN IN ONE OF THE DESIGNATED AREAS IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.

COMMENTING ON THE COUNTRY PARKS AND THE IR MANAGEMENT

PROBLEMS IN GENERAL, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID: +FIRE IS THE PRIMARY CONCERN OF PARK MANAGERS FOR NEARLY HALF THE YEAR, AND IN THE COOL, DRY WINTER MONTHS THE COUNTRY PARKS ARE IN FULL USE BY PEOPLE COMING OUT TO SEEK RELAXATION AND PLEASURE.+

+ IN SUMMER MOST PEOPLE GO TO THE BEACHES AND THE NUMBER OF VISITORS IS MUCH LESS. DURING THE DRY SEASON WHEN THE FIRE RISK IS AT ITS GREATEST WE CAN EXPECT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ABOUT 500 FOREST FIRES. UNDER THE WORST CONDITIONS THERE CAN BE MORE THAN 1,000 FIRES, WHICH MEANS FROM THREE TO SIX FIRES A DAY+, HE SAID.

ALONG

LITTER TOO IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR PARK MANAGEMENT, THE MAIN WALKS AND PATHS ORANGE COLOURED LITTER BINS HAVE BEEN PLACED AT ABOUT 50 FEET INTERVALS FOR THE USE OF HIKERS AND PICNICKERS. ON THE AVERAGE ONE VISITOR CARRIES HALF A POUND OF POTENTIAL LITTER TO A COUNTRY PARK.