XN000022-1978-03-10 — Page 8

FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1978

NEW COMMUNITY HALL OPENS IN TSUEN WAN NEW TOWN

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY HALL AT KWAI SHING ESTATE WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY THE THIRD IN TSUEN WAN. TWO MORE FOR KWAI FONG AND SHEK YAM ESTATES WILL SOON BE READY TO SERVE AS A FOCUS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES.

OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, A TSUEN WAN COMMUNITY LEADER, MR. DEACON CHIU, DESCRIBED THE SETTING UP OF COMMUNITY HALLS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUOUS EFFORTS TO PROVIDE BETTER RECREATIONAL AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES FOR THE FAST-DEVELOPING NEW TOWN OF TSUEN WAN.

MR. CHIU SAID THESE COMMUNITY HALLS, APART FROM PROVIDING A FOCAL POINT OF SOCIAL GATHERING FOR ESTATE RESIDENTS, WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS PROMOTING A SENSE OF LOCAL IDENTITY.

+FOR THE 50,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN THESE 19 MAMMOTH HOUSING BLOCKS OF KWAI SHING ESTATE, THE COMMUNITY HALL IS A CONVENIENT MEDIUM THROUGH WHICH NEIGHBOURLY CO-OPERATION AND MUTUAL CONCERNS COULD BE ACHIEVED, HE SAID.

THE KWAI SHING COMMUNITY HALL PROVIDES DIRECT SERVICES SUCH AS GUIDANCE TO VOLUNTEERS, TUITION CLASSES FOR PRIMARY STUDENTS AND SPECIAL GROUPS AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMES.

STAFF OF THE HALL ARE ALSO ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN LIAISON WORK WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

MR. CHIU SAID: +WITH VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON IN THE TSUEN WAN NEW TOWN, PARTICULARLY ON PUBLIC HOUSING, THE PROVISION OF THIS KIND OF SOCIAL FACILITY IS INDEED INSTRUMENTAL IN THE BETTERMENT OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

HE PRAISED THE GOVERNMENT FOR INITIATING THIS PROJECT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES OF 20,000 TO 50,000 RESIDENTS, AS THE NEED FOR SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES BECOMES MORE EVIDENT WITH THE RAPID URBANISATION WITNESSED IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.+

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