XN000022-1978-10-21 — Page 2

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1978

GOVERNMENT PLANS TO BUILD $420 MILLION WORTH OF

SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES ******

THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY OVER THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS ÚP TO 1985 THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO BUILD RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS FACILITIES COSTING $420 MILLION FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW $12 MILLION FANLING SWIMMING POOL, SIR MURRAY SAID THAT ITS OPENING MARKS A TURNING POINT IN THE PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS FACILITIES

IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

HE SAID: THE FANLING SWIMMING POOL IS THE FIRST TO BE PROVIDED IN THE NORTH-EAST AREA OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MANY NEW PROJECTS THROUGHOUT, SO THAT NECESSARY OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTLETS FOR SPORT AND RECREATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE.

+THE RANGE OF FACILITIES THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO PROVIDE INCLUDES SPORTS STADIA WITH FULL-SIZED SOCCER PITCHES AND ALL WEATHER RUNNING TRACKS IN TSUEN WAN, TUEN MUN, SHA TIN, SHEK WU HUI, TAI PO AND SAI KUNG TOWNS. TEN SWIMMING POOL COMPLEXES IN YUEN LONG, TAI PO AND THREE NEW TOWNS, AND A LARGE OUTDOOR STADIUM IN EACH OF THESE THREE NEW TOWNS WITH A SEATING CAPACITY OF 30,000 PEOPLE ARE ALSO BEING PLANNED.

+ALL THESE NEW TOWNS WILL ALSO HAVE LARGE PUBLIC PARKS AND INDOOR GAMES HALLS.

+TO PROVIDE ALL THESE THINGS BY THE TIME THE NEW TOWNS AND MARKET TOWNS ARE COMPLETED IN 1984-85, IT IS ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $420 MILLION, OR AN AVERAGE OF $60 MILLION A YEAR. GIVEN CONTINUED PROSPERITY, I HOPE THE NECESSARY FUNDS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE.+

THE GOVERNOR ADDED: +OF COURSE LOCAL INITIATIVE AND ENTERPRISE WILL STILL HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY, FOR INSTANCE, THE INDOOR SPORTS CENTRE RECENTLY COMPLETED HAS PROVED A GREAT SUCCESS AND DOES CREDIT TO THE PUBLIC SPIRIT OF THE DONORS.+

SIR MURRAY CONCLUDED BY SAYING THAT OTHER SIMILAR PROJECTS ARE BEING PLANNED AND HE WISHED THE ORGANISERS WELL.

HE THEN UNVEILED A PLAQUE TO DECLARE THE POOL OPEN.

EARLIER, IN WELCOMING THE GOVERNOR, THE DIRECTOR OF

URBAN SERVICES, MR. BRIAN WILSON, SAID THAT THE FANLING SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX IS THE SECOND PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL TO BE COMPLETED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE FIRST ONE BEING THE KWAI SHING SWIMMING POOL IN TSUEN WAN.

/THIS NEW