XN000022-1978-11-25 — Page 3

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1978

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SNT OPENS SPORTS GROUND IN SHA TIN

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A $100,000 MULTI-PURPOSE SPORTS GROUND IN SHA TIN NEW TOWN THE FIRST OF ITS KIND EVER BUILT BY A DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD IN THE NEW TERRITORIES - WAS OPENED THIS (SATURDAY) MORNING BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW COMPLEX, MR. AKERS-JONES DESCRIBED THE SPORTS GROUND AS BOTH AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE AREA AND A REAL CONTRIBUTION TO SPORT IN SHA TIN AND THE FORERUNNER OF THE MAJOR SPORTS AND RECREATION FACILITIES NOW BEING PLANNED BETWEEN THE TOWN CENTRE AND THE RACE COURSE TO MAKE SHA TIN A PLEASANT TOWN FOR YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE.

THE NEW SPORTS GROUND, COVERING AN AREA OF 2,500 SQUARE METRES TO THE EAST OF, AND NEIGHBOURING, LEK YUEN ESTATE, HAS TWO TENNIS COURTS, A ROLLER-SKATING RINK AND TWO VOLLEYBALL COURTS.

IT MARKS A MAJOR EFFORT BY THE SHA TIN DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD. TO PROVIDE BETTER RECREATIONAL AND SPORTING FACILITIES FOR THE RAPIDLY INCREASING POPULATION OF THE NEW TOWN.

AKERS-JONES POINTED OUT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT THAT, IN ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION, THE BOARD HAD GIVEN PRIORITY TO RECREATION AND SPORT.

+THIS,✦ HE SAID, +ACCORDS WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR SHA TIN.+

OUTLINING FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS PARTICULAR FIELD, HE SAID: +NEXT YEAR, WORK WILL COMMENCE ON A LARGE SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX AND A FULL-SIZED TEMPORARY FOOTBALL PITCH BETWEEN WO CHE ESTATE AND THE SHING MUN RIVER AND ON THE SILVER JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE BESIDE THE RACE COURSE.

A PARK CONSTRUCTED INSIDE THE NEW RACE COURSE WILL OPEN NEXT MONTH.

+THE EFFECT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL BE TO PROVIDE SHA TIN WITH THE FIRST STAGE OF THE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES WHICH ITS COMMUNITY REQUIRES AND, IN PARTICULAR, TO MAXIMISE THE LEISURE TIME, POTENTIAL OF THE SHING MUN RIVER AND THE OPEN SPACE ON BOTH ITS SIDES, HE SAID.

MR, AKERS-JONES WENT ON TO PRAISE THE SHA TIN DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD FOR ITS IMAGINATION AND RESPONSIVENESS TO THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

+THE EFFICIENT PLANNING AND ORGANISATION OF THE RECREATION, CULTURAL AND SPORT SUB-COMMITTEE, UNDER ITS CHAIRMAN, MR. LAU HON-KIT, HAS QUICKLY DEVELOPED THE SITE INTO A VERY ÚSEFUL SPORTS GROUND IN AN IDEAL LOCATION, HE ADDED.

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