XN000022-1979-01-04 — Page 2

DANGANY

TSIM SHA TSUI CULTURAL COMPLEX

SYMBOLISES FUTURE OF ARTS IN HONG KONG

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THE TSIM SHA TSUI CULTURAL COMPLEX WILL STAND AS A PERMANENT SYMBOL OF CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS IN HONGKONG, IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROLE WHICH THEY ARE COMING TO PLAY IN

AND THE LIFE OF OUR CITY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SIR MURRAY SPOKE WHEN HE LAID THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE CULTURAL COMPLEX MARKING WHAT HE SAID WAS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW PHASE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CULTURAL LIFE IN HONG KONG.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAD SEEN AN UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION IN ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES, HE NOTED.

HE CONTINUED: +THE NEXT FEW YEARS SHOULD SEE THE OPENING OF THREE MAJOR CULTURAL COMPLEXES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT DESIGNED TO BE THE CULTURAL CENTRE OF HONG KONG, AND SO BUILT ON THIS MAGNIFICENT SITE.+

WHEN COMPLETED THE CULTURAL COMPLEX WILL CONSIST OF THREE MAIN COMPONENTS: THE SPACE MUSEUM NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND EXPECTED TO OPEN AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR- AN AUDITORIUM COMPLEX WITH HALLS SEATING A TOTAL OF NEARLY 5,000 PEOPLE AS WELL AS AN ARTS LIBRARY AND ANCILLARY FACILITIES AND A MUSEUM BLOCK FOR THE PERMANENT DISPLAY OF THE COLLECTIONS CURRENTLY HELD IN THE MUSEUMS OF ART AND HISTORY.

SIR MURRAY SAID OF THE TOTAL CAPITAL COST OF THE COMPLEX TO DATE, THE TAXPAYERS, THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT, WILL PAY $160 MILLION FOR THE AUDITORIUM BLOCK AND THROUGH THE URBAN COUNCIL $50 MILLION FOR THE SPACE MUSEUM AND ANCILLARY FACILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE AUDITORIA.

THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO MEET THE COST OF THE MUSEUMS OF ART AND HISTORY. ONCE COMPLETED THE COMPLEX WILL BE MANAGED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL.

THE GOVERNOR THANKED THE URBAN COUNCIL FOR THE IR ENTHUSIASTIC INVOLVEMENT IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT AND ALSO PRAISED THE COVERNMENT ARCHITECTS FOR THEIR IMAGINATIVE AND RESOURCEFUL DESIGN OF A CIVIC INSTITUTION WHICH HE SAID WILL MATCH THE PROMINENCE AND PRESTIGE OF THE WATERFRONT SITE.

IN INVITING THE GOVERNOR TO PERFORM THE CEREMONY, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, MR. A. DE 0. SALES, SAID SIR MURRAY'S ENCOURAGEMENT HAS ENABLED THOSE MOST CONCERNED WITH CULTURAL PROMOTION IN HONG KONG TO SEEK NEW GOALS TO CONQUER.

+IN EFFECT.....