XN000022-1979-12-07 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1979

WORK ON ACCESS TO SPORTS CENTRE BEGINS SOON

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) AWARDED A CONTRACT WORTH MORE THAN $7.8 MILLION FOR WORK ON ACCESS TO SHA TIN'S JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE AND THE SHA TIN RACE COURSE.

THE CONTRACT, AWARDED TO GAMMON (HK), ALSO INCLUDES THE DREDGING OF THE SHING MUN RIVER.

THE WORK HAS BEEN DESIGNED, AND CONSTRUCTION WILL BE SUPERVISED BY MESSRS. MAUNSELL CONSULTANTS ASIA, CONSULTING ENGINEERS FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

ACCESS TO THE SPORTS CENTRE AND THE RACE COURSE WILL BE BY

AS THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE A BRIDGE ACROSS THE FO TAN NULLAH, JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE IS LIMITED, THE BRIDGE WILL PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT PEDESTRIAN LINK AS WELL AS VEHICULAR ACCESS.

THE NEW BRIDGE WILL BE A SINGLE 32-METRE-SPAN OF PRESTRESSED CONCRETE AND WILL SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN THE SPORTS CENTRE AND THE NEW TOWN CENTRE.

THE SHING MUN RIVER DREDGING WILL BE FROM THE RIVER'S CONFLUENCE WITH THE FO TAN NULLAH TO THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY BRIDGE AT TAI WAI.

A PWD SPOKESMAN SAIDɛ +AT PRESENT THIS SECTION OF RIVER IS UNPLEASANT AT LOW TIDE.

+BUT WHEN DREDGING IS COMPLETED THERE WILL BE A CONTINUOUS COVER OF WATER, EVEN AT LOW TIDE. AT LOWER STRETCHES OF THE RIVER THE WATER IS EXPECTED TO BE AS MUCH AS FOUR METRES DEEP.

+AT HIGH TIDE, WATER IN THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE TOWN CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO BE TWO TO THREE METRES DEEP, WHILE AT THE RIVER MOUTH IT IS EXPECTED TO BE AS DEEP AS SIX METRES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE RIVER IS PLANNED TO BE 180 METRES WIDE AS IT FLOWS PAST THE TOWN CENTRE AND 450 METRES AT THE MOUTH WHERE IT FLOWS INTO TOLO HARBOUR.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID AS THE SHING MUN RIVER IS A VITAL ELEMENT IN SHA TIN NEW TOWN PLANNING, IT IS INTENDED TO MAKE FULL USE OF ITS POTENTIAL AS A MAJOR SOURCE OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

+A SERIES OF CYCLE PATHS WILL FOLLOW THE RIVER BANK MUCH OF THE WAY TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY PROMENADES AND REST AREAS FOR PEDESTRIANS. SMALL BOATS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR HIRE, A FEATURE IN ERSTWHILE SHA TIN WHICH IS BEING REVIVED,+ HE ADDED.

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