XN000022-1980-04-27 — Page 4

SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 1980

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TUNG CHUNG FOOTBRIDGE BEING REBUILT

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A FOOTBRIDGE AT SHA TSUI TAU, TUNG CHUNG ON LANTAU ISLAND, IS BEING REBUILT IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM AFTER IT WAS DAMAGED BY A TYPHOON.

FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT ARE PROVIDED BY THE LIONESS CLUB OF MT PHOENIX, HONG KONG, AND FROM THE LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS VOTE OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE, ISLANDS.

THE ORIGINAL FOOTBRIDGE WAS CONSTRUCTED BY A ROYAL ENGINEERS FIELD SQUADRON IN 1971 TO PROVIDE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS IN TUNG CHUNG AREA WHICH HAS A POPULATION OF 4 000.

IT WAS 46 METRE LONG AND 1.5 METRE WIDE AND WAS BUILT ON SPECIALLY DESIGNED REINFORCED CONCRETE PILLARS WITH TIMBER DECKING.

HOWEVER, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, THE CONCRETE PILLARS BEGAN TO MOVE DUE TO RIVER EROSION.

EVENTUALLY, THE BRIDGE COLLAPSED WHEN TYPHOON HOPE HIT HONG KONG LAST AUGUST.

THE BRIDGE WAS USED DAILY BY LOCAL PEOPLE TAKING PRODUCE ON HANDCARTS TO LOCAL MARKETS AND ALSO BY SCHOOL CHILDREN. ITS COLLAPSE CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF INCONVENIENCE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR ISLANDS DISTRICT OFFICE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SAID THE REPAIR WORK WAS REGARDED AS URGENT. HE SAID THE NEW BRIDGE WOULD COST ABOUT $200 000, OF WHICH THE LIONESS CLUB HAD PROVIDED HALF. WORK IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN FOUR MONTHS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE PROJECT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF JOINT EFFORT BY THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. UNDER THE LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS SCHEME, THE GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGED LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN PROJECTS,

BUT THE FOOTBRIDGE WAS OF COMPLICATED DESIGN. THE WORK THEREFORE WOULD BE LEFT ENTIRELY TO THE CONTRACTOR.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS MOST GRATEFUL TO THE LIONESS CLUB FOR PROVIDING PART OF THE FUNDS. WITHOUT THEIR GENEROSITY, REBUILDING OF THE BRIDGE MIGHT HAVE HAD TO BE DELAYED,+ HE SAID.

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