XN000022-1981-02-22 — Page 2

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1981

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SOCIAL WELFARE PREMISES IN ESTATES

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THE PROVISION OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES FOR THE YOUNG, THE OLD AND THE DISABLED IS BEING BOOSTED WITH MORE PREMISES EARMARKED FOR WELFARE PURPOSES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS INVITING VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND INTERESTED BODIES TO APPLY FOR NEWLY RESERVED WELFARE PREMISES IN 12 PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AND TWO COMMUNITY CENTRES.

ALTOGETHER 21 PREMISES WITH A TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF MORE THAN 6 880 SQUARE METRES ARE RESERVED FOR WELFARE PURPOSES. THEY VARY IN SIZES FROM 93 TO 1 300 SQUARE METRES.

THESE PREMISES ARE EARMARKED FOR EIGHT SOCIAL CENTRES, ONE MULTI-SERVICE CENTRE AND ONE DAY CARE CENTRE FOR OLD PEOPLE, FIVE CHILDREN'S AND YOUTH CENTRES, THREE NURSERIES, AS WELL AS A CLUB AND A HOME FOR THE DISABLED.

A SITE WITH THE LARGEST SIZE OF 1 300 SQUARE METRES IS RESERVED FOR A REHABILITATION INSTITUTION TO CATER FOR 100 DISABLED PERSONS IN THE BUTTERFLY ESTATE IN TUEN MUN.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) THE LATEST LIST OF WELFARE PREMISES HAD BEEN SENT TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR FORWARD PLANNING AND EARLY APPLICATION.

HE SAID THE DEPARTMENT REGULARLY LIAISED WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ON THE ALLOCATION OF WELFARE PREMISES TO ENSURE A BALANCED PROVISION OF WELFARE SERVICES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.

RESERVED PREMISES ARE IN EXISTING ESTATES OR ESTATES WHICH ARE NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR WILL BE BUILT SHORTLY AND WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE BEFORE 1985-86, HE SAID.

ONE PREMISE IS NOW AVAILABLE AT THE SHEK LE ESTATE IN TSUEN WAN FOR RUNNING A SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID 17 OTHER PREMISES WITH A TOTAL FLOOR SPACE OF 5 800 SQUARE METRES WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE IN 11 NEW ESTATES.

THESE ESTATES, HE SAID, WILL BE IN CHAI WAN ON HONG KONG ISLAND, WONG TAI SÍN, NGAU TAU KOK AND KWUN TONG IN KOWLOON, AND ON TSING YI ISLAND, ÎN SHA TIN, TAI PO AND TUEN MUN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

ANOTHER THREE PREMISES WITH FLOOR AREA TOTALLING 970 SQUARE METRES WILL BE READY BY 1982-83 FOR AN OLD PEOPLE'S MULTI-SERVICE CENTRE AND TWO NURSERIES IN THE TAI PO COMMUNITY CENTRE AND YAU MA TEI COMMUNITY CENTRE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, HE ADDED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID APPLICATIONS FOR THE PREMISES SHOULD REACH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, 19TH FLOOR, WORLD TRADE CENTRE, 280 GLOUCESTER ROAD, ON OR BEFORE APRIL 1, 1981.

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PREMISES OR APPLICATION PROCEDURES CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SECTION (TEL, NO. 5-7953754).

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