XN000022-1981-04-27 — Page 4

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1981

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SHA TIN TO HAVE FIRST EVER REGATTA

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THE ONCE HEAVILY POLLUTED SHING MUN RIVER, WHICH IS BEING CLEANED AT A COST OF $5 MILLION, WILL BE THE VENUE OF SHA TIN'S FIRST EVER REGATTA.

THE REGATTA IS BEING ORGANISED JOINTLY BY THE DISTRICT BOARD AND THE HONG KONG AMATEUR ROWING ASSOCIATION. IT WILL BE HELD ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 9.

THERE WILL BE FOURS AND SINGLE SCULLS EVENTS INVOLVING ABOUT 60 OARSMEN. THE COURSE WILL BE 500 METRES.

THE DISTRICT OFFICER SHA TIN, DR PATRICK HASE, SAID HE HOPED THE REGATTA WOULD BECOME AN ANNUAL EVENT,

IT WAS INTENDED THAT THE RIVER WOULD BE OPENED UP FOR A VARIETY OF BOATING PASTIMES IN DUE COURSE, PROBABLY IN 12 - 18 MONTHS.

IN THE MEANTIME WORK ON THE RIVER WILL CONTINUE. THIS INCLUDES BUILDING A FURTHER BRIDGE, COMPLETING DREDGING AND SEAWALL CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTING A RIVERSIDE TREELINED FOOT-PATH AND CYCLE TRACK.

+ONCE THIS IS FINISHED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE RIVER FOR FULL SCALE ACTIVITIES,+ DR HASE SAID.

THE RIVER HAS BEEN POLLUTED WITH PIG AND CHICKEN WASTE AND INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT.

BUT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, IN ADDITION TO DREDGING WORK, A CLEARANCE OPERATION HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE TO REMOVE ALL POLLUTING ELEMENTS FROM NEAR THE RIVER.

THE HONG KONG AMATEUR ROWING ASSOCIATION IS TO BUILD A RIVERSIDE BOATHOUSE AND GRANDSTAND COMPLEX IN SHA TIN ON A SITE WHICH IS AT PRESENT BEING USED AS THE CAR PARK FOR A FLOATING RESTAURANT. A NEW FLOATING RESTAURANT SITE IS TO BE PROVIDED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER.

DR HASE SAID THIS YEAR'S REGATTA WOULD BE ON A COMPARATIVELY SMALL SCALE, BUT WAS NEVERTHELESS WELCOME AS IT INDICATED THE IMPROVEMENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE CONDITION OF THE RIVER.

THE REGATTA WAS AN EARNEST OF GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION THAT THE RIVER WOULD BECOME, EVENTUALLY, A MAJOR AREA OF RECREATION FOR THE 750 000 PEOPLE WHO WILL BE LIVING IN SHA TIN BY 1990.

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