XN000022-1981-12-04 — Page 10

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1981

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COUNTRY PARKS PROVIDE FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED

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COUNTRY PARKS IN HONG KONG PROVIDE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FACILITIES TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF ALL DIVERGING INTERESTS AND THOSE OF THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED ARE NOT FORGOTTEN, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A NEW PICNIC AREA AT PAK TAM CHUNG IN THE SAI KUNG COUNTRY PARK, MR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID ALREADY MORE THAN SIX MILLION PEOPLE HAD VISITED THE COUNTRY PARKS THIS YEAR.

FANG

ATTENDING THE OPENING WERE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS, DR HARRY

MR CHARLES YEUNG AND THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG.

TWO GROUPS OF CHILDREN, ONE FROM THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTRE FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED AND THE OTHER FROM THE FISH MARKETING ORGANISATION SCHOOL AT SAI KUNG WERE ALSO INVITED TO TRY OUT THE NEW FACILITIES.

THE SITE OPENED TODAY BY MR RIDDELL-SWAN IS THE 395TH PICNIC PLACE IN THE COUNTRY PARKS SYSTEM AND IS DESIGNED WITH THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED IN MIND.

+ITS MAIN PURPOSE IS TO TEST VARIOUS BARBECUE DESIGNS FOR THE IR SUITABILITY FOR THE DISABLED BUT IT WILL AT THE SAME THE ALLOW THE HANDICAPPED AND THEIR FRIENDS TO ENJOY THEMSELVES TOGETHER IN THE QUIET RURAL ATMOSPHERE OF SAI KUNG COUNTRY PARK AS A WELCOME CHANGE FROM THE CROWDED PRESSURES OF URBAN HONG KONG.

+OUR AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CAN ENJOY THE SAME ACTIVITIES AND PLEASURES AS THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THIS AREA HAS BEEN DESIGNED SO THAT IT CAN BE USED EQUALLY BY DISABLED AND NON-DISABLED PERSONS ALIKE, HE SAID.

IN THE PICNIC AREA, THE FOOTPATHS ARE SUITABLE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS AND FOR THE BLIND, AND SAFETY RAILS ARE PROVIDED WHERE NECESSARY, PICNIC FURNITURE HAS BEEN ADAPTED FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS.

MR RIDDELL-SWAN ADDED: THE BARBECUE PITS AND THE PICNIC FACILITIES HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY DESIGNED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING A FEEDBACK FROM ALL CONCERNED ESPECIALLY THE USERS OF THE FACILITIES, SO THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THEM WHERE NECESSARY AND BRING THE BEST DESIGNS INTO GENERAL USE IN PICNIC AREAS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTRY PARKS SYSTEM.+

THE PICNIC SITES WERE WELL USED, PARTICULARLY AT WEEKENDS, HE SAID.

MR RIDDELL-SWAN ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND THE COMMUNITY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANLINESS AND FIRE PREVENTION IN COUNTRY PARKS.

→THE FACT

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