XN000022-1983-02-18 — Page 9

8

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1983

THE 11-STOREY KCR BUILDING IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL PROVIDE 20 000 SQUARE METRES OF FLOOR SPACE FOR VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. IT WILL BE THE HUB OF A PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK WITH A RAILWAY STATION ON THE GROUND LEVEL AND AN ADJACENT BUS TERMINAL TO SERVE ROUTES BETWEEN SHA TIN AND OTHER AREAS.

THE BUILDING WILL BE LINKED BY A PEDESTRIAN FOOTBRIDGE TO A MASSIVE COMMERCIAL COMPLEX WITH A GROUND-LEVEL BUS TERMINAL SERVING INTERNAL CITY ROUTES.

THIS $163-MILLION COMPLEX BEING DEVELOPED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL BECOME THE REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTRE FOR THE EASTERN PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ON COMPLETION IN 1985, PROVIDING COMMERCIAL FLOOR SPACE OF ABOUT 80 000 SQUARE METRES.

THE COMPLEX WILL HAVE TWO CINEMAS WITH A SEATING CAPACITY OF 800 PEOPLE EACH AND AN AMPHITHEATRE TO HOLD 300 PEOPLE.

WORK HAS ALSO BEGUN ON A $160-MILLION CULTURAL COMPLEX WHICH WILL CONSIST OF A MULTI-PURPOSE TOWN HALL WITH A CAPACITY FOR 1 450 PEOPLE AND A CENTRAL LIBRARY.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE $50-MILLION TOWN PARK WILL START SHORTLY, WITH 1985 AS THE TARGET COMPLETION DATE, MRS KWAN SAID.

IT WILL FEATURE A LARGE ARTIFICIAL HILL AND WATERFALL GARDENS, PONDS, FOUNTAINS, BOULEVARDS, PAVILIONS, AN AVIARY, CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUNDS, TERRACED CAFES, A PROMENADE AND A CYCLING TRACK, ALL BEING SET AMID TREES, SCRUBS AND FLOWER BEDS.

SITES ARE ALSO RESERVED IN THE TOWN CENTRE FOR THREE OFFICE BLOCKS WHICH WILL PROVIDE 34 000 SQUARE METRES OF FLOOR AREA AND TWO INTERNATIONAL-STANDARD HOTELS.

ALSO WITHIN THE CENTRE, SITES ARE BEING EARMARKED FOR COMMERCIAL-CUM-RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS WHICH WILL HOUSE 25 000 PEOPLE WHEN FULLY DEVELOPED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

+A UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE TOWN CENTRE IS THAT EVERY BUILDING WILL BE LINKED BY ELEVATED PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS.

+THE IDEA IS TO SEPARATE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT ON DIFFERENT LEVELS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ENJOY A LEISURE WALK THROUGHOUT THE TOWN CENTRE AND MAKE FULL USE OF THE PARK,+ MRS KWAN EXPLAINED.

THERE WILL ALSO BE ADEQUATE PARKING FACILITIES FOR BOTH THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS FROM OTHER AREAS.

WHEN THE TOWN CENTRE IS COMPLETED, SHA TIN WILL RANK AMONG THE BEST TOWN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN ASIA, MRS KWAN STATED.

19