XN000022-1983-05-19 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1983

THE CHIEF SECRETARY WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THE TOUR BY THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICE, MR BRIAN WILSON, AND THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, MR AUGUSTINE CHL!.

AT THE HONG KONG COLISEUM SIR PHILIP WAS MET BY MR DARWIN CHEN, DIRECTOR OF CULTURAL SERVICES, MR K.C. LO, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (SPORTS AND STADIA) AND MR PANG CHUNG, THE MANAGER.

SIR PHILIP DESCRIBED THE $140 MILLION COLISEUM AS A +GIGANTIC STRUCTURE + AND SHOWED GREAT INTEREST IN ITS OPERATIONAL ASPECTS, INCLUDING ANY PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN ITS OPERATION AND THE BOOKINGS AS WELL. IN DISCUSSING THE USE OF THE COLISEUM, HE INTERESTED IN WHETHER THERE WOULD BE ANY TRADE FAIRS OF FUNCTIO.S OF A SIMILAR NATURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT A WORLD TRAVEL EXPO WOULD BE HELD THERE IN SEPTEMBER.

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IN THE ARENA, SIR PHILIP SAW SOME MODELS OF URBAN COUNCIL PROJECTS SUCH AS THE WAN CHAI RECLAMATION RECREATION CENTRE. MODELS HAD BEEN ON DISPLAY FOR THE COLISEUM'S OPEN DAY AND SIR PHILIP WAS TOLD THAT SOME 30 000 PEOPLE HAD VISITED THE COLISEUM OVER THE TWO DAYS IT WAS OPENED TO THE PUBLIC.

BEFORE DEPARTING HE ALSO SAW THE OPERATION OF THE PETRACTABLE SEATS IN THE ARENA AND INSPECTED THE SPECIAL BLACK FIREPROOF VELVET BACKDROP BEING INSTALLED IN READINESS FOR THE PERFORMANCES BY THE ROYAL BALLET NEXT MONTH.

THE BACKDROP WHICH STRETCHES SOME 18 METRES FROM FLOOR TO CEILING AND THE ELECTRICAL WINCH TO HOIST IT, WERE PURCHASED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL AT A COST OF $400 000 AS PART OF THE SPECIAL EQUIPMENT TO ENABLE THE COLISEUM TO BE USED FOR A WIDER VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS.

OUTSIDE, SIR PHILIP STOPPED FOR A BRIEF LOOK AT THE PIAZZA AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS BEING USED BY QUITE AMEER OF PEOPLE, MANY ELDERLY AMONG THEM, AND ALSO SAW THE RAILWAY LINES AND SOME OLD ROLLING STOCK BELOW THE COLISEUM PODIUM.

EARLIER, SIR PHILIP WENT TO THE HO MAN TIN HIGH LEVEL SERVICE RESERVOIR FROM WHERE HE HAD A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE VARIOUS FACILITIES PROVIDED BY THE COUNCIL IN THE NEARBY AREAS, INCLUDING THE KO SHAN ROAD PARK AND KO SHAN THEATRE, AND THE HO MAN TIN NURSERY.

THE NURSERY IS BY FAR THE COUNCIL'S LARGEST NURSERY, PRODUCING SOME 200 000 SHRUBS AND 10 000 TREES IN ABOUT 200 SPECIES ANNUALLY. BUILT AT A COST OF $1.4 MILLION, IT COVERS AN AREA OF 1.8 HECTARES AND IS LOCATED ON TOP OF A REFUSE TIP.

THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH PRODUCTIVITY IN THIS NURSERY IS VERY GOOD AND MECHANISATION FOR SOME TASKS, SUCH AS SOIL MIXING AND WATERING, CAN BE GRADUALLY INTRODUCED IN VIEW OF THE EXTENSIVE FLAT AREA.