XN000022-1983-07-22 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 1983

NOTING THAT OVER 40 PER CENT OF THE TUEN MUN POPULATION WERE UNDER 15. THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID: +THIS RELATIVELY YOUNG POPULATION WILL REQUIRE A DIFFERENT MIX OF SERVICES THAN A COMMUNITY WITH A PREDOMINANTLY OLDER AGE STRUCTURE.

+THIS COMMUNITY CENTRE, TOGETHER WITH THE EXISTING TAI HING COMMUNITY HALL AND TWO OTHER PLANNED COMMUNITY CENTRE FACILITIES IN NEIGHBOURING AREAS, WILL ENABLE THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES TO BE ORGANISED AND I AM SURE THAT THEY WILL SOON DEVELOP A LIFE AND CULTURE WHICH IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE TUEN MUN COMMUNITY.

EARLIER, IN HER WELCOMING REMARKS, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID THE COMMUNITY CENTRE HAD BEEN NAMED AFTER THE SURROUNDING HOUSING ESTATES WHOSE CHINESE NAMES STOOD FOR STABILITY, HARMONY, FRATERNITY, LOVE AND CARE.

+THESE QUALITIES,+ SHE SAID, SUM UP VERY WELL OUR AIMS IN PROVIDING COMMUNITY CENTRES THAT IS, TO PROMOTE NEIGHBOURLINESS AND MUTUAL CARE AND TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.+

+JUDGING BY THE RESPONSE SO FAR, I AM SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY CENTRE WILL SOON BECOME A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE PEOPLE OF TUEN MUN, SHE SAID.

THE ON TING/YAU DI COMMUNITY CENTRE CONSISTS OF TWO BLOCKS. THE LOW BLOCK CONTAINS A MULTI-PURPOSE HALL WHICH PROVIDES A VENUE FOR MEETINGS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.

THE HIGH BLOCK IS A SIX-STOREY BUILDING WHICH HOUSES A VARIETY OF SERVICES INCLUDING A DAY NURSERY RUN BY THE HONG KONG YMCA, A SOCIAL CENTRE FOR EX-MENTAL PATIENTS RUN BY THE NEW LIFE PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION, AND A SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY TO BE RUN BY THE HONG KONG LUTHERAN SERVICE.

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT MANAGES THIS CENTRE AND PROVIDES GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK SERVICES.

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