XN000022-1984-01-21 — Page 6

5

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 1984

SHA TIN MUSIC CENTRE AND RSS OFFICE OPENED

***

RESIDENTS IN SHA TIN CAN EXPECT BETTER AND MORE CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS SERVICES WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW SHA TIN MUSIC CENTRE AND RECREATION AND SPORTS SERVICE (SHA TIN OFFICE) AT KCR HOUSE TODAY.

THE SHA TIN MUSIC CENTRE IS THE SEVENTH OF ITS KIND IN BOTH RURAL AND URBAN DISTRICTS AND THE THIRD IN THE NEW TERRITORIES SET UP BY THE MUSIC OFFICE.

LOCATED AT LEVEL FOUR OF KCR HOUSE, SHA TIN STATION, THE MUSIC CENTRE HAS A LARGE REHEARSAL ROOM AND FIVE PRACTICE ROOMS FITTED WITH MIRRORS AND ACOUSTICS.

IT WILL BECOME THE BASE FOR THE RUNNING OF THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TRAINING SCHEME OF THE MUSIC OFFICE, THE ORGANISING OF DISTRICT MUSIC ACTIVITIES AND THE PROMOTION OF MUSIC IN GENERAL.

AT PRESENT, THE SHA TIN MUSIC CENTRE IS RUNNING 31 CLASSES FOR 160 TRAINEES.

IN A WELCOME SPEECH, THE COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR PATRICK WILLIAMSON, EXPRESSED GRATITUDE TO THE PARENTS, SCHOOLS' AND LOCAL CULTURAL AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS OF SHA TIN FOR THE IR GENEROUS SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE IN HELPING THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH A FIRM FOOTHOLD IN THE DISTRICT.

-THE OPENING OF THE SHA TIN MUSIC CENTRE WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR PRESENT LINKS WITH THE DISTRICT BOARD AND LOCAL ORGANISATIONS AND WITH THEIR CONTINUING SUPPORT, I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE STORE OF MUSICAL TALENT IN SHA TIN AND ENRICH THE LIVES OF SHA TIN RESIDENTS,+ HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE RECREATION AND SPORTS SERVICE'S SHA TIN OFFICE, THE COMMISSIONER SAID IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1976 FOR THE PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL AND SPORTING ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES RESIDING IN THE DISTRICT.

+PROGRAMMES ARE VARIED AND DIVERSIFIED COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SPORTS TRAINING COURSES, COMPETITIONS IN AQUATIC SPORTS AND BALL GAMES, OUTDOOR PURSUITS INCLUDING CAMPING, HORSE-RIDING, CANOEING AND SAILING AND VARIOUS RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMES FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.

*LAST YEAR, WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE SHA TIN DISTRICT BOARD AND THE LOCAL ORANISATION, A TOTAL OF 297 ACTIVITIES WERE ORGANISED FOR 25 541 RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES,+ MR WILLIAMSON SAID.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SHA TIN RURAL COMMITTEE, MR WAI HON-LEUNG, SAID THAT TO KEEP PACE WITH THE CHANGING SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND THE DEMANDS OF A GROWING POPULATION, THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS NEED FOR BETTER AND MORE CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL SERVICES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE.