XN000022-1984-03-22 — Page 16

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1984

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PRIVATE SUPPORT FOR COUNTRY PARKS URGED

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PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WERE URGED TODAY TO CONTINUE TO HELP PROTECT AND TO PROVIDE MORE FACILITIES FOR COUNTRY PARKS.

MAKING THE REQUEST, THE SENIOR COUNTRY PARKS OFFICER OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MR K.C. IU, EXPLAINED THAT THEY WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO AREAS OF WORK FOR WHICH PUBLIC FUNDS WERE NOT READILY AVAILABLE.

MR IU, WHO WAS SPEAKING TO MEMBERS OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON, EXPLAINED THAT A NUMBER OF ORGANISATIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN PROVIDING HELP BY SPONSORING PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF PAMPHLETS, SUCH AS +HOW TO GET TO COUNTRY PARKS+, AND CALENDARS.

POINTING OUT THAT 21 COUNTRY PARKS, COVERING 40 PER CENT OF THE SURFACE OF THE TERRITORY, HAD BEEN BUILT BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PAST DECADE, MR IU SAID THAT A SERIES OF VISITOR CENTRES WERE NOW ALSO BEING BUILT IN THE MORE HEAVILY USED PARKS.

THESE CENTRES WERE BUILDINGS WHERE PARK VISITORS COULD OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE FACILITIES AND THE NATURAL AND HUMAN HISTORY OF THE AREA, HE SAID.

RECALLING THAT +OVER EIGHT MILLION VISITS WERE MADE BY PEOPLE TO THE COUNTRY PARKS+, MR IU SAID ALSO THAT THE FIRST PURPOSE-DESIGNED VISITOR CENTRE WAS NOW BEING BUILT AT PAK TAM CHUNG, SAI KUNG.

+ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAS FUNDED THE BUILDING, CONSIDERABLE FUNDS WERE ALSO NEEDED FOR SPECIALISED EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS SOUND- SLIDE PROJECTOR, THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAYS, HE ADDED.

THERE WAS ALSO SCOPE FOR SMALL BUILDINGS TO BE DEDICATED BY SERVICE CLUBS, SUCH AS THE ROTARY, IN THE PARKS AND IDEALLY THESE SHOULD BE FUNDED, DESIGNED, SUPERVISED AND CONSTRUCTED BY SPONSORS USING THE SKILLS AND CONSIDERABLE PROFESSIONAL TALENTS USUALLY AVAILABLE TO SUCH CLUBS, MR IU SAID,

SPONSORS COULD ALSO PROVIDE PLAY APPARATUS FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE.

TWO PICNIC SITES FOR THESE PEOPLE WERE BEING CONSTRUCTED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AT PAK TAM CHUNG IN SAI KUNG AND ABERDEEN RESERVOIR.

+WHILE SITE DEVELOPMENT AND THE BASIC FACILITIES WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT, THE PROVISION OF SPECIALLY DESIGNED PLAY APPARATUS WILL BE VERY WELCOME AMENITIES,+ MR IU SAID.

HE ENCOURAGED MORE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES SUCH AS +LITTER COLLECTION WALKS+ AND +PATH CLEAR ING EXPEDITIONS+ IN THE PARKS AS A PERSONAL SERVICE.

SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP WILL BE NEEDED FOR TRANSPORT, LUNCHES AND EQUIPMENT FOR THESE ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVIDE FOR OUT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS, HE ADDED.

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