XN000022-1985-06-30 — Page 8

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SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 1985

ANOTHER TWO BANYAN TREES IN THE VICINITY, ABOUT 80 AND 150 YEARS OLD RESPECTIVELY, WILL ALSO BE PRESERVED, ENABLING LOCAL RESIDENTS TO ENJOY THE NATURAL SHADE OF THESE GRACEFUL TREES DURING THEIR LIFETIME.

THE REVISED PLAN, WHICH HAS JUST BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL'S RECREATION AND CAPITAL WORKS SELECT COMMITTEES, INVOLVED EXCHANGING THE LOCATION OF THE FUN POOLS IN THE PARK'S SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX WITH THAT OF THE INDOOR SWIMMING POOLS.

THE FUN POOLS WILL NOW BE SHAPED ACCORDING TO THE PARK'S NATURAL CONTOURS WHILE THE INDOOR POOLS WILL BE BUILT ON THE MORE LEVEL PART OF THE SITE, THUS REDUCING SITE FORMATION COSTS AND IMPROVING SERVICE ACCESS.

IN ADDITION, THE REVISED PLAN WILL PROVIDE LARGER AREAS FOR THE FUN POOLS, WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST OF THEIR KIND TO BE BUILT BY THE URBAN COUNCIL, AND FOR THE INDOOR POOL COMPLEX, WHICH IS SET TO BECOME A VENUE FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS.

CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN LATE 1986 AND IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 1989.

THE PROPOSED INDOOR GAMES HALL WILL BE MOVED FROM ITS ORIGINAL SITE TO THE SOUTH-WESTERN CORNER OF THE PARK NEAR HAIPHONG ROAD TO GIVE A BETTER SPREAD OF THE BUILDING ELEMENTS OF THE PARK AND RENDER THE ENVIRONMENT AESTHETICALLY MORE ATTRACTIVE.

WORK ON THE INDOOR GAMES HALL WILL NOT START UNTIL THE TEMPORARY MUSEUM OF HISTORY, WHICH NOW OCCUPIES CONVERTED BARRACKS BUILDINGS IN THE PARK, IS REPROVISIONED.

ALSO TO BE RELOCATED TO THE SOUTH-WESTERN SECTION WILL BE THE SPORTS AND GAMES AREA. THE SITE SO RELEASED WILL BE DEVELOPED INTO A PASSIVE RECREATION AREA TO FORM A BARRIER AGAINST TRAFFIC NOISE FROM NATHAN ROAD, THEREBY ENHANCING THE TRANQUILITY OF THE PARK AREA.

THE 14-HECTARE KOWLOON PARK, ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS THE SIZE OF VICTORIA PARK ON HONG KONG ISLAND OR OF MORSE PARK IN KOWLOON, WAS HANDED OVER TO THE URBAN COUNCIL FOR DEVELOPMENT IN 1969 AFTER BEING VACATED BY THE BRITISH ARMY.

SINCE THEN, KOWLOON PARK HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED IN PHASES INTO A COLOURFUL BEAUTY SPOT, CONTAINING BOTH ACTIVE AND PASSIVE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

/TC_DATE,