XN000022-1986-02-22 — Page 10

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1986

PLANS TO BUILD MORE CHILDREN, YOUTH CENTRES

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THE GOVERNMENT IS SPENDING ABOUT $77 MILLION IN ASSISTING VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO OPERATE CHILDREN'S AND YOUTH CENTRES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE HANS ANDERSON CLUB'S DIANA BOYD-WILSON CENTRE FOR CHILDREN IN WANG TAU HOM ESTATE SHE SAID THIS REPRESENTED 17 PER CENT OF THE ENTIRE SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION PROVISION, AND SHOWED THAT GOVERNMENT WAS FULLY COMMITTED TO A STEADY EXPANSION OF SUCH CENTRES.

+THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN'S CENTRES AND YOUTH CENTRES IN OPERATION HAS MORE THAN QUADRUPLED SINCE THE EARLY 1970'S WHEN WE FIRST EMBARKED ON THIS PROGRAMME, SHE SAID.

HOWEVER, SHE ADDED, THE PRESENT FIGURES OF 140 CHILDREN'S CENTRES AND 152 YOUTH CENTRES WERE STILL SOME WAY BEHIND TARGET. MAINLY DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, SLIPPAGES IN COMPLETION DATES OF HOUSING ESTATES AND DIFFICULTIES IN OBTAINING SUITABLE SITES AND ACCOMMODATION IN DEVELOPED URBAN AREAS AND IN THE OLDER HOUSING ESTATES.

+WE CONTINUE TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO REDUCE THE SHORTFALL INCLUDING UPGRADING SUBSTANDARD CENTRES AND LEASING PRIVATE PREMISES THOUGH THE LATTER IS A VERY EXPENSIVE OPTION AND CANNOT BE RESORTED TO FREQUENTLY, SHE SAID.

THE DIANA BOYD-WILSON CENTRE IS THE SECOND CHILDREN'S CENTRE TO BE ESTABLISHED BY THE HANS ANDERSON CLUB IN HONG KONG, AND IS THE ONLY FULL-FLEDGED CHILDREN'S CENTRE IN WANG TAU HOM ÉSTATE.

ALREADY IT HAS MADE A PROMISING START WITH A REGISTERED MEMBERSHIP OF 450 AND AN AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE OF 100.

TUEN MUN NEW TOWN FURTHER DEVELOPED ******

TWO ROADS, TOTALLING 500 METRES, ARE TO BE BUILT NEAR THE CASTLE PEAK HOSPITAL TO SERVE THE HOSPITAL AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN PART OF TUEN MUN.

THREE HECTARES OF LAND WILL ALSO BE FORMED ADJACENT TO THE ROADS TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR BUILDING A FOLKLORE MUSEUM, AN INDOOR RECREATIONAL CENTRE, A DIVISIONAL POLICE STATION, A SUB-DIVISIONAL FIRE STATION AND FOR LOCAL OPEN SPACE.

/ABOUT 100 000

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