XN000022-1987-07-09 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, JULY 9, 1987

PARKS COVERING AN

AREA OF OVER CENT

"TODAY, THERE ARE 21 COUNTRY 40,000 HECTARES OF THE COUNTRYSIDE, WHICH IS NO LESS THAN 40 PER OF THE TOTAL LAND AREA OF HONG KONG.

"COUNTRY PARKS ARE, TODAY, AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE RANGE OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOR THE FAMILY," HE SAID, OF NEARLY 10 MILLION LAST THAT THEY ATTRACTED A PATRONAGE ADDING YEAR.

ALSO OFFICIATING AT TODAY'S OPENING

CEREMONY WERE MRS FORD, THE DIRECTOR

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, MR CARLOS PUBLIC RELATIONS

THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, MR AUGUSTINE CHUI, OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE,

PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT COUNTRY PARKS BOARD CHEUNG, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTRY PARKS BOARD COMMITTEE, MR WILLIAM WAN.

ON THE ADVICE MR FORD NOTED THAT THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY,

REVIEW OF THE OF THE COUNTRY PARKS BOARD, HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED A

AND PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS FOR ITS FUTURE COUNTRY PARKS PROGRAMME, PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT AFTER EXAMINING THE MAJOR TRENDS AFFECTING THE COUNTRY PARKS.

THINGS, A DEMAND FOR THE REVIEW HAS IDENTIFIED, AMONG OTHER

FACILITIES AND FOR MORE COUNTRYSIDE MORE CONVENIENT, HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND VISITOR INFORMATION.

OF A BY

"THE OPENING OF THIS VISITOR CENTRE IS A TIMELY ADDITION NEW SERVICE TO THE VISITORS OF THE SHING MUN COUNTRY PARK WHICH IS

YEAR, THE NUMBER OF FAR THE MOST POPULAR. LAST

VISITORS EXCEEDED

380,000, HE SAID.

MR FORD

SAID THAT

THE

TO

VISITOR CENTRE AIMED

PROVIDE AND THE SHING INFORMATION ON THE COUNTRY PARKS PROGRAMME IN GENERAL,

ΤΟ AND HELPED

PROMOTE MUN COUNTRY PARK IN PARTICULAR,

UNDERSTANDING AND THE NEED FOR AND APPRECIATION OF THE BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE ITS CONSERVATION.

ENHANCE "I HOPE PEOPLE WILL MAKE USE OF THIS VISITOR CENTRE TO

THE SHING MUN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COUNTRY PARK. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT, HAVING VISITED THE PEOPLE SHOULD COME AWAY WITH HEIGHTENED CONSCIOUSNESS IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING OUR COUNTRYSIDE AND OF KEEPING PARKS CLEAN AND ATTRACTIVE AT ALL TIMES," HE ADDED.

SECRETARY,

CENTRE, OF THE THE COUNTRY

ACCOMPANIED

SHING PLANT

SHRUB

AFTER THE OPENING CEREMONY, THE CHIEF BY MR CHUI AND DR LEE, TOURED THE VISITOR CENTRE AND THE NEARBY MUN ARBORETUM WHERE HE SAW SOME OF THE LOCAL RARE AND PROTECTED

COLLECTION OF SPECIES WHICH FORM PARTS OF A

AND 1,900 TREE SPECIMENS. THE ARBORETUM IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG.

WILL BE OPENED TO THE THE NEW VISITOR CENTRE

PUBLIC FROM

TOMORROW. OPENING HOURS ARE FROM

30 AM TO 4.30 PM, IT CLOSES ON

TUESDAYS.

9.

SCHOOL

CAN

VISITS TO THE SHING MUN ARBORETUM WILL BE RESTRICTED TO PARTIES OF FORM 6 OR ABOVE BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT. ADVANCE BOOKINGS BE MADE TO THE DEPARTMENT'S CONSERVATION EDUCATION UNIT ON 3-7332121.

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