XN000022-1987-12-13 — Page 2

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1987

NEW VISITOR CENTRE FOR TAI MO SHAN COUNTRY PARK

THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED A $4.5 MILLION PROJECT TO CONSTRUCT ANOTHER MAJOR PUPOSE-BUILT VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE IN HONG KONG'S COUNTRY PARKS SYSTEM.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW CENTRE AT TAI MO SHAN COUNTRY PARK WAS APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE LAST WEDNESDAY.

IT WILL BRING ΤΟ FOUR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PURPOSE-BUILT INFORMATION CENTRES IN POPULAR COUNTRY PARKS, THE EXISTING THREE AT PAK TAM CHUNG, SAI KUNG; AT SHING MUN AND AT CLEARWATER BAY.

ARE

THE SAI KUNG CENTRE WAS COMPLETED IN 1985 WHILE THE SHING MUN CENTRE WAS OPENED JUST FIVE MONTHS AGO. THE CLEARWATER BAY CENTRE, DONATED BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON, WAS OPENED IN APRIL THIS YEAR.

THERE ARE TWO SMALLER VISITOR CENTRES AT ABERDEEN AND TAI MBI TUK, BOTH WERE CONVERTED FROM OLD OFFICE BUILDINGS.

ANNOUNCING THE PROJECT TODAY (SUNDAY), THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS) OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MR K.C. IU, SAID THE NEW CENTRE WOULD OCCUPY A 370 SQUARE-METRE SITE NEAR THE ENTRANCE ON TAI MO SHAN ROAD AND CONSTRUCTION WORK WOULD TAKE TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.

WHEN OPENED IN 1989/90, THE NEW CENTRE WILL PROVIDE THE EVER GROWING NUMBER OF PARK VISITORS WITH USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT TAI MO SHAN AND NEARBY COUNTRY PARKS AND THE MANY ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR ENJOYMENT.

COUNTRYSIDE, FROM LITTER,

MR IU SAID THE NEW CENTRE WOULD ALSO SERVE THE PURPOSES OF PROMOTING VISITORS' INTEREST IN AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE AND EDUCATING THEM TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY PARK ESTATE FIRE AND VANDALISM.

FURTHER

"THE TAI MO SHAN VISITOR CENTRE IS PART OF A FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR LOCAL COUNTRY PARKS IN WHICH MUCH EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE PROVISION OF VISITOR INFORMATION.

"THE PROGRAMME INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE NEW VISITOR CENTRES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL COUNTRYSIDE EDUCATION AND VISITOR INFORMATION OUTLETS, THE TAI MO SHAN CENTRE 19 THE SECOND OF THE THREE NEW CENTRES SO PLANNED, AFTER THE ONE AT SHING MUN," MR IU ADDED.

THE $4.5 MILLION VISITOR CENTRE WILL SERVE THE TAI MO SHAN AND NEARBY TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK. BOTH PARKS ARE PARTICULARLY POPULAR WITH VISITORS IN VIEW OF THEIR CENTRAL LOCATIONS AND EASY ACCESSIBILITY. THEY ATTRACTED AN AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL OF MORE THAN 292,000 VISITORS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

/MA

MA IU ...............

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