XN000022-1990-03-18 — Page 3

SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 1990

THE

ONE OBJECTIVE OF ESTABLISHING

COUNTRYSIDE CENTRE IS ΤΟ PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE RURAL HERITAGE, FARMING, FISHING AND COUNTRYSIDE RESOURCES OF HONG KONG TO THE PUBLIC.

THE CENTRE CAN ALSO PROVIDE A BASE FOR UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC AND FIELD STUDIES AS WELL AS A BASE FOR SCHOOLS AND ORGANISED GROUPS TO PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICAL COUNTRYSIDE CONSERVATION WORK SUCH AS LITTER COLLECTION, TREE PLANTING AND TREE TENDING.

BESIDES, IT WILL SERVE AS A CONSERVATION CENTRE TO PRESERVE RARE AND VALUABLE PLANTS NATIVE TO HONG KONG IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING INFORMAL OUTDOOR RECREATION FACILITIES FOR THE PUBLIC.

PARTS:

THE PLANNED COUNTRYSIDE CENTRE WILL CONSIST OF FOUR

INTEGRAL

AN EXHIBITION CENTRE OF ABOUT 650 SQUARE METRES FOR THE DISPLAY OF MATERIALS RELATED TO RURAL HERITAGE, PRIMARY INDUSTRIES, COUNTRYSIDE RESOURCES AND NATURE CONSERVATION, TOGETHER WITH AN AUDIO-VISUAL ROOM;

* A FIELD AND OUTDOOR DISPLAY AREA FEATURING

FRUIT ORCHARDS,

AN ARBORETUM, AN INSECT HOUSE, A ROCKS AND MINERAL GARDEN, A CHINESE MEDICINAL PLANTS GARDEN, A DEMONSTRATION FIELD FOR ECONOMIC PLANTS, A DEMONSTRATION TREE NURSERY AND MANAGED WOODLAND;

A PRIMARY FOOTPATH SYSTEM DIRECTING VISITORS TO MAJOR OUTDOOR FIELD DISPLAY AREAS AND PUBLIC FACILITIES (ALONG THESE PATHS, ON-SITE INTERPRETATION MATERIALS WILL BE PROVIDED AND GUIDED WALKS FOR SCHOOL PARTIES AND ORGANISED GROUPS WILL BE CONDUCTED); AND

PUBLIC AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES SUCH AS SHELTERS, REFRESHMENT KIOSK, PICNIC SITES, TOILETS AND PARKING SPACES.

IT IS INITIALLY ESTIMATED THAT THE WHOLE PROJECT WILL COST SOME $12 MILLION OF WHICH ABOUT $5.5 MILLION IS THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THE EXHIBITION CENTRE.

CONSTRUCTION WORK OF THE EXHIBITION CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO START IN JUNE THIS YEAR AND BE COMPLETED BY MID-1991.

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