XN000022-1994-03-18 — Page 11

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1994

AREA CHANGES OF TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK PROPOSED

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THE GOVERNMENT IS PROPOSING SOME CHANGES ΤΟ THE ΤΑΙ LAM COUNTRY PARK AREA TO BRING ABOUT EXTENSION AT TAI TONG TO MEET THE INCREASING PUBLIC DEMAND FOR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN THE NORTH

WEST NEW TERRITORIES.

PROPOSALS ARE ALSO MADE TO EXCISE A SMALL PART OF THE ΤΑΙ LAM COUNTRY PARK AT MA ON KONG TO THE PROPOSED ROUTE 3 DEVELOPMENT AND TO EXTEND A BIGGER AREA NEARBY TO MAKE UP FOR THIS LOSS OF COUNTRY PARK LAND.

SENIOR COUNTRY PARKS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT (AFD), MR WONG FOOK-YEE, TODAY (FRIDAY) SAID ONE PROPOSAL WAS TO EXTEND THE ΤΑΙ LAM COUNTRY PARK TO COVER 38 HECTARES OF LAND AT TAI TONG AREA WHICH WAS FORMERLY A BORROWED AREA.

HE SAID THE AREA CONSISTED OF A SERIES OF PLATFORMS LEFT BEHIND BY BORROWING ACTIVITIES, OF WHICH 29 HECTARES OF THE LAND HAD BEEN ALLOCATED ΤΟ AFD SINCE EARLY 1980'S FOR AFFORESTATION AND RECREATION USES.

THE AREA WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DEVELOPED BY AFD INTO COUNTRYSIDE RECREATION AREA WITH BARBECUE SITES, GAMES AREA, NATURE TRAIL, TREE WALK AND VIEWING POINTS. FACILITIES INCLUDE PUBLIC TOILETS, PAVILION AND SHELTERS, INFORMATION BOARDS, WAYMARKERS AND ACCESS ROADS AND PATHS.

THE PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK AT ΤΑΙ TONG WILL BRING THE AREA UNDER THE PROTECTION AND CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY PARKS ORDINANCE.

THE GOVERNMENT ALSO PLANS ΤΟ EXCISE AN AREA OF ABOUT 1.8 HECTARES FROM THE TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK NEAR MA ON KONG TO THE ROUTE 3 DEVELOPMENT.

TO MAKE UP THE LOSS OF COUNTRY PARK LAND, A MUCH BIGGER EXTENSION OF THE COUNTRY PARK IN THE NEARBY AREA TO COVER ABOUT 4.5 HECTARES OF WOODLAND 1S ALSO PROPOSED.

MR WONG SAID THE EXCISED AREA WAS AT PRESENT COVERED BY SHRUBS AND WAS NOT A POPULAR PLACE FOR COUNTRY PARK VISITORS.

THE PROPOSED CHANGES HAD TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION COMMUNITY NEEDS, PUBLIC INTERESTS AND THE LACK OF ALTERNATIVES, HE ADDED.

ANY PERSON WHO WISHES TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THESE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE WELCOME TO SEND IN THEIR COMMENT ON OR BEFORE APRIL 27 TO THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, 14TH FLOOR, CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT OFFICES, 393 CANTON ROAD, KOWLOON.

ALL VIEWS WILL BE CONSIDERED BEFORE A DRAFT REPLACEMENT MAP FOR TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK IS PROPOSED. IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LEGAL

RAISE PROCEDURES WHICH ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO

FORMAL OBJECTION ΤΟ THE DRAFT MAP WHEN IT IS GAZETTED.

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