ENG-1991 — Page 397

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RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

Urban Council Parks

The Urban Council has an extensive building programme for large modern parks. The first of these Kowloon Park - features many special attractions including a sports complex with an ultra-modern Olympic pool, indoor and outdoor leisure pools and an air- conditioned indoor games hall. There is also a history museum, an aviary, a popular bird lake, a sculpture walk, a creative playground and a garden piazza suitable for staging a wide range of culture and entertainment activities.

A second major park located on Hong Kong Island, namely Hong Kong Park, was opened to the public in May 1991. It was constructed as a joint venture between the Urban Council and the Jockey Club, which donated $170 million of the total cost of $398 million. Among the park's more unusual attractions are a 3 000 square metre walk-in aviary, a multi-climate conservatory and some spectacular water features. The existing Museum of Tea Ware and Squash Centre are also part of the park. Educational activities are organised in the park for schoolchildren, with emphasis on the need to conserve the natural environ- ment and wildlife resources.

Meanwhile, planning has also started for the third major park on the historical site of Lye Mun Barracks. As a short-term project, the site has been developed into a park-cum-holiday village, the first in the urban areas. In the long term, the project is expected to provide other attractions such as a horse riding school, a zoological garden, a military museum, an astronomical observatory and other sports facilities.

Zoological and Botanical Gardens

Managed by the Urban Council, the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens are the oldest and among the most popular public gardens in the territory. Situated on a 5.35 hectare site overlooking Government House, the gardens contain a wide variety of plants and animals, and are notable for their pleasant environment and imaginative use of space.

The gardens were constructed between 1861 and 1871 and are divided by Albany Road. The Old Garden, on the east side of the road, houses an extensive bird collection while the New Garden, opened in 1871, is the home for the mammals. The botanical section is mainly located in the Old Garden.

The Urban Council puts considerable emphasis on the breeding and conservation of endangered species. The gardens house 18 endangered species of mammals, birds and reptiles and, despite the urban environment, are a most successful breeding centre. This fact has been recognised by increased breeding loans arranged through the relevant Interna- tional Breeding Programmes for Endangered Species.

The bird collection is one of the most comprehensive in Asia, with over 1000 birds of 300 different species. Though less comprehensive, the mammal collection is varied and interesting including such diverse creatures as the echidna, an egg-laying mammal, and the world's third largest cat, the jaguar. As the sale and transfer of stock between countries is becoming increasingly difficult, in-house breeding is now essential and has resulted in the development of local expertise in husbandry, aided by improved veterinary support for monitoring health and diagnostic laboratory work.

The gardens also feature more than 500 species of trees and shrubs. The Fountain Terrace features a large central fountain, and the landscaped surrounds include more than 250 species of ornamental shrubs and flowering plants.