ENG-1997 — Page 333

THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME

duathlon on the North Lantau Expressway on April 20; the Tsing Ma Bridge Marathon and 10 Km Race on May 4— the largest single individual participation event in the history of running in Hong Kong with over 5 000 local and overseas runners from 14 countries and the Community Chest Lantau Link Walk on May 11, with around 80 000 members of the public participating.

The pinnacle of the celebration programme was the Lantau Link Opening Ceremony. About 1 000 guests, including mayors and representatives from overseas cities that have famous bridges and people in Hong Kong who have contributed to the ACP over the years, witnessed the ceremony on the evening of April 27.

The ceremony was built around a theme of community participation, and symbolised the land, sea, and air components highways, tunnels, reclamations, bridges and the airport of the ACP. The colourful programme featured a 30- minute land parade by 1 100 people representing Hong Kong's 18 districts, a fly-past by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, a flotilla of boats representing the marine community, lighting-up of the Link, and a car procession over the Link by members of the international community in Hong Kong as well as beneficiaries of the Community Chest. The grand finale was a 20-minute fireworks and laser display, which included a spectacular 'waterfall' of fireworks cascading from the deck of the Tsing Ma Bridge.

To provide a vantage point for the public to view the Lantau Link, NAPCO has established public facilities at north-west Tsing Yi which include a Viewing Platform and a Visitors Centre. These were well received by the public, attracting more than 639 000 visitors since their opening in May and August, respectively. Meanwhile, the ACP Exhibition Centre at Ting Kau remained popular, with over 437 000 members of the public visiting it in 1997.

Visits to and briefings on the ACP were given to a wide range of local and overseas guests, including members of the Provisional Legislative Council, the two Provisional Municipal Councils and the 18 Provisional District Boards, and the Airport Consultative Committee; overseas government officials and parliamentary members; major business, professional and financial groups; consular representatives; and the news media. In June 1997, an ACP presentation was given at a Minister-Industry Symposium in Canada attended by over 600 government officials and business leaders from 18 member economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation.

The AA provided a wide range of programmes to cater for the immense local and international interest in the new airport. In June and July, about 30 000 people visited the new airport through the 'Getting to Know Our New Airport' programme jointly organised by the AA and Home Affairs Department. Press releases and promotional publications such as brochures, leaflets and newsletters were issued throughout the year to publicise ACP works progress. Videos on the ACP, the new airport and the Tsing Ma Bridge were updated and an ACP home page was established, in addition to the AA pages on the Internet.

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