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A new public pier to serve Peng Chau residents and visitors opened today (January 15), marking the completion of 20 months of reconstruction works.

For more than 50 years, the old pier was the major facility for loading and unloading of goods in Peng Chau and running kaito operations between it and other islands.

"The Government gave thorough consideration to functional needs and economic effectiveness in reconstructing the pier to make it both functionally efficient and structurally safe," a spokesman for the Civil Engineering Department said.

Defects in the reinforced concrete structure of the old pier, such as reinforcement corrosion and concrete spalling, occurred frequently. This seriously affected the structural safety of the pier and necessitated frequent large-scale maintenance work, the spokesman said.

The Government decided that instead of carrying out further maintenance, it would be more cost-effective to rebuild the pier. The works, which cost $19 million, began in May 2002.

Reconstruction has increased the area of the new pier by 40%. The structure comprises three berths and a new roof and is more spacious and user-friendly. Different textures and forms were used to make the pier aesthetically pleasing.

The pier is built on piles to avoid causing hindrance to water circulation and dredging of mud from the seabed. These aspects are especially beneficial to nearby marine habitats.

During construction, the environmental impact was closely monitored to ensure that water quality was not affected by the works, the spokesman added.

Ends/Thursday, January 15, 2004

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