************************************************************
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will extend opening hours and make special arrangements at some of its parks for people to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Details of the special opening arrangements are as follow:
September 24 to 26
-----------------------
Tsuen Wan Park
6.30am to midnight (extended by one hour)
Jockey Club Tak Wah Park
6.30am to midnight (extended by one hour)
Tsing Yi Park
5.30am to midnight (extended by half an hour)
North District Park
Phase I: 6am to midnight (extended by one hour)
Fung Tak Park
6.30am to midnight (extended by one hour)
September 25 (Mid-Autumn Festival)
---------------------------------------------
Sha Tin Park
6.30am to 12.30am (extended by one and a half hours)
Hong Kong Park
- Outdoor facilities
6am to midnight (extended by one hour)
Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens
- Fountain Terrace Garden
6am to midnight (extended by two hours)
Shek O Beach
Partially closed from 3am to 5am on September 26 for cleaning operation
Victoria Park Central Lawn
Temporarily closed from 2am to 5am on September 26 for cleaning operation
While welcoming people to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in its venues, the department warned it would not tolerate littering or burning of wax.
The department will step up patrols in its venues including parks, public beaches and barbecue sites from September 24 to 26. On those three nights, around 1,000 staff will be deployed to take enforcement action against people who litter or burn wax.
A spokesman for the department reminded that littering offenders would be issued with $1,500 fixed-penalty tickets while those who burnt wax would be prosecuted.
"Wax-burning is strictly prohibited. People should not place lit candles on ground and grass pitches of LCSD venues or on beaches. Metal cans or non-flammable containers should be used to collect melted wax for easy disposal into litter bins," the spokesman said.
"They should wrap and properly dispose of their rubbish into litter bins," he said.
Visitors to the department venues should not melt or burn wax, or sprinkle or pour liquids onto hot wax where someone is likely to be injured or property can be damaged.
An offender is liable to a maximum fine of $2,000 and 14 days' jail.
People can report wax burning cases at the department venues by calling the hotline, 2414 5555, which will operate from 7pm to midnight on September 24, 25 and 26. The department staff will then be deployed to the scene to take appropriate enforcement action.
Ends/Thursday, September 20, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:46
NNNN
