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A carnival was held at Tiu Keng Leng Temporary Cycling Park today (February 28) to raise public awareness of safe cycling and road safety.
Tiu Keng Leng Temporary Cycling Park is an ideal venue for cycling in Sai Kung District. Opened in August 2008, it is the first district minor works project under the pilot scheme for Sai Kung District Council, whose facilities include a cycling track, simulated road signs and educational display panels on road safety.
During the planning stage of the project, the Sai Kung District Council first identified an appropriate plot of vacant government land, and then applied for funding for district minor works. It took about a year to complete the process of project planning, technical feasibility study and approval of project funding, expeditiously addressing the needs of the local community for leisure and sitting-out areas.
The Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Pamela Tan, said that the $300 million funding for district minor works projects for the 2008/09 financial year had been allocated to 18 district councils (DC) last April.
"Since the implementation of the district minor works programme, DC members have been actively identifying and initiating new projects to provide or improve local facilities such as development of children's playgrounds, greening as well as beautification projects. A number of the projects have entered into the construction phase," Mrs Tan said.
"The Home Affairs Department will work closely together with District Councils and relevant departments, with a view to expediting the progress of district minor works, improving community facilities and creating job opportunities."
As cycling is very popular with people in Sai Kung, a number of cycling tracks will be built in the district in the near future, including a cycling track on the bridge over Junk Bay. Connecting the existing cycling tracks within the area, this new cycling track will improve the network of cycling tracks in the district, so that local residents can enjoy pleasant and safe cycling.
The Government also plans to build a velodrome and sports stadium near the Tseung Kwun O Sports Ground to further improve the cycling facilities in the area, turning Tseung Kwan O as a safe cycling town.
The carnival, organised by the Sai Kung District Council, aims to raise public awareness of the concept of "safe communities", and to promote its application for designation by the World Health Organisation this year as a "safe community".
The carnival, organised by the Sai Kung District Council, the Police and the Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol, featured a variety of programmes such as a launching ceremony, bicycle patrol, competition on safe cycling gears, test of basic cycling skills for children and booth games.
Ends/Saturday, February 28, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:38
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