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The Tung Chung Community Services Complex was officially opened by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, today (July 10). The complex aims at providing diverse facilities for residents in Tung Chung, as well as venues for social enterprises in the hope of creating job opportunities for the under-privileged groups in the district.
Officiating at the unveiling ceremony, Mr Tsang said the opening of the complex had opened a new chapter in the provision of community services in Tung Chung.
He said he hoped that the facilities would not only benefit the community and enrich the lives of the residents, but also help stimulate employment in the district and enhance residents' sense of belonging to the community.
He said, "With the rapid development and population growth in the Islands District in recent years, there is a greater need for community facilities. Tung Chung, for example, is now home to more than 90,000 people.
"In view of such needs, the Islands District Office actively explored the possibility of converting the former Lantau Operational Base of Traffic New Territories South, Hong Kong Police Force, into the present complex to provide community services for Tung Chung residents and accommodate social enterprises.
"To ensure the provision of appropriate services to suit the needs of the users, the Islands District Office has been working closely with four non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and representatives of local organisations in mapping out the conversion project," Mr Tsang said.
The Islands District Office is co-operating with the four NGOs to provide a wide array of family, child and youth development and vocational development services to Tung Chung residents, including under-privileged groups. Activities ranging from homework tutorials, employees retraining to social inclusion programmes for ethnic minorities are organised for different sectors of the community.
The four NGOs are the Jockey Club Women's Integrated Service Centre of Hong Kong Outlying Islands Women's Association, the YMCA of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Tung Chung Integrated Services, and the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council Tung Chung Integrated Services Centre.
Meanwhile, the four NGOs operate at the complex a variety of social enterprises engaging in different businesses, including an alfresco cafˆm, one-stop beauty workshop, healthcare and massage, trading of second-hand goods, and a food processing plant.
Mr Tsang said he was glad to see that besides providing community services targeting Tung Chung residents, the complex also promotes the development of social enterprises to create more job opportunities for under-privileged groups in the district and help them become self-reliant.
Located near the entrance of Yat Tung Estate in Tung Chung, the Tung Chung Community Services Complex is a three-storey building occupying more than 2,200 square metres. The conversion works for the complex started in October 2007. It has been opened to the public since March this year.
Apart from conference rooms and dancing rooms, the complex is equipped with rooms for various purposes, including gym, music therapy, cooking, training for hotel room attendants and hair stylists, and karaoke, as well as facilities such as an indoor shooting range and outdoor rock climbing wall, offering a wide range of cultural and recreational facilities to residents.
Also officiating at the opening ceremony today were the Chairman of Islands District Council, Mr Lam Wai-keung; District Officer (Islands), Mr Byron Lam; Chairlady of Hong Kong Outlying Islands Women's Association, Ms Chau Chuen-heung; General Manager of Member & Community Services of YMCA of Hong Kong, Dr Alice Yuk; Executive Director of the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council, Mr Tung Chi-fat; and Acting Director of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council, Mr Joseph Man.
Ends/Friday, July 10, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:46
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