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The Central Police Station (CPS) Open Days has been successfully held during the past three weekends (January 22-23 and 29-30, 2005 and February 5-6, 2005), with more than 5,700 visitors and about 1,000 opinion collection forms received.

"The Government will continue to collect public views on the Project until the end of May this year. Thereafter we will carefully examine the views received and consider the way ahead," the Commissioner for Tourism, Ms Eva Cheng, said today (February 7).

The Open Days were co-organised by the Tourism Commission, the Central and Western District Council, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects and the Conservancy Association. The objective of the Open Days is to allow more people to understand the history of the compound and the current conditions of the site, and to gauge their views on the future usage of the site.

As a highlight of the event, a public workshop was held yesterday at the former Central Magistracy, with about 100 participants from the general public, interested parties and professional bodies. It provided a good opportunity for participants from different background to discuss the future usage of the site and important matters to be considered in taking forward the project. To gauge public views on the future usage of the site, an open-ended opinion collection form, agreed by all four co-organisers, has been distributed during the Open Days.

Ms Cheng stressed that the Government does not have a firm time-table for the tendering at this stage. "On the question of whether the development should be non-profit-making or commercial in nature, the Government is open-minded. The most important issue is the quality of the proposals. Members of the public are invited to continue to send their views to us until end of May. The Government will consider all views carefully before finalising the tendering arrangements," she added.

For those who have not visited the CPS Compound on the Open Days, virtual tours for the CPS Compound are available at www.cps.gov.hk. Highlights of the Open Days (including the Talk Show - "Those were the days ...") will also be launched on the website soon. Views on the usage of the site can be sent to the Tourism Commission through e-mail (tcenq@edlb.gov.hk), fax (2801 4458) and mail (2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, Lower Albert Road, Hong Kong).

Ends/ Monday, February 7, 2005

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