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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will extend opening hours and make special arrangements at some of its venues for the public to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Details of extended opening hours and special arrangements of selected venues are as follows:
September 21-23
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Sha Tin Park
September 21 and 23: 6.30am to midnight (extended by one hour)
September 22: 6.30am to 1am (extended by two hours)
North District Park
6am to midnight (extended by one hour)
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)
Tsing Yi Northeast Park
5.30am to midnight (extended by half an hour)
September 21 and 22
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Fung Tak Park
6.30am to midnight (extended by one hour)
September 22 (Mid-Autumn Festival)
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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)
West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade
6am to midnight (extended by one hour)
September 23 (The day after Mid-Autumn Festival)
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Victoria Park Central Lawn
Temporarily closed from 2am to 5am for cleaning operation
Shek O Beach
Partially closed from 3am to 5am for cleaning operation
The LCSD urges people to keep places clean and tidy and not to burn wax when celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.
A spokesman for the LCSD said that patrols would be stepped up at the department's venues including parks, public beaches and barbecue sites from September 21 to 23. On those three nights, about 1,000 staff would be deployed to take enforcement action against people involved in littering and wax-burning.
He said, "People should wrap and properly dispose of their rubbish in litter bins."
He stressed that littering offenders would be issued with fixed penalty notices with a fine of $1,500 while those who burnt wax would be prosecuted.
"We call on people not to burn wax when celebrating the festival. They should not sprinkle or pour liquids onto hot wax, which might cause injuries or damage to property.
"People should not place lit candles on the 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 after the containers cool down," the spokesman said.
According to the Pleasure Grounds Regulation, no person shall, in any pleasure ground, melt or burn any wax; or sprinkle or pour any liquid onto any hot wax. According to the Bathing Beaches Regulation, no person shall, on any bathing beach, do any act which is likely to endanger or obstruct any other person using the beach; or damage, deface or pollute the beach or anything situated thereon. Any person who contravenes the above regulations and is convicted is liable to a maximum fine of $2,000 and 14 days' imprisonment.
The spokesman said people could report wax burning cases at LCSD venues by calling the department's hotline 2414 5555 from 7pm to midnight between September 21 and 23. LCSD staff would then be deployed to the scene to take appropriate action.
Ends/Thursday, September 16, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:33
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