The Civil Engineering and Development Department has completed the works under Greening Master Plan (GMP) in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central, as part of its efforts to enhance the greening environment of Hong Kong.
The works include planting about 600 trees and 160,000 shrubs in Tsim Sha Tsui and about 300 trees and 50,000 shrubs in Central.
Addressing the planting ceremony for Greening Master Plan in Central, the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Chai Sung-veng, said today (April 26) that the planting ceremony laid an important milestone in the history of GMP projects in Hong Kong, indicating the efforts and fruitful results of greening works by various sectors in the community.
He said the urban area in Hong Kong was well developed. To enhance urban greening, the Government established an inter-departmental Greening Master Plan Committee in August 2004 to oversee the development and implementation of GMP in selected urban districts.
"GMP aims to define an overall greening framework by identifying suitable locations for planting with desirable themes and species, thus paving the way for continuous and consistent results in enhancing the green environment of the urban area," he said.
He said that GMPs were first developed for two prime tourist and commercial districts, Tsim Sha Tsui and Central. The total cost of the works for these two districts was about $18 million. To reflect and highlight Central's role as the financial centre of Hong Kong, the GMP for Central adopts "Heart of Gold" as the theme, which is realized through plants with golden, yellow, orange and red colour. Predominant planting sites cover Central piers and promenade area, Connaught Road Central and Admiralty. At both sides of the covered footbridge connecting International Finance Centre and the Central piers promenade, flowering shrubs including Bouginvillea Glabra in red and Lxora Coccinea 'Lutea' in yellow, were planted to enhance the aesthetic of the footbridge. This is a good example to illustrate planting theme "Heart of Gold".
Mr Chai said that in view of the favourable response and general support from the public, the department had already embarked on the development of GMPs for Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei, Sheung Wan, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, targeted for completion by early 2008.
The department also aimed to complete the development of GMPs for the remaining urban areas in Kowloon East, Kowloon West and Hong Kong Island by mid 2009. Besides, there is intention to extend the GMP to the New Territories areas.
Mr Chai thanked the Central and Western District Council, district organisations and local community for their advice and support during the design and construction of the project. He also thanked the residents for their forbearance to the inconvenience and disruption caused as well as their understanding of the difficulties encountered by the government and the contractor.
Also attending the ceremony were the Chairman of Central and Western District Council, Mr Chan Tak-chor; Deputy Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works (Works), Miss Janet Wong; District Officer of Central and Western, Miss Eliza Yau; Central & Western District Council members; Chung Wan and Mid-levels Area Committee members and the GMP Committee members.
Ends/Thursday, April 26, 2007