The Civil Engineering and Development Department has completed the Greening Master Plan (GMP) planting works 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. The total cost of the works was about $18 million.
Addressing the planting ceremony for Greening Master Plan in Tsim Sha Tsui, the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Chai Sung-veng, said today (March 29) 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 had 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 theme for Tsim Sha Tsui GMP is "Jade Necklace" under which new planting areas are incorporated to link up the existing major greening spots such as Kowloon Park, Centenary Garden and Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade to form a greening network.
Major greening works were carried out in Jordan Road, Nathan Road, Kowloon Park Drive, Salisbury Road and Chatham Road South. Main tree species planted include Cinnamomum Camphora, Ficus Benjamina, Cinnamomum Burmannii and Spathodea Campanulata.
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.
Mr Chai thanked the Yau Tsim Mong 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 contractors.
The officiating guests of the planting ceremony included the Chairman of Yau Tsim Mong District Council, Mr Chan Man-yu; Deputy Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works (Works), Miss Janet Wong; Acting District Officer of Yau Tsim Mong, Mr Chris Fung; Yau Tsim Mong District Council members; Yau Tsim Mong South Area Committee members and members of the GMP Committee.
Ends/Thursday, March 29, 2007