The Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Ngong Ping, Lantau today (September 24) to understand the latest developments in the area.
Accompanied by Vice-chairman of Islands District Council, Ms Chau Chuen-heung, and District Officer (Islands), Mr Byron Lam, Mrs Lam inspected the work site of Ngong Ping Landscaped Piazza and received an update on the work progress by officers of Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and Architectural Services Department (ArchSD).
The piazza, of about 1.52 hectares, will feature a landscaped Chinese-style garden with a pavilion, as well as a lotus pond and ramp of the existing Di Tan. A central pedestrian Bodhi Path with stone status and light pillars on each side will form the entrance of the piazza. The design will harmonise with the religious setting of the surrounding environment.
Mrs Lam learnt that the piazza would become another major tourist attraction to complement the diversity of other attractions in the area, including the Po Lin Monastery, the Giant Buddha and Ngong Ping 360. The project, with a total cost of about $72 million, was scheduled for completion in April 2010.
Mrs Lam then proceeded to Wisdom Path, where she was briefed by ArchSD and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) officers on the management and maintenance of the 38 outdoor timber columns which feature the inscription of the calligraphic work of Heart Sutra by Professor Jao Tsung-I. The columns, measuring 8-12 metres tall, were arranged to correspond to the topography of the landscape, and in a figure-of-eight configuration symbolising infinity.
At today's visit, Mrs Lam also took the opportunity to tour Ngong Ping Village, AFCD's Ngong Ping Nature Centre and the temple halls of Po Lin Monastery.
Ends/Thursday, September 24, 2009
Issued at HKT 20:03
NNNN