The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, officiated at the opening ceremony for an inclusive playground in Tuen Mun Park today (December 17). The playground was built with the collaboration of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Architectural Services Department under a pilot scheme adopting the winning concepts of the Inclusive Play Space Design Ideas Competition co-organised by the Playright Children's Play Association (Playright), the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF HK) and the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA), as well as incorporating opinions from children in Tuen Mun District.
Speaking as the Chairperson of the Commission on Children, Mr Cheung said at the opening ceremony that the Government has always attached great importance to children's physical and mental development. By implementing this pilot scheme, the LCSD will continue to inject more dynamic and vibrant elements into children's playgrounds with a view to further enriching and enhancing children's play experience. The playground is the first barrier-free play space for children in Hong Kong incorporating two natural elements, water and sand, in its design. It provides diverse inclusive play facilities which not only offer children of different ages and abilities the opportunity to have an equal play experience, but also inspire their imagination and curiosity to explore, and thereby enjoy the fun of playing.
Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah; the Director of Architectural Services, Mrs Sylvia Lam; the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services), Ms Ida Lee; the Chairman of Tuen Mun District Council, Mr Leung Kin-man; the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of Playright, Dr Chow Chun-bong; the Chairman of the Advocacy and Public Relations Committee of UNICEF HK, Miss Au King-chi; Council Member of HKILA, Mr Paul Chan; and the Treasurer of Advisory Committee of the Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation, Mrs Daisy Chen.
Mr Cheung then toured the playground with the other officiating guests, members of the Commission on Children and representatives of Playright, while many children were having great fun with the water and sand, as well as with the various facilities of the playground.
The inclusive playground in Tuen Mun Park has been open for public use since December 3. It is composed of two portions – the Southern Portion and the Northern Portion – with the design concepts of Water Lily Park and "Reptile Fun" respectively. A total of seven play zones are provided, namely the Flower Dew Plaza, the Contour Play Zone and the Musical Zone in the Northern Portion, as well as the Egg Hunter area, the Reptile Paradise, the Spinning Zone and the Sensory Zone in the Southern Portion. Moreover, a swing area is provided adjacent to the Southern Portion of the playground, featuring two sets of swings including a nest swing, a swing seat and a parent-child swing to cater for the needs of different users. The overall layout of the playground and its play components are specifically designed for children with different physical abilities.
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