Tolo Harbour has so much potential

I refer to Tim Hamlett's column headlined 'Recreational boating dream drifting away' (South China Morning Post, May 28).

I fully agree with Mr Hamlett. Why has Tolo Harbour not been more fully developed for recreational boating? The stumbling block, as far as I know, is that additional land and facilities for recreational boating are simply not available in Tolo Harbour.

For example, why are we not using Plover Cove Reservoir for windsurfing and dinghy sailing? Does the Government plan to make available other government-managed facilities to be used and developed by clubs catering for grassroots recreational boating? Does it have realistic plans for further development of recreational boating in Tolo Harbour? If so what are they?

I suggest that what we as a community need to envision, and to lobby for, is enabling as many people as possible to participate in a wide range of recreational-watersports activities centred in a number of locations around Tolo Harbour.

This could include dinghy sailing, windsurfing, shore storage, mooring and service facilities for sailing and power yachts. Land and basic infrastructure needed for facilities should be provided by the Government and further developed by grassroots recreational-boating clubs catering for specific watersports activities.

PAUL TARRANT