Hundreds hike at Tai Tam Country Park to oppose development
About 1,000 people joined a protest hike in Tai Tam Country Park to oppose developing country parks into housing sites after the government floated the idea earlier this month.
About 1,000 people joined a protest hike in Tai Tam Country Park yesterday to oppose developing country parks into housing sites after the government floated the idea earlier this month.
Former Observatory director Lam Chiu-ying was among the hikers at the walk organised by Save Our Country Parks, an alliance of 20 green groups.
Lam warned that if country park land were used to build flats, Hongkongers would face a lack of drinking water.
"Country parks are basically an extension of the reservoirs' water catchment areas," he said. "The water catchment areas are so big because they provide Hongkongers with drinking water … If these areas are used to build houses instead, then Hongkongers can all drink seawater."
Lam's remarks yesterday were a sharp rebuke to Real Estate Developers Association vice-president Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, who on Saturday said maintaining the current ratio of country park land was "impractical and stupid".
"I think Wu has forgotten that humans have to drink water," he said, reiterating that alternatives such as using damaged rural land and the fringes of new towns should be exhausted before considering developing country parks to meet housing demand.