The newly renovated Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark Visitor Centre, located in the Lions Nature Education Centre in Sai Kung, will be reopened on February 7 to showcase new exhibits which tell the story of Hong Kong's geology vividly.
 
     The Visitor Centre will display two very old iconic types of rock. One of the rocks is a fragment from the Acasta Gneiss, which is the oldest known rock in the world. The other rock is a fragment from the Baijiafen Gneiss, one of the oldest known rocks in China. These rocks on display are both gneiss, which is a type of metamorphic rock formed by regional metamorphism at convergent plate boundaries. These valuable rocks are estimated to be 3.9 billion and 3.0 billion years old respectively and can help reflect the conditions on the early surface of the planet.
 
     In addition, the Visitor Centre will showcase three sets of newly hand-made 3D miniature models which allow the public to learn about the changes and characteristics of Hong Kong's geology in different dimensions. The models demonstrate the cross sections of various geological characteristics, enabling visitors to understand the processes and patterns in the transformation of the geological features intuitively. The three models will show some of the well-known geological structures in Hong Kong, including the hexagonal rock columns as well as the youngest and oldest outcrops in Hong Kong.
 
     Visitors can also take part in the newly set up interactive display called "The many adventures of magma", which introduces the magma in different parts of the Earth and the rock cycle to enhance the public's understanding about geology.
 
     Furthermore, the Visitor Centre will in particular present some historical items used by residents of Sai Kung, reflecting the culture and human history of the Sai Kung volcanic rock region. Visitors can then learn about the intangible culture and traditions of Sai Kung as well as the related stories.
 
     For more details on the Visitor Centre, please visit the website: geopark.gov.hk/en_s2d.htm.

    

     The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (February 1) that two residential sites in the 2018-19 Land Sale Programme will be disposed of by public tender.

     The two sites are Lot No. 5382 in Demarcation District No. 116 at Tai Kei Leng, Yuen Long, New Territories, and New Kowloon Inland Lot No. 6576 at Kai Tak Area 4B Site 1, Kai Tak, Kowloon. The tender invitation for Lot No. 5382 in Demarcation District No. 116 will commence on February 8 and close on March 8. The tender invitation for New Kowloon Inland Lot No. 6576 will commence on February 8 and close on March 22.

     Lot No. 5382 in Demarcation District No. 116 has a site area of about 1,119 square metres and is designated for private residential purposes. The minimum gross floor area is 2,350 sq m and the maximum gross floor area that may be attained is 3,916.5 sq m.
      
     New Kowloon Inland Lot No. 6576 has a site area of about 9,583 sq m and is designated for private residential purposes. The minimum gross floor area is 40,249 sq m and the maximum gross floor area that may be attained is 67,081 sq m.
      
     Land sale documents including the Forms of Tender, the Tender Notices, the Conditions of Sale and the sale plans of the two lots will be available for downloading from the LandsD website (www.landsd.gov.hk), and the sale plans will be available for distribution and inspection by the public from February 8, when the particulars of the tenders will also be gazetted.
    

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements in Tsim Sha Tsui on February 5 (Tuesday) to facilitate members of the public to watch the International Chinese New Year Night Parade.

Phase One (from 4.30pm onwards)
——————————-

A. Road closure

1. Southbound Canton Road between Kowloon Park Drive and Salisbury Road;
2. Southbound Kowloon Park Drive between Peking Road and Salisbury Road;
3. Ashley Road between Haiphong Road and Peking Road;
4. Hankow Road;
5. Lock Road;
6. Northbound Nathan Road between Bowring Street and Salisbury Road;
7. Southbound Nathan Road between Granville Road and Salisbury Road;
8. Westbound Kimberley Road between Carnarvon Road and Nathan Road;
9. Cameron Lane;
10. Eastbound Cameron Road between Nathan Road and Carnarvon Road;
11. Haiphong Road;
12. Humphreys Avenue;
13. Ichang Street;
14. Mody Road between Nathan Road and Bristol Avenue;
15. Peking Road between Ashley Road and Nathan Road;
16. Peking Road between Canton Road and Kowloon Park Drive;
17. Middle Road between Ashley Road and Salisbury Road;
18. Eastbound Salisbury Road between Canton Road and Chatham Road South;
19. Star Ferry Pier Bus Terminus;
20. The first lane of westbound Salisbury Road between Nathan Road and Kowloon Park Drive, including Hong Kong Culture Centre pick-up/drop-off lay-by area;
21. Westbound Salisbury Road between Kowloon Park Drive and Canton Road; and
22. Salisbury Road Underpass.

B. Traffic diversions

1. Traffic along southbound Canton Road will be diverted to northbound Canton Road outside China Hong Kong City;
2. Traffic along southbound Kowloon Park Drive will be diverted to eastbound Peking Road;
3. Traffic along eastbound Peking Road will be diverted to southbound Ashley Road;
4. Traffic along southbound Ashley Road will be diverted to westbound Middle Road;
5. Traffic along westbound Middle Road will be diverted to northbound Kowloon Park Drive;
6. Traffic along northbound Kowloon Park Drive cannot turn to southbound Canton Road;
7. Traffic along southbound Nathan Road must turn to eastbound Granville Road where the road will be re-routed to one-way eastbound;
8. Traffic along westbound Salisbury Road cannot turn right to northbound Nathan Road;
9. Traffic along westbound Salisbury Road must turn right to northbound Kowloon Park Drive; and
10. Traffic along northbound Carnarvon Road must turn right to eastbound Kimberley Road.

Phase Two (from 7pm onwards)
—————————-  

A. Road closure

1. Northbound Kowloon Park Drive between Middle Road and Salisbury Road; and
2. Westbound Salisbury Road between Kowloon Park Drive and Chatham Road South.

B. Traffic diversions

1. Traffic along westbound Salisbury Road must turn right to northbound Chatham Road South; and
2. Traffic along southbound Chatham Road South must turn left to eastbound Salisbury Road.

Hotel access
————-

     Vehicular access to and from hotels within the affected area will not be permitted during the road closure period. Vehicles bearing a hotel logo will only be allowed to drop off passengers at the following locations before the road closure implementation:

1. The junction of Peking Road and Kowloon Park Drive; and
2. The junction of Mody Road and Chatham Road South.

Suspension of car parks
———————–

     Car parks in the affected area will be suspended during the road closure period.

Suspension of on-street parking spaces
————————————–  
     
     All on-street parking spaces in the southern area of Tsim Sha Tsui (i.e. south of Austin Road and Cheong Wan Road) will be suspended from 2pm to midnight.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precinct of the above area will be towed away without prior notice.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of Police on site.

     Police will implement crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements from February 4 to February 17 to facilitate worshippers visiting the Wong Tai Sin Temple during the Lunar New Year period.

     Crowd safety management measures will be put into force from 9pm on February 4 to 7pm the following day, and daily between 7am and 7pm from February 6 to 10 as well as February 16 to 17. Police will set up queuing areas at Wong Tai Sin Temple Court, Wong Tai Sin Square, and northern pavement of Lung Cheung Road.

     Should the temple be overcrowded, a “tidal flow system” will be carried out and Police officers will direct worshippers to enter the temple in groups. Worshippers are urged to follow the advice given by Police officers and take extra care of their personal belongings as well as their young children and elderly companions, and handle joss stick with care.

     The following special traffic arrangements will be implemented from 9pm on February 4 to 7pm the following day, and daily between 7am and 7pm from February 6 to 10 as well as February 16 to 17:

– Shatin Pass Road between Lung Cheung Road and Fung Tak Road will be closed, except for green minibuses and vehicles with permit;
– The unnamed road connecting Wong Tai Sin Road and Wong Tai Sin Temple will be closed, except for coaches, goods vehicles with valid monthly parking ticket, vehicles of Sik Sik Yuen and designated vehicles entering and leaving the construction site of MTR Shatin to Central Link; and
– Vehicles cannot park or wait at Wong Tai Sin Road between Shatin Pass Road and Nga Chuk Street, except for taxi passengers alighting at the temporary taxi drop-off point at westbound Wong Tai Sin Road.

     Police will continue traffic enforcement action during the Lunar New Year period, including issuing fixed penalty tickets and towing away illegally parked vehicles without prior warning.

     Actual implementation of the crowd safety management measures and traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Members of the public are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (February 1) reminded the public that special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in So Kon Po and Causeway Bay next Tuesday (February 5) and Thursday (February 7) to facilitate the holding of the Lunar New Year Cup at Hong Kong Stadium.

     The special traffic and transport arrangements mainly include:

* From about 4pm, the section of Caroline Hill Road between Leighton Road and Cotton Path, and the section of Hysan Avenue westbound between Sunning Road and Hoi Ping Road, will be closed;

* From about 7.15pm, Caroline Hill Road, Cotton Path and the section of Eastern Hospital Road between Caroline Hill Road and Cotton Path will be closed to facilitate the dispersal of spectators, until the crowd disperses and road closures are lifted;

* During the road closure period, Citybus route 5B, New World First Bus route 8H, cross harbour route 936, green minibus routes 14M, 26 and 30 will be temporarily diverted;

* Cross harbour route 117R will operate from Hong Kong Stadium to Mong Kok after the event; and

* On-street car parking spaces and car parks within the affected areas will be suspended.

     The TD anticipates that the traffic in the vicinity of So Kon Po and Causeway Bay will be congested. Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas. In case of traffic congestion, motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of the Police. Members of the public planning to go to the affected areas are advised to use public transport as far as possible.

     The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary.

     Members of the public are advised to stay alert to the latest traffic news on radio and television.

     Details of the special traffic and transport arrangements are now available on the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk).