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Jockey Club helps fund new Conservation Building at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden

04/09/2019

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has agreed to donate HK$130 million for creating the Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) in Tai Po. The new multifunctional centre will replace the existing Conservation Building as a base for environmental conservation, sustainable living and nature education programmes.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre was held today. Officiating guests included Club Steward Silas S S Yang, Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing and Trustee of the Kadoorie Foundation Sir Michael Kadoorie.

The new centre will replace the existing Conservation Building of KFBG which was built in the 1960s as a school for teaching farming techniques to immigrants and Gurkha soldiers. It now serves as the office for KFBG staff and the venue for hosting public education programmes. The new five-storey building will be constructed to blend into the natural terrace landscape, providing more indoor and outdoor spaces to accommodate state-of-the-art and barrier-free facilities including multi-purpose rooms and roof gardens, that will further strengthen KFBG’s role as a regional hub for nature conservation.

An environmentally-friendly design will be adopted for the Centre including green spaces, photovoltaic glass, a solar heating system and the use of recycled materials.

Mr Yang told guests that environmental conservation was one of the important facets of the Club’s donations, as exemplified by its support to a wide range of related projects. “The Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre will raise public awareness of environmental issues through exhibitions and experiential education programmes, implement ongoing conservation work, and promote exchange of expertise and experience through different capacity-building programmes, as well as facilitate intern and volunteer development,” he noted.

Following its completion targeted for mid-2021, the Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre is expected to attract more than 42,000 visitors every year.

 

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charity and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2017/18, the Club made a record return to the Government of HK$22.6 billion in duty and profits tax and contributed HK$1.2 billion to the Lotteries Fund. Approved charity donations were HK$4.2 billion. The Club is Hong Kong's largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is also one of the world's top ten charity donors. The Club is always "riding high together for a better future" with the people of Hong Kong.


Picture 1:
Club Steward Silas S S Yang says environmental conservation is one of the important facets of the Club’s donations, and the Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre will raise public awareness of environmental issues.


Picture 2:
Officiating guests at the ground-breaking ceremony include Club Steward Silas S S Yang (3rd right), Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing (centre) and Trustee of the Kadoorie Foundation Sir Michael Kadoorie (3rd left).


Picture 3:
A model of the Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre.