The “Working Group for Urban Renewal Techniques and Coordination” and the “Specialised Working Group for the Renewal and Revitalisation of Pátio do Espinho”, headed by Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Wai Man, held their inaugural meeting yesterday.
According to a statement released yesterday by the Lands and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU), the working groups have been established under the “Leadership Group for the Promotion of Urban Renewal”, which is chaired by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai.
During the meeting, according to the statement, Tam said that urban renewal is a key livelihood project in building a “Happy Macao” and also a priority under the 3rd Five-Year Plan. He urged all public entities to maintain close communication and proactive coordination so that the benefits of development can reach all residents.
The statement noted that Pátio do Espinho is located near the Ruins of St Paul’s, within the core area of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage buffer zone.
It is one of the few remaining traditional walled-village settlements in Macau and holds significant conservation and revitalisation value, the statement said, adding that the specialised group will conduct preliminary studies, using a district-wide coordinated planning approach to optimise the environmental space and improve street conditions, explore revitalisation options, and, at the same time, eliminate public safety hazards in the area, such as fire and sanitation risks.
Chi Lam Vai (aka Chi Lam Chuen – 茨林村), known in Portuguese as Pátio do Espinho (“Courtyard of the Thorn”), is a 400-year-old former walled village. It is situated just a street away from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Na Tcha Temple – one of Macau’s two temples dedicated to the tutelary deity known in Mandarin as Nezha – and close to the Ruins of St Paul’s.
One of the main tourist attractions of Chi Lam Vai is a café dedicated to Na Tcha.
A play about Chi Lam Vai will be staged for three nights at the Macao Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape from next Friday to Sunday.
Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Wai Man (centre) chairs the inaugural meeting with members of the “Working Group for Urban Renewal Techniques and Coordination” and the “Specialised Working Group for the Renewal and Revitalization of Pátio do Espinho”. – Photo: Lands and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU)
