The Macau Post Daily interviewed six local residents aged between 26 and 53 yesterday in various districts across the city about their views on the government’s proposal to build a 10-hectare youth adventure camp between Coloane’s Hac Sa Beach and the nearby hillside and its original plan of constructing a 28-metre-high Kun Iam statue in Hac Sa Reservoir Natural Park, with all saying they agreed with the government on constructing the youth adventure camp featuring various adventure, sport and recreational facilities.
Most of the six residents said that it was necessary for the government to cancel the construction of the Kun Iam statue budgeted for 42 million patacas, which they described as a waste of public funds. One interviewee – a local man in his thirties – said he believed that the government must have its reasons for planning to build a new Kun Iam statue and, therefore, he respected the government’s decision.
The government introduced the renovation plan for Hac Sa Reservoir Natural Park in a press conference last Tuesday, which aroused heated discussions on social media platforms about the cost of construction, which had initially been budgeted for 1.6 billion patacas, especially about the cost of and the need for a new Kun Iam statue.
According to a statement by the Municipal Affairs Bureau yesterday, with the aim of providing the public with diversified educational, cultural, recreational and sport spaces, the adventure camp, which was planned to cover 12 themed areas with more than 200 types of “water, land and air” adventure will be available for all age groups as modern facilities such as the first local mountain bike track, the wargame field with an area of more than 4,500 square metres, the six-story central adventure tower and the multi-tower 500 metre zip line, as well as the campsite with an area of more than 6,000 square metres, a central lawn with an area of more than 4,500 square metres, a natural stream science dissemination area, a water fountain for children, a natural science dissemination garden, diversified water games and barbecue area, among other facilities, will be set up there.
The statement reaffirmed that with the aim of guaranteeing the rational use of public funds, the bureau will strictly control the estimated cost of 1.4 billion patacas for the future adventure camp.
Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon announced in a press conference yesterday that the government decided to cancel the construction of the Kun Iam statue, adding that the relevant decision was made after listening to the views of major associations, the education sector and youth organisations.
Talking to The Macau Post Daily in the Areia Preta district, a 26-year-old woman surnamed Hao and her 49-year-old mother surnamed Wong said that the construction of an adventure camp was a “great” idea as it would provide more options for residents to relax at weekends or for holidays. Instead of spending 42 million patacas to build a Kun Iam statue in Hac Sa Reservoir Natural Park, they preferred the money be spent on renovating the old facilities there such as a barbeque area or distributing a post-pandemic living allowance to the residents, said Hao ad Wong, who pointed out that there was no sense in building a similar statue as the Nape’s one.
A 53-year-old man surnamed Lei said in the city centre that he supports the government’s plan for the youth adventure camp project, which he believed could attract more visitors to Coloane’s Hac Sa Beach and the nearby tourist attractions after construction. Lei resignedly said he did not understand the plan to build a Kun Iam statue next to the adventure camp, adding that the items did not match each other as the adventure camp was for amusement, while the statue is related to religion. In addition, he said: “Macau has too many statues, for example, the A-Ma Goddess Statue on the top of Coloane Hill.”
A 22-year-old woman surnamed Chan and a woman surnamed Chu in her forties told The Macau Post Daily separately in the southern district that the adventure camp project was needed in Macau, but it should not be built in a hurry, adding that the government should give priority to addressing the residents’ current needs, such as their financial problems caused by the over three-year COVID-19 pandemic. Chu said: “I do know that there are some small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the district still facing difficulties in their businesses”. Chan expressed her concerns about the light and land pollution in the area once the adventure camp opened up.
This artist’s rendition provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) last Tuesday shows the government’s youth adventure camp project near Coloane’s Hac Sa Beach.
