Protests grow over plans to cut down trees at old Sai Kung school site

^{The riverbank behind the school that will be cleared of trees Photos: Janice Baird}

Haven of Hope is planning to convert the old Sai Kung Central Primary School at the Nam Pin Wai roundabout into a facility for the severely mentally handicapped. However, they are planning to cut down almost all of the trees by the Ho Chung River riverbank as part of the development. This is causing a rising number of protests.

^{Video: Janice Baird}

According to one local resident, the riverbank is an amazing place. Little crabs scuttle up and down the banks, fish dart to and fro, and so many birds fly past and perch on the branches of the trees. Many shorebirds also visit the riverbank, standing on their thin stilts of legs. “It’s the sort of place that makes you want to fall silent – because the world is singing and alive around you”.

Haven of Hope has claimed that all the trees by the riverbank are either dead or in poor condition, a point of view disagreed with by residents, one of whom, Janice Baird, sent BUZZ photos and a video of the area.

The charity also says that it must cut down the trees to make space for computer/switch rooms. According to this resident “It is difficult, however, to see how a computer room/switch room would run all the way from one end of the property to the other”. Haven of Hope has refused to release any environmental reports or plans for the property.

^{The long abandoned Sai Kung Central Primary School}

None of the protesters BUZZ spoke to have any problems with the take over of the property by Haven of Hope. Many Sai Kungers will be only too happy that the long abandoned property is going to be put to good use, and BUZZ has written stories supportive of the charity in the past. However there does seem to be good points raised by those protesting that need to be answered.