Gov’t may allow small inns and shops at Lai Chi Vun

The government’s plan to revitalize the Lai Chi Vun area in Coloane will include the possibility of installing small inns as well as shops in the area.  “We can think about not [building] hotels but small inns, restaurants, small teashops. We don’t want a big hotel that could destroy the area,” the acting president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), Leong Wai Man, said.
The seminar on the protection and revitalization of Lai Chi Vun was attended by several experts as well as representatives of the village residents, who presented suggestions for the development of the space, such as the creation of museums, parks, hotels and even real estate projects.

“It can be turned into coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, museums. We can also use the Lai Chi Vun shipyards area as a residential area,” said lawmaker Eddie Wu.
The local historian, Cheang Kuok Cheong, has expressed concern on the proposed projects.

“A lot of money has been spent to preserve the wood and iron structures and I think we should think this in a broader sense,” Cheang said. He noted that the government has enough financial resources to preserve the shipyards and he proposed that the government should consider preserving the Coloane village as a whole.

The public consultation on the topic will close tomorrow. The bureau will release their evaluation report on the Lai Chi Vun shipyards within a one- year period. RM