I just walked the "Snake Path", from the turbine to the youth hostel, and saw some brand new earthworks. It appears to be a broad path under construction from Lo Tik and joining the Snake Path above it.

Seeing as there is a sign saying this is a "Home Affairs" project, this will certainly be a wide concrete path with lots of stairs and railings.

I haven't seen any notice for this, either on the path or in YSW.

The question is, where will the path go then?

This is very worrying, as about 10 years ago a path was proposed (by among others, Yu Lai Fan) to join Lo Tik to Luk Chau and concreting a large part of the Snake Path in the process. (Details at http://lammapaths.cjb.net/)

This was shelved after some protest. But they never give up their plans to pour concrete over the countryside and may well have sneaked it through somehow.

Anyone have any idea what is going on?
I'll try to find out from Home Affairs next week.

-- copied your post here

Someone has found a notice in Lo Tik:



I'll bet this is the identical route as was proposed in 2002, see the map:



So Yu Lai Fan has yet another glorious project.

Those deceitful fuckers are going to concrete the entire Snake Path.

This is sad. There are so many other things on Lamma to be modified and improved – real needs of the residents – e.g. garbage points, garbage collection frequency, connections to sewage system. It is also money to spend. Instead, the local govt. launches a project that nobody asks for; actually is likely unwanted.
In nineties, a pristine river in Sai Kung Country Park was entirely ruined when building gabion banks – completely unnecessary project. There was nothing around to protect – just overgrown, abandoned paddy fields. The river could meander naturally.
The same approach is here. Wrong perception of development. Disregard to residents. Cynical use of power. Caring for walker is just an excuse. Recently, residents and visitors of Vitoria Peak prevented a govt. project to build massive barrier along walkway around Victoria Peak - another case of "caring".
Last Saturday I could see a large stockpile of construction materials in Lo Tik Wan Tsuen.

How can this be stopped?

Stay tuned here for any group action.

Feel free to contact Home Affairs yourself at the contact above and question/complain.

We have a reprieve.

The current works are only going up to the ridge.

However, I'm sure that this is not the end. I think they have just broken the project up into sections. The title of the project "Footpath at Lo Tik Leading to Luk Chau" indicates clearly what the intention is.

Next step will be to say that the people who climbed up this new concrete path complained about the scruffy, dangerous dirt track they have to take then on their way to Luk Chau and want it "improved".

They're doing the same thing they did in YSW harbour: breaking up a rejected project into pieces and then building each part separately, never admitting that it all adds up to the same thing.

And the only notices posted were in Luk Chau and Lo Tik. None in YSW and none on the path itself where it joins the "Snake Path".

I won't be at all surprised if they sneak in the next section in the near future in the same underhanded way. One day they'll just bulldoze and pave over the rest of the Snake Path and it'll be fait accompli: "No one objected when the notice was put up in Luk Chau".

Doesn't King Wong own a lot of real estate in Lo Tik Wan?
I wonder if they are ultimately behind this?

_________________
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
----- Margaret Mead

I doubt it. It doesn't benefit anyone except the people who get the concrete contract.

This was originally proposed 10 years ago by the then District Councillor Fung Loy, and supported I believe by the then VR Yu Lai Fan. I'm sure she is behind it this time.

Given that Govt. Planning approval notice is dated 2009 is it possible to find out if any other plans have been approved subsequently?

Months ago Living Lamma asked Home Affairs for a list of any pending projects.

So far they haven't responded.
They didn't bother mentioning the renewed plan to reclaim YSW harbour, despite us sitting in several meetings with them on the Cycle Park, a related project, and asking them what were the plans for the harbour.

It's hard not to think that they don't want to share any information with anyone except the same people who propose all these stupid and destructive projects.
They refuse to contemplate putting these plans online. They prefer to stickytape them to a noticeboard, where anyone can rip it off a day after. As has happened on numerous occasions.

If you don't know what is planned, you can't ask them questions about it.

But we certainly will be asking specifically what plans they have for the Snake Path. As above, I am sure that YLF has not given up her ambition to concrete it, merely to deliver a 2-million dollar construction contract to the Usual Suspects.

I have written a request for info-will wait to see what they come back with.

On the American cartoon South Park (a cartoon about very foul mouthed children, or something). the boys find out that gnomes were stealing their underpass. To "make profit". (hmmm why not just open a underware factory in Shenzhen lol).

On a flow chart they have step 1 (steal undies) 2) ??? (a big Question mark, because they don't know (hmmm hint a BIG hint. Steal some spong bob, Simpsons, or South Park Underware, open a factory in Shenzhen, pay off some Pit boss, sheesh I'm the FOOL and I figured that out. These Ghomese are supposed to be Smart come on! Step 3 profit.

This has become a internet joke, where kids just write something step 1. then step 2 ??? step 3 profit copying the flow chart on the show.

So here's what I think these guys are planning to get rid of us. in many steps.
plan to get us all off Lamma.

1. Build on family land, and dump all their Cement into Uncle C's yard a fellow family member when he's not looking, to save disposal costs.
2. Rent out to the New comers at wacky prices
3. Profit.

Or in the case of dog killer.

1. Kill all Lammaites pets.
2. scare them off Island. With deadly poison with no antidote. or Sad them off the Island.
3. Knock down vacant apartments.
4. sell land (Profit).

Then in the case of just screwing around with elections.
1. Rig the elections.
2. Jaded people leave Lamma for better pastures (other Islands, or Thailand lol).
3. Sell land (profit).

Just gross everyone off by puking cement everwhere like a pub crawler who had to many shots.

1. Pour cement everywhere, to gross everyone out with cement, and pollution.
2. Build Marina, and chop down Bobsy's forest, and the Quarry Park.
3. Profit.

We're keeping an eye on YU.

HaHa!!!
Good One, VOC on Lamma!!

_________________
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
----- Margaret Mead

Should not all the Hong Kong hiking clubs (e.g. Hiking Meetup) and tourist organizations be notified about planned destroying of Snake Path? This is large community and its voice may be listened. I would expect hikers prefer rock or dirt paths rather than concrete with galvanized hand rail.

In the words of Jiang Zemin: Too Simple, Sometimes Naive

These groups have no input and no say and aren't even informed. No one is.

The village reps take turns in think of places to pour concrete and build useless structures in empty villages, and then the plans are rubberstamped by the govt, put up for a few days on a noticeboard in said remote village, and then they do it.
These are all porkbarrel projects.
And if the countryside is destroyed, all the better as it makes it easier to open it up for real estate development.

Recently, Hiking Meetup actively supported petition against Baroque by Livinglamma. At least they declared the support and promoted the petition.
Generally, confronting the powerful “concrete” lobbies of the expanding city may look naive . I am afraid Lamma’s Armageddon is inevitable; just an attempt to delay.

It's not naive to oppose the concreting. It is to expect the government to care.
But the solution to that is to change the government.

Until we can get rid of the DAB, we can just try to throw as much sand in the gears as possible to stop the destruction.

And in other news, this afternoon I did the path and saw that a lot of wooden formwork was laid down at the top of the new earthworks, and a concrete mixer at the ready. So by the end of this week we'll have a lovely new concrete highway down to picturesque Lo Tik.

Did you mean eco-terrorism?

Just come back from a hike on the Snake Path. Quite a few other hikers/bikers also making the most of it. Path from Lo Tik fully underway. I wonder whether this will be all they do for now? How long do we have the rest of the path for?

I received no reply from the Lands Dept...suppose I shouldnt be too surprised about this.

Not sure if it is related to the concreting of the Snake Path but the chairs at the mid-point seem to have been ripped apart recently.




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