At the invitation of the Macao General Union of Residents’ Associations, Lai Ieng Kit, head of the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, participated in the “Session for Collection of Opinions on the Revitalization of the Old Estoril Hotel and Estoril Pool”, held on 26 June at the Mong Há Community Centre, together with officials from the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Macao Sport Development Board, among others, gaining a better understanding of the residents’ opinions on the related plans. Over 100 residents were present at the session, leading to a fruitful exchange of ideas.
During the session, Lai Ieng Kit and the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng, introduced the revitalization plan for the Old Estoril Hotel and Estoril Pool and listened to opinions by young students and the elderly. Present were also the Vice-President of the Macao Sport Development Board, Pun Weng Kun, the Vice-President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Chan Peng Fai, the Legislative Assembly Member, Ho Ion Sang, the Head of the Youth Department of the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, Un Hoi Cheng, and the Director of the Social Affairs Committee of the Macao General Union of Residents Associations, Chan Ka Leong, among others. Through this introduction, residents gained a deeper understanding of the plans and concept behind the revitalization of the Estoril Hoteland Estoril Pool. The session was open to the public’s interaction and residents had the opportunity to express their ideas, thereby promoting a productive exchange of ideas.
During the session, the public brought forth numerous ideas, most of them agreeing with the conversion of the Estoril Hotel into a youth recreational centre. Other residents mentioned the future use of the Estoril Hotel as a space for the arts and the cultural and creative industries, while others hoped the building to be used as a venue for public activities. Lai Ieng Kit mentioned that, in the future, efforts will be made to collect more opinions from students and the younger generations in order to convert the Estoril Hotel in a space that meets the current needs. Ung Vai Meng referred that the Estoril Hotel has an important potential topromote the cultural development of the Tap Seac areahoping that the revitalization plans are able to supplement neighbouring cultural facilities, thereby creating even better conditions for youth recreational development and, in the future, opening and strengthening more communication channels with an even greater number of diversified partners.
The Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture had previously (on 11 June), together with other departments under its auspices, participated in the first “Session for Collection of Opinions on the Revitalization of the Old Estoril Hoteland Pool” organized by the Macao General Union of Residents Associations, which counted with the participation of 140 residents and students, among others.