HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 25 May 1988
1473
Retary for DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION: Sir, Members may first wish to note that the results of the survey conducted in August last year indicated that the overall utilisation rate of the 44 community centres referred to by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN was 73 per cent.
As to the 10 community centres in question, their utilisation rates were affected by a number of factors.
At the time of the survey, eight of them were not provided with air- conditioning while two were partially closed as work to install air-conditioning was in progress.
Of these 10 centres, six were built before 1970. Their designs are out of date and the halls are either too small or not suitable for sports and other activities. Another two were commissioned just before the survey and the voluntary agencies accommodated in the welfare blocks had not come into full operation.
Notwithstanding the above, the relatively low utilisation rates of the 10 centres were only confined to the mornings and afternoons. In the evenings, the utilisation rates of these centres varied from 50 per cent to 96 per cent, or an average utilisation rate of 75 per cent.
Since last year, the Government has introduced a programme to provide better facilities in the community centres and promote their usage. For example, work has already started to install air-conditioning in all the centres. In addition, requests for funds to upgrade the equipment in these centres will be submitted shortly to Finance Branch. Consideration is also being given to reprovisioning some of the older centres whose usage is being affected by poor design. Furthermore, local organisations and district boards are being encour- aged to make more use of the centres for their activities and programmes.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Sir, will it be possible to have the air-conditioning for the eight which do not yet have air-conditioning facilities to be completed during the current financial year? And as regards the reprovisioning plans for the older centres, will the review for reprovisioning be completed during the current financial year, so that we can have an idea as to what funds are required for such reprovisioning?
SECRETARY FOR District AdminISTRATION: Sir, as I have mentioned, there is an ongoing air-conditioning programme and, at present, it is estimated that the programme will be completed towards the end of summer, 1989. As for the reprovisioning, some of these centres will actually be turned into something else, and more modern facilities will be provided in the vicinity.
MR. HUI: Sir, will Government consider inviting voluntary agencies to help in providing programmes appropriate to the needs of the community in order to increase the utilisation rate of community centres, especially in the mornings and afternoons?