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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(b) Has Government accepted the proposals made by this
Council?
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:-
Sir, the time-table for the re-development of the land now occupied by Whitfield Barracks has still to be decided. It depends on two factors. The first is the date of its vacation by the War Department. This could be at least 4 years hence. The second is the form its re-development is to take.
The proposals of this Council were made to the Town Planning Board in response to a request for advice received from the Board prior to publication of the draft statutory plan for Tsim Sha Tsui. Until the draft plan has been published and the statutory procedure completed, leading up to the approval of the plan by the Governor in Council, it is not possible to say what form the re-development of Whitfield Barracks will finally take.
MR. SALES:-Mr. Chairman, through you, may I thank the Director of Public Works for a very clear reply. All I would like to ask by way of supplementary questioning is: will this Council through the appropriate Select Committee be told by the Public Works Department whether in fact its proposals have been accepted, and if not, why not? DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Mr. Chairman, I have no objection to informing the Council whether the proposals have been accepted or not. I do not mind at the same time, if it is possible for me to do so, to say why not.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question of the Director of Public Works? Could I be informed whether the Town Planning Board has accepted the proposals of this Council?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Mr. Chairman, this question does not arise because the plan is still under consideration. I would say it will be a number of months before this plan gets into any sort of final shape. So the answer is: at the present moment the Town Planning Board is aware of the Council's requirement, but full consideration has not yet been given to it.
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:
May I ask you for an up-to-date statement as to whether Government intends to implement the proposal repeatedly made in this Council for a children's playground at sea-level in the Western District, which all agree is much needed and long overdue?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS replied as follows:-
The outline plan for the future development of Kennedy Town includes an open space of 4.8 acres, about half of which is occupied by the present abattoir. It is very little above sea level and, when the new abattoir is completed, would be suitable for a playground, as and when such an item is approved for inclusion in the Public Works Programme. Government has not lost sight of the idea of providing an amenity strip for active recreation on a reclamation somewhere adjacent to the Western District but in this district it is not easy to find a suitable area which would not interfere with other operations essential to the Colony's economy, particularly the working of the Port. The question of cargo handling and other port facilities is at present being investigated and after these questions have been resolved, it is hoped that some progress can be made on providing more open recreation spaces. MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary? The Director of Public Works says that the new abattoir will have to be completed before it is discovered what ground is suitable for a children's playground. The new abattoir plans were presented to this Council at least by 1952 when I first came on to the Council. Can he give us an estimated date of the completion of the new abattoir?
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Mr. Chairman, I think there are two questions in one, or two separate questions. The first one asks do I or do I not know the area of playground which will become available when the new abattoir is completed? The answer is: I do--4.8 acres, dependent upon the completion of the abattoir. The second part of the question is when the abattoir is going to be completed? This is a little more difficult. I think it will be possibly 3 to 4 years from now.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, will you please represent this Council's views to Government once again on the subject of children's playground facilities in the Western District. I believe this Council has made it clear--has it not, Mr. Chairman?--that it considers that it is perhaps far more important that children should be given playing facilities where they do not exist than to set up facilities so that business people can make even more profits at public expense.
CHAIRMAN:-Sir, the representations of this Council, and of the Urban Amenities Select Committee in particular, on children's playground facilities in the Western District have frequently been conveyed to Government. They can again be brought to the attention of Government, if you wish.
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