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so difficult to come by in Hong Kong, must be regarded as the patrimony of the people and applied to such uses as will benefit them directly. It would seem that the long-term public interest demands even more strongly that the whole of Whitfield Barracks be set aside now as public open space. Evidently, in any public open space community development such as libraries, small theatres, may be put down just as they are elsewhere in the world.
May we hope that the Government will discount the immediate advantage to its coffers which will stem from the sale of any portion of such land to private enterprise. And, instead, may the Government protect in full the manifest interest of the public in reserving all Whitfield Barracks exclusively for community use.
Mr. H. M. G. Forsgate seconded.
He said:- Mr. Chairman, in rising to second the motion before Council, proposed by my senior colleague Mr. SALES, I will confine my comment to the examination of the Whitfield Barracks area, and the very exciting planning possibilities that favourable Government reaction to this motion would create.
I realize that the request contained in this motion must make the Council appear a bit like Oliver Twist, "always asking for more". But then, when the rope is held so tightly by the Secretariat it requires a good hard tug to take up a bit of slack.
Kowloon residents have long looked at this area of Whitfield Barracks with covetous eyes, and dreamed of the day when it might become available for purposes other than its present usage by the Army. At the same time, recognizing the need for the military presence as a stabilizing influence, but not necessarily on such a piece of vital real estate.
Now that agreement has been reached on the transfer of the military establishment to Kowloon Tsai, I wish to make further practical suggestions for the use of this land to fit our latest thoughts on the subject.
At the risk of appearing rather indecisive, I must confess I did withdraw my objections to the planning conception shown on the provisional town plan for Tsim Sha Tsui when a public square was introduced by the Planning Authority into the Nathan Road side of that area.
But since then we have become much more aware of its immense possibilities.
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The area is some 38 acres in size, that is, if my arithmetic is correct, over 1 million square feet. Quite an arresting thought to have this huge plot of land available for replanning in the heart of the prime area of Kowloon. The temptation to be really commercial must be almost irresistible to the Finance Branch of Government, but it is to their credit that we have progressed so far from the original scheme, which was to create a choice block of real estate.
I now advocate that purely commercial considerations be ignored and the entire area be planned for the community. I suggest the Southern half with its priceless number of mature trees be turned into an open park. Properly turfed with the odd fountain, aviary, even may be a cage for Mr. CHEONG-LEEN's Orang Utans. A delightful green oasis in the concrete jungle of Tsim Sha Tsui.
The Northern half adjoining Austin Road, being already paved for a parade ground etc. and verging on the densely populated area of Yau Ma Tei, could easily be used for more active recreational pursuits, mini-soccer, basketball, etc. etc. and the other activities already suggested.
In adding my plea to that of Mr. SALES, I request Government to give full consideration to these suggestions, I beg to second the motion before Council.
DR. A. M. S. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, I would like to say a few words on this motion. When the question of Whitfield Barracks was first raised, and the Town Planning Board invited representations from this Council, we did ask for the whole area to be given over, but we were informed that the plan then, at that time, was that a certain amount of it would be kept for commercial use. Since that time, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. We have had the riot last year, and the subsequent Riot Enquiry Report pointing out so very strongly how important it was to have adequate and sufficient recreation for youth and that it should be well organized and well varied recreation.
This area, as Mr. SALES and Mr. FORSGATE have so eloquently said, is right in the heart of the main part of Kowloon. Not in the part which is leased, but in the part which is ceded to Britain and the Colony. There are a lot of old buildings in the Yau Ma Tei area which are very crowded. There are a lot of new buildings in the Tsim Sha Tsui area equally crowded, and this area would be adequate, if it is given in toto to this Council, to include one of our swimming pools, to include tennis courts, to include a miniature golf putting green (Laughter) and various other varieties of sport.
I would prefer to see this area with a variety of sports such as we do not have in the other areas. We have basket-ball courts and all that sort of thing which all the schools are using. I cannot understand the shortsighted policy that schools are built without playgrounds of their own, and that they are having to use the public playgrounds which are being provided for
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