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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(4) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:—
(a) May I ask you once again to report on the ex-Services
land at Causeway Bay?
(b) What representations have you made for its release to
the Council since my last Question?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
This question concerns the ex-Services land at Causeway Bay. This particular land is divided into two parts; one part containing about 5.2 acres is known as the Causeway Bay Recreation Ground controlled by the Education Depart- ment, and the remaining part containing about 4.5 acres is let on various annual permits for open car parking or allocated to the Commissioner of Police on a temporary basis as a vehicle pound. Both areas are zoned "open space" on the Causeway Bay Outline Zoning Plan No. LH 6/22 approved by the Governor-in-Council on 22nd July, 1969.
Other than the area occupied on a temporary basis by the Police Department, the land could be made available for recreation purposes subject to approval of an item in the Public Works Programme. The Police vehicle pound area cannot be moved until a replacement site is available. The site earmarked for this is at Tin Chiu Street which
at present is used as a temporary hawker bazaar. Resiting of the hawker bazaar is dependent upon the construction of a permanent bazaar on an adjoining site, located to the west side of Tin Chiu Street.
The answer to the second part of the question is that formal allocation has not recently been sought since the area can only be developed satisfactorily as an item in the Public Works Programme, which it is proposed to seek in the 1971-72 programme. Discussions between the Urban Services and Education Departments are in hand on various proposals to develop the site, and when agreement is reached these proposals will be submitted to the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee. Progress is reported quarterly to the Select Committee, the last time being in April of this year.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, in part of that area, are not there private commercial car parking facilities?
CHAIRMAN:-I think this is what is implied in the answer-that there are various annual permits for open car parking.
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MR. SALES: Why must these annual permits be renewed when there is such a great demand for recreational areas in Causeway Bay?
CHAIRMAN:-Out of order, Mr. SALES.
MR. SALES: -How is it out of order, Mr. Chairman, when this Council has been making representations and I, myself, have put this question, according to your reckoning, some 14 times in the last 13 years? Surely, Government cannot be unmindful of the need of the people for open space, and instead of which Government is promoting private commercial interest at public expense.
CHAIRMAN: -Government is not at all unmindful of the need of the public for public open space, but the allocation of land is within its power, and it only becomes a matter for this Council when the land is allocated.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, can you register my Committee's objection to this state of affairs continuing for so long when we have asked for the space to be set aside for our development.
MR. LO TAK-SHING:-Mr. Chairman, I have no doubt the Com- mittee will probably support Mr. SALES in due course.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I suggest to Mr. T. S. Lo that the Committee has always supported Mr. SALES. (Laughter),
MR. Lo:-Mr. Chairman, there's no indication at all that it will not do so in the future. (Laughter).
MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, you say both areas are zoned “open space” in the Causeway Bay Outline Zoning Plan No. LH 6/22 approved by the Governor-in-Council on 22nd July, 1969. Why do you say that this Plan has been approved by the Governor-in-Council, whereas you do not say that in your answer to question No. 2?
CHAIRMAN: --Because it has not yet been approved. I said the Town Planning Board "proposes".
MR. BERNACCHI-I see, thank you very much.
(5) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question :-
In response to complaints from members of the public con- cerning the obnoxious situation often caused by the excrement of dogs found very often in the streets of both Hong Kong and Kowloon, I understand that the Urban
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