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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(6) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
What is the latest position regarding the Urban Council's request to Colonial Secretariat for a suitable site for the new Museum & Art Gallery building? Has the Chairman received a reply from Colonial Secretariat?
MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
This question concerns the Urban Council's recommendations on the site for a new Museum building.
At the end of February this year the Urban Council's revised priorities on the choice of a site for a new museum were forwarded to the Colonial Secretariat. In brief the latest recommendations from this Council are that a new low-rise building to house the new Museum, and probably also the Art Gallery, be erected at a site in the area between the Kowloon Canton Railway Terminus and Holt's Wharf and that if this is not approved, consideration be given to the following sites in order of preference:-
(a) The temporary open air car park site east of Murray Road;
(b) A portion of the Hong Kong Cricket Club ground site; and
(c) Kowloon Park.
These latest recommendations were sent to the Colonial Secretariat and a reply, recognizing that there is merit in having the museum sited in Kowloon and that the site near the present Kowloon-Canton Railway Terminus has much to commend it in absolute terms, has been received. It will, however, be some years before such a development can take place, even if it were approved for inclusion in the Public Works Programme, it being dependent among other things on the removal of the railway terminus. The proposal will also have to be referred to the Executive Council nearer the time.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-In the context of the last paragraph, what is meant by "absolute terms"?
CHAIRMAN: "In every sense", Mr. CHEONG-LEEN.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Do I understand it then, Sir, that the site also has much to commend it in relative terms?
CHAIRMAN:-Yes.
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MR. SALES:-Sir, will you please convey my compliments to the Colonial Secretariat, and also the fact that I wish to commend them for having seen the light of day? (Laughter).
(7) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following:
Can the Chairman inquire from the Colonial Secretariat as to progress in the building of an Oceanarium; to what extent will the Urban Council be participating in such project?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
In 1970 the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club commissioned an initial feasibility study to examine the possibility of its building and operating an oceanarium at Brick Hill. In February of this year, the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee was informed that the Jockey Club had indicated to the Government that it would like to have allocated to it for this purpose a site of approximately 21.4 acres at Brick Hill covering the area previously earmarked but not yet allocated to the Council for a public park.
The Recreation and Amenities Select Committee rightly endorsed the Jockey Club's proposal although it would mean abandoning its own plans for the Brick Hill Park. The Committee suggested at the same time that the park setting of the oceanarium should be developed in advance of the oceanarium itself and also that the public should be allowed free access to it.
The latest information from the Secretariat is that the Jockey Club's application for the Brick Hill site has just been approved in principle by the Governor-in-Council.
In 1966, in discussing a previous feasibility study on an oceanarium, the then Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee expressed the opinion that any oceanarium should be Government-controlled. However, in 1967, the Executive Council after taking note of this view, made it clear that it was prepared to make available land at Brick Hill, without premium, for the construction and operation of an oceanarium by any appropriate non-profit-making organization. Members were subsequently informed of this decision.
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