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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(1) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):-
How many more multi-purpose games halls will be completed during the coming financial year, and approximately when during the year? In which districts will these new games halls be located, and will they be more improved in design and facilities than the first games hall at Kai Tak East?
MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, there are three multi-purpose indoor games halls currently under construction. They are:
(a) the Cheung Sha Wan Indoor Games Hall located in the Cheung Sha Wan Playground to serve the Shum Shui Po District. It is due to be completed this month;
(b) the Mong Kok Indoor Games Hall located in the Boundary Street Sports Ground to serve the Mong Kok District. It is due for completion next month; and
(c) the Morse Park Indoor Games Hall situated in Morse Park to serve the Wong Tai Sin District. It will be completed in May this year.
All three indoor games halls are of the Mark II design which is an improved version of the earlier Kai Tak East Indoor Games Hall. Whilst these three new halls are basically the same in size as the existing Kai Tak East Games Hall, and allow for the same range of activities, they incorporate the following additional facilities:- (a) Granwood flooring,
(b) a committee room with projection facilities, and (c) offices for supervisory staff.
The Recreation and Amenities Select Committee is continuously reviewing the design and scope of indoor games halls to ensure that they are truly multi-purpose in nature. The Select Committee has recently approved, in principle, a Mark III design. The main improvement in this latest design is that the playing area will be significantly
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increased to allow for more intensive and diversified sporting and other activities. The Architectural Office has been requested to make a feasibility study on this new design and to advise on cost. It is hoped that future indoor games halls will be built to this improved design.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, could the Chairman of the Select Committee explain what is meant by "Granwood flooring"?
MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, it is a kind of artificial composition which is very hard, very tough and resistant to water and hardware.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Also, Mr. Chairman, could the Chairman of the Select Committee elaborate a little further as to what is being planned in regard to the Mark III designs by way of other activities apart from sporting activities; will they include the community-type activities or cultural activities, could he elaborate just a little more?
MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, even the Kai Tak East Indoor Games Hall has a little stage at the back. It could be used, apart from sporting activities, for such things as dances, shows etc. although it is not really designed for such activities and is not very suitable. The main feature of the Mark III design, which has only been approved in principle, is that the hall will be a little larger which allows a little bit more space for sporting activities.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-So it will be more a combination of sporting and community-type activities, but with emphasis on sports.
MR. Lo (in English):-That is correct.
(2) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in English):-
Apart from what is being done already, will the Urban Council take further steps to support and to bring about an improvement in the standard of Chinese acrobatics in Hong Kong?
MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE, CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY HALL AND ENTERTAINMENTS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Mr. Chairman, I am not sure that the Council can do more to improve the standard of Chinese acrobatics in Hong
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