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the railway. One site at the Elegance Road temporary playground has been given up permanently to the MTR. A second site at the Lower Wong Tai Sin Estate Playground No. 1, which at present is used as a works area for the construction of the Wong Tai Sin station, will eventually be given up by the MTR to be re-allocated to the Housing Authority for the re-development of the Wong Tai Sin housing estate.
The remaining 15 sites have been allocated temporarily to the MTR on the understanding that these sites will not be retained longer than is necessary and that the grounds and facilities will be re-instated as far as possible to their former condition to the satisfaction of the Council.
The section of Chater Garden at present occupied by the MTR is scheduled to be returned to the Council in March 1979. A temporary development meanwhile of the remaining part of Chater Garden is about to proceed to provide better facilities for the public.
MR. MACKENZIE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, may I take this as a specific assurance that no further trees will be destroyed either in the old Cricket Ground or other Council areas without reference to and approval by the Council?
MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo (in English):—I do not think that any more trees will need to be felled in the Chater Garden. If so, it would have to be referred for consideration by the Council.
(2) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (in English):
In reply to my question at the Council meeting of April 1975, I was informed that a strong bid would be made by the Council for the development of military lands released at Victoria Barracks for public recreational purposes.
May I enquire what steps have been or are being taken to achieve this purpose; what areas will be available for Council use and, particularly, can we have assurance that Flagstaff House will be conserved, with its mature gardens, for public enjoyment as a Council historical museum and art gallery?
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MR. H. M. G. FORSGATE, CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKS PLANNING SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—
Mr. Chairman, when the Council considered sometime ago the use of Service lands immediately it became known that they would be relinquished to the Government, an application was made for part of Victoria Barracks to be kept as public open space with the intention of also siting a new aviary as an extension of the Botanical Gardens.
Following decision made recently by the Council, the department has written to the Government putting forward a strong recommendation that Flagstaff House, a very fine and unique house, should be preserved and handed over to the Urban Council for use as an addition to the Museum of History after renovation works; and that the 3.2 acres of mature and attractive garden surrounding it should be converted for use as a public rest garden. Furthermore, the Council has again indicated that at least an additional 6 to 7 acres of land within the Victoria Barracks area should be designated for use as public open space. The Urban Services Department has also been requested to bid for land within the barracks area for the purpose of providing an office building which would serve the long-term need of the Department.
Returning to the question of Flagstaff House and its surrounding open space, further action here depends on the recommendations of the Town Planning Board, the Antiquities Advisory Board, and the decision of the Governor-in-Council.
STATEMENT BY MRS. E. ELLIOTT, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English):—Mr. Chairman, soon after the Urban Council gained autonomy, the Libraries Select Committee adopted a programme of expansion of the library services, which called for the provision of one library of 12–15,000 sq. ft. for every 200,000 people, and the setting up of 13 additional libraries over 1973–74–1982–83. The first of these libraries was opened in Kwun Tong in February 1975.
The majority of the proposed new libraries were projected for accommodation in government, joint-user buildings.
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