Page 132 of 135
226
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
where most people live in high-rise buildings, verandah gardening has become by contrast a popular aspect of life here. Indeed, there is evidence of it mostly everywhere. These miniature gardens high up in our numerous apartment buildings present a gay and green appearance too and could give Hong Kong a special character.
The annual Flower Show attracts many thousands of visitors and hundreds of participants. It has stirred up much interest and will continue to set good standards for the public to emulate. Perhaps more outside exhibitions and competitions should be organized in support of the main show in the City Hall, either immediately before so as to culminate in it or at other times in the year, all with the common aim of making many more people conscious of the beauty and pleasure that flowers could bring to their busy lives too.
To create a healthier and more pleasing environment must be the work of the community as a whole. Of course, those engaged in public gardening and beautification of roadsides and other amenity plots will be primarily responsible. However, higher environmental standards will give cause for neighbourhood pride and hopefully also induce householders to play their part.
People must want and care for a better environment and be willing to take the initiative to have it. All in all, if a more beautiful and well-ordered city is the aspiration of the community, it can only come about by the combined effort of all concerned citizens.
(Mr. B. A. BERNACCHI arrived at this point.)
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:
Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of February, 1977.
QUESTION
(1) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (in English):
Has there been any further evidence of vandalism in the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, and what additional security measures does the Council propose to introduce?
Is consideration being given to the introduction of an entrance fee for purpose of crowd control?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
227
MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Although there have been no recent cases of vandalism in the Zoological and Botanical Gardens as serious as the death of the flamingo chick last August, the problem of vandalism is still a real and worrying one. Since last August there have been a number of incidences where trees and plants have been damaged or dug up and stolen, including two orchid plants and two tree ferns. There have also been some offences against the Pleasure Grounds By-laws, the more serious of which were a man picking fruit from a Java Apple tree, he was subsequently prosecuted and fined, and a man attempting to feed a peacock, he is being prosecuted.
Measures taken by the Council to curb vandalism and misbehaviour in the Gardens include the creation of 2 additional park-keeper posts in October. It is proposed to further strengthen the present park-keeping service by creating two posts of Chargeman/Artisan to supervise the park-keepers, and three additional posts of park-keeper. Creation of these posts is being processed in the Government Secretariat.
Also, starting from February this year, two uniformed guards from a private security firm have been engaged to patrol the Gardens at night time (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) to prevent unauthorized entry, vandalism and theft.
One of the reasons for the lack of security in the Gardens is the fact that the existing perimeter fence provides no deterrent to unauthorized entry after closing time. The department in conjunction with the Architectural Office has worked out an improvement scheme which will provide an effective perimeter fence and also turnstiles at the entrances, which, when necessary, can be used to control entry of visitors and to keep the number of visitors to a manageable level, particularly at weekends and holidays. The work is expected to be completed in about 10 months' time.
A publicity campaign stressing the need for the public to observe certain rules in the Gardens and not to injure the plants, birds and animals is to be mounted by the Principal Information Officer of the department.
Page 132 of 135