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MR LO (in English):-Not as yet, Mr Chairman. This is a very new sport, if you can call it a sport at all. I said in my reply, we will review the position in 6 months' time to see what will come up.
6 MR STEPHEN M. L. LAU asked the following question (in Cantonese):- As the Urban Services Department is at present occupying rented accommodation, may I ask what steps are being taken to rehouse the Department in Council-built accommodation as near to the Council Chambers as possible in the interest of economy and efficiency?
MR KIM Y. S. CHAM, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied (in Cantonese):-The Council has already agreed in principle that, for the long term, the Headquarters of the Urban Services Department should be accommodated in new premises to be built by the Council on a site conveniently close to the Urban Council Chambers. The present intention is to build above the car park at the back of the City Hall, although this has yet to be approved. It is hoped that the new building can be built and completed within 5 years.
7 MR F. K. Hu asked the following question (in English):-What is the Council's plan in the provision of indoor games halls in the urban areas. Will there be any improvement in the design of the new games halls compared with the existing games halls?
MR H. M. G. FORSGATE, CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied (in English):-In reply to Mr F. K. Hu's question, the Council is currently planning to provide 8 new indoor games halls in the urban areas, in addition to the 4 existing ones, on the basis of one per district. Five of the proposed new games halls will be on Hong Kong island (at Aberdeen, Shau Kei Wan, Chai Wan, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay) and 3 in Kowloon (at Ho Man Tin, Lai Chi Kok and Kwun Tong). The design of the new games halls will be an improvement over existing designs. The existing 4 games halls are of Mark I and II designs. The one under construction at Aberdeen is of Mark III design with larger games areas and greater spectator capacity. The remaining 7 games halls will all be of Mark IV design, with even higher headroom, better ventilation and lighting systems, galleries along the two sides of the halls and, most significant of all, with squash courts in place of the stage.
MR HU (in English):-Mr Chairman, Mr Forsgate refers to provision of one games hall per district, but I know there is no provision on Hong Kong Island in Central District and Western District, and in Kowloon peninsula, there is no provision in Tsim Sha Tsui District. What is the Council's plan on provision in those districts?
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MR FORSGATE (in English):-I have not got a specific answer to that pricking question, but I will certainly bring it to the attention of my select committee and give consideration to your suggestion.
MR KENNETH T. C. Lo (in English):-If I may intervene, Mr Chairman, technically Aberdeen is Western.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-That is not within your ward district, is it?
(Laughter)
MR LO (in English):-It is mine and Mr BERNACCHI's. (Laughter) CHAIRMAN (in English):-Is that the right answer? Thank you very much. (Laughter)
8 MR KIM Y. S. CHAM asked the following question (in English):-What has the Council, and hence the community, actually gained by the recent acquisition of all military land?
MR H. M. G. FORSGATE, CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied (in English):-Four major military sites have been or will be handed over to the Government. These sites are at Victoria Barracks, Sham Shui Po, Lei Yue Mun and RAF Kai Tak.
The Council has taken positive steps towards obtaining certain portions of these sites. Plans are in hand to develop some of the land for public recreational purposes in the immediate future.
Of the 4 sites mentioned, a sports complex of 6.73 hectares comprising a park and a swimming pool is planned for the Sham Shui Po site. Agreement in principle has been reached towards obtaining in due course some 52 hectares of land at Lei Yue Mun for recreational development; sketch plans for the Stage I development are in hand for the Lei Yue Mun site.
A request has been made to the Government to retain Flagstaff House as a museum of history together with Victoria Barracks as a whole for development as an extension to the Zoological and Botanical Gardens and also for active recreation in accordance with the Chairman's statement of 13 September 1977. In the meantime, negotiation with the Government is being actively pursued to obtain land for development of a large-scale recreational complex at Kai Tak.
MR CHAM (in English):-In Hong Kong, we have a whole jungle of concrete buildings. It was once suggested that only about 38% of the Victoria Barracks was set aside for the public. What percentage would be considered adequate or as an absolute minimum for public recreational purposes?