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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the source of the leak was located, but I do not think the reason for the leak has been determined. It is underneath the deep end of the pool. We know it is there. Unless we dig up the whole thing, I do not think we will be able to ascertain exactly what happened, but I would guess that perhaps the whole thing subsided a little and caused the crack.
MR. YOUNG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, is it correct to say that similar prolonged closure of pools caused by problems such as the outlets underneath the pools should be minimized in our newer swimming pools which I believe have a different design under the pool, with built-in channels.
MR. Lo (in English):-That is correct, Mr. Chairman. This pool, the Victoria Park Swimming Pool, is one of the older ones and the outlet pipes are simply ones underneath the pool, so if anything happens to that pipe, it is very difficult to get at. The new pools have pipes which run alongside and are made accessible by means of the covers being lifted off to get at the pipe itself and maintenance is that much easier.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Victoria Park Pool is just about 25 years old. Building methods were different then as were the materials used.
3. MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in English):— To what extent have the many trees uprooted or damaged during last summer's devastating typhoon been replaced?
MR. KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE Recreation Select Committee, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns the extent of the damage caused to trees by Typhoon 'Hope' last year.
Typhoon 'Hope' struck Hong Kong in August 1979 causing the destruction of some 1,700 trees and damage to a further 5,300 for which the Urban Council had a maintenance responsibility. In the main these trees were of substantial size, their destruction being widespread and extremely evident.
Many of the fallen trees had grown in awkward locations such as on banks, roadsides or on the edge of large plantations where their replacement was neither practical nor necessary. However, a survey revealed that at least 1,200 of the trees could be replaced and replanting commenced within three weeks of the storm abating.
In 1979, 18,800 trees were planted, some 60% more than had originally been envisaged and consequently mitigating some of the typhoon damage. The 1980 tree planting programme is now nearing completion and by the end of June 1980 virtually all the trees lost to Typhoon 'Hope' will have been replaced in or as near as possible to the original locations.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. YOUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, C.U.C. in his statement earlier today said that this year we intend to plant 15,444 trees and Mr. LO has just given a figure of 18,800 for last year. Is that an indication of a deliberate policy to plant less this year or was last year's figure really exceptional in that we achieved 16% more than what was planned?
MR. LO (in English):—Mr. Chairman, last year we were able to plant 16% more than had been anticipated. The 1980 figure which you have given would be about the figure we would be aiming at.
MRS. GRACE HO (in English):-Mr. Chairman, will Mr. LO confirm that there will be proper after-care of the trees after planting so that the mortality rate would be nil or very low?
MR. Lo (in English):-Yes, Mr. Chairman. There will be after-care, but the mortality rate of nil is perhaps more than we can expect.
ADJOURNMENT ·
4.27 p.m.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Council stands adjourned until Tuesday, 8 July 1980, at 4 p.m.
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