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completion by 1983 whilst two others at Kowloon Bay Recreation Ground and Sai Tso Wan Sports Ground should be completed in 1984–85 and 1985-86.
As for outdoor sports stadia, a site has been reserved at Sai Tso Wan for a stadium. However, implementation of this project will have to await the future development of the area including a proper infrastructure of roads and other services which are unlikely to be completed in the near future.
19 outdoor recreation projects in Kwun Tong urban district are under planning and are scheduled for completion within the next five years. The facilities to be provided include full-size and mini-soccer pitches, basketball courts, volleyball courts, tennis courts and children's play areas.
Turning to facilities for swimming, there is a swimming pool complex at the junction of Tsui Ping Road and Kai Lim Road in Kwun Tong, with a 50-metre main pool for competitions, a 50-metre secondary pool for recreation, a diving pool, 3 teaching pools and 2 paddling pools for young children. The complex at Kwun Tong has a spectator stand which seats 800.
New swimming pools will be provided at Sam Ka Tsuen and Shun Lee Tsuen, but plans have not yet been finalized. Work on both projects is due to commence in 1984 and the facilities should be ready by 1985-86.
Recreation facilities in Kwun Tong are inadequate. Nevertheless, considering the facilities which already exist and are scheduled for completion in the near future, the situation is not as gloomy as is implied by Mr. Ambrose Chor's question.
6. MR. AMBROSE K. C. CHOI asked the following question (in Cantonese):— I believe that a science museum will be helpful to all the students in Hong Kong and it is specially important to those people who are in the field of industry and commerce. I remember that a site for the construction of a science museum has been offered to Council. When will the plan be brought into effect?
Mrs. Grace HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE MUSEUMS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the date for the completion of the proposed Science Museum.
A site in Chatham Road East has been reserved for a permanent Museum of Science and Technology. This project is in Category B of the Public Works Programme, and its upgrading to Category A depends on the finalization of a Schedule of Accommodation. The Schedule itself is being drawn up in the light of advice received from a consultancy team from the Association of Science-Technology Centres during a visit to Hong Kong in 1979. The Government has engaged a museum consultant who will come to Hong Kong in January 1982 and, in addition, a team from the Public Works Department and the Urban Services Department will make an overseas tour in November in order to study science museums in other parts of the world. This Museum will probably be completed in 1987 or 1988.
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In the meantime, a temporary Science Museum will be constructed on a portion of the Chatham Road site, and this will probably be completed in 1983. It will eventually form part of the permanent Museum.
The Senior Scientific Officer (Science Museum) has been in post since mid-January 1979 and considerable planning and development work has already been undertaken.
7. MR. STEPHEN M. L. Lau asked the following question (in Cantonese):— What is the extent of Urban Council subsidies to the Arts Festival and what is the underlying basis of such subsidies?
THE HONOURABLE F. K. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns the extent to which the Urban Council subsidizes the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society Ltd. and the underlying basis for this. In order to explain the changes that have occurred over the years in regard to the financial contribution towards the annual Arts Festival, I think that I should provide Members with some background information on the origin of this annual cultural event.
The first Hong Kong Festival of the Arts was held in April 1955 under the sponsorship of the Sino-British Club with the assistance of a large number of amateur dramatic, choral and musical groups under the patronage of H.E. the Governor. The festival was held each year until 1961, most events being held on the Star Ferry East Pier and in local activity halls before the commissioning of the new City Hall. There is no record that the Urban Council made any grant to the original Hong Kong Arts Festival. However, in May 1968 attempts were made to revive the Festival of Arts and the Council resolved to sponsor a Hong Kong Festival of the Arts at regular intervals. The precise method of implementation was referred to the City Hall Select Committee but it was shelved in 1970 when the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society Ltd. was incorporated as a charitable institution under the Companies Ordinance with the purpose of organizing the Arts Festival. In 1973, the first annual Arts Festival was held in association with the Urban Council. In the early years the Council gave support to the Festival by making available its facilities at the City Hall and by applying a system of reduced hire charges. No actual grant was made until 1975 when the Council altered the system by making an annual subsidy to the Society instead of merely reducing hire charges.
Since 1977, the subsidy was further adjusted to cover the full estimated hiring charges. All subsidies include an element of financial assistance towards organizing programmes. The subsidy for 1981-82 from the Council amounts to $1 million.
MR. LAU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, for the recent years, how much money did the Urban Council pay for the Arts Festivals and how much was subsidized by the Government?
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