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MRS. ELLIOTT (in English):—I don't think that this need to be replied to, Mr. Chairman?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-No.
MR. YOUNG (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I noticed in the reply that career talks are part of the extension activities and I believe that they are quite popular. The specific one mentioned was with Rotary Club of Hong Kong. I happen to know a very good series of career talks which was produced as a joint project between Radio Television Hong Kong and the Outstanding Young Persons Association which is now in possession of RTHK. If it has not been done already, will the Council consider approaching any one of the above-mentioned bodies to make this available in all our libraries for students who may be interested.
MRS. ELLIOTT (in English):-Mr. Chairman, we are always on the lookout for additional information and I would be very glad to put this before the Libraries Select Committee to find out if there are any further avenues as well as RTHK
5. MR. WALTER M. SULKE asked the following question (in English):---What steps are being taken by the Council to make the Hong Kong Government aware that a heliport on top of the Hung Hom KCR station public car park would, because of noise pollution, interfere seriously with events to be held in the Council's Hung Hom Stadium, and that it could also be dangerous for the public attending functions at the stadium as under certain wind conditions the Stadium would be under the aircrafts' flight path?
THE HONOURABLE F. K. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns the possible effect of the proposed heliport on top of the Hung Hom Railway Station car park on the Urban Council's Hong Kong Coliseum.
The Council has taken up the matter officially with the Government and has recommended that the heliport project should not proceed until the safety and noise pollution aspects have been satisfactorily resolved.
As far as the noise pollution aspect is concerned, the City and New Territories Administration and the Department have proposed a demonstration using helicopters which would have a noise level comparable to those intended for the future Macau service. During the test they would make typical landings and take-offs on the heliport site. It has also been proposed that the demonstration should be carried out in the presence of representatives of the Urban Council and other interested organizations such as the District Boards.
The proximity of Kai Tak airport to the Hong Kong Coliseum has been taken into account by the acoustic consultant at the project design stage and measures for noise insulation have been incorporated into the design with a view to effectively sealing off noise. These measures include appropriate thickness for the walls and the roof and provision of acoustic buffers at all entrances to the Hong Kong Coliseum.
Apart from the proposed demonstration, the acoustic consultants will conduct a separate test after completion of building work to ascertain that the noise insulation devices can effectively shut off noise generated not only by aircraft but also by helicopters using the heliport on the roof of the Hung Hom Multi-storey Car Park.
I understand that the Civil Aviation Department will give instructions to the helicopter operator so that the flight path for the helicopter will be routed seawards and that night flying would be restricted to coincide with the reduction in road traffic noise at night.
The question of possible interference arising from vibration caused by helicopters during landing and take-off will also be examined and arrangements will be made for appropriate measurements to be taken during the demonstration.
MR. SULKE (in English): Mr. Chairman, I wonder whether Council is aware that there has just been a terrible crash of a helicopter (which is of a similar type to the one that is going to be used here) which has led to great loss of life. I hope that Government's attention will be drawn to this because it shows that no matter how careful one is, if there is a blade failure, then there will be considerable danger to the public attending performances at the stadium.
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I am fully aware of that incident beside the one that happened in New York. We have already brought this to the attention of the Government.
MRS. HO (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I am happy to see that the noise consultant will be brought in to consider the noise problem; however, as the building is more or less complete, is it too late to have major building amendments to ensure that noise pollution could be taken care of?
MR. HU (in English):—Both the Government and our own acoustic consultants will look into this question. Originally, the design was based on the aircraft movement in and out of the Kai Tak airport, now with the possible helicopter service, they have to study what is the possible level of additional noise pollution. For Members' information, the original design noise level for the grand stand and arena for the Hong Kong Coliseum is NC 35. NC stands for noise criteria curve and the preliminary theoretical calculation by the Government on the possible noise level created in the Hong Kong Coliseum at this stage based on the helicopter which will be used for the Macau service is DBA 45, but any way, our acoustic consultants and Government will both check again the noise level in the arena if the helicopter service is introduced.
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