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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
consist mainly of offices for the staff who will be managing the facilities in the park. We hope that construction of the swimming pool complex and indoor games hall will start in 1985.
The third phase of development is not yet planned in detail, but we propose to have a Western style garden and a small sitting-out area. The site of the garden is about 2 hectares and is at present temporarily developed with a mini-soccer pitch, basketball courts and a refreshment kiosk. When facilities in the sports and games area are completed in October 1984 this site will be redeveloped in accordance with these proposals. The site for the sitting-out area is about 2,400 m2 and the land is at present used as a temporary access for construction traffic to the building site of the Police Station in Austin Road. The Police Station is due for completion in 1985 after which the sitting-out area will be developed.
The fourth and final phase of development which covers the southern portion of Kowloon Park comprises a park nursery, a children's playground, a sitting-out area and landscaped gardens. The sites planned for these projects are at present used for temporary offices, workshops, classrooms, dance practice rooms and the temporary museum of history, all of which must be reprovisioned into permanent facilities, and it is not expected that this part of the Park can be developed before 1988.
Finally about car parking facilities to serve the swimming pool complex. Space for coaches and cars of hirers of major events will be provided on site. Also a public multi-storey car park with space for about 500 cars is being planned on an adjacent site fronting Austin Road outside the boundary of Kowloon Park,
2. MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):- What progress has been made in the planning and provision of fun pool swimming facilities as opposed to standard swimming pool complexes?
MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns the U.C.'s programme for provision of fun and recreation pools.
The planning of swimming complexes with fun pools exclusively or a combination of standard pools and fun pools is a relatively recent development in Hong Kong. Three fun pool complexes are under planning, each comprising one wave-action pool with waves generated by mechanical means at regular intervals, one slide pool with slides of different designs, and one free-form pool with various features, for example, waterfalls, spray jets and toys for children at the poolside. Their locations and estimated completion times are as follows:—
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Expected Completion Time
1986
1987
1988/89
(a) Shun Lee Tsuen, Kwun Tong
(b) Ho Man Tin, Kowloon City
(c) Java Road, North Point
Four other pool complexes under planning will each include one large free-form fun pool or one slide pool or both, in addition to the standard facilities, i.e. one 50 m x 25 m pool, training pools and a diving pool. They are scheduled for completion between 1986 and 1987 and are located at:-
(a) Kowloon Park
(b) Hammer Hill in Wong Tai Sin
(c) Sam Ka Tsuen in Yau Tong
(d) Shek Kip Mei Park Stage III
Expected Completion Time
1986
1987
1987
1987
A study team of Architectural Office and City Services Department officers visited a number of fun pool complexes in Japan in October last year; many of their observations, for example, the design of slides and the optimum use of the wave generation machine, have been incorporated into the planning concepts of the fun pools under planning.
Three other swimming pool projects providing standard facilities without fun pools are under construction. They will be located at Lai Chi Kok, Wan Chai and Sham Shui Po. The project at Lai Chi Kok is expected to be completed in May 1984 while those at Wan Chai and Sham Shui Po are expected to be completed in mid-1985.
MR. YOUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like clarification on one point. Mr. Lo just now divided the swimming pool projects into three phases with the Kowloon Park in the second phase. In his answer, he mentioned a free-form pool or slide pool but did not mention wave-action pool. However, in the first part of his answer, he said that there would be a wave-action pool in Kowloon Park. I want to know whether there will be a wave-action pool in Kowloon Park.
MR. LO (in English):—I believe the fun pool at Kowloon Park will have artificial waves. We will have an artificial wave generation machine.
MR. YOUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, it stated in the answer that there are 7 locations for these pools. I am quite satisfied with the locations, but we all know that swimming pools are not equally popular. We can see that the most popular one is in Victoria Park because transport is convenient. When designing these fun pools, have we also considered choosing one of these 7 pools to be a major fun pool centre which has all facilities? It can be Kowloon Park as it seems to be in the best position amongst the locations mentioned.
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