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PAPER
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
The following paper was laid on the table:-
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the months of June 1984.
QUESTIONS
1. Mr. Howard H. W. YOUNG asked the following question (in English):--- What plans are there for the construction of a refuse collection point at Yuet Wah Street in Kwun Tong, and to what extent will it encroach on facilities in the park in that area? What alternative sites were looked at to build an R.C.P. to cater for refuse in that particular area?
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question raises three different points:-
(a) the plans for the construction of a refuse collection point at Yuet Wah Street;
(b) the extent to which the refuse collection point will encroach on existing facilities in the Yuet Wah Street Playground where it will be located; and (c) whether alternative sites in the area have been considered for building this refuse collection point.
Plans for construction of an R.C.P. at Yuet Wah Street
To answer the first part of the question, planning of a permanent R.C.P. at Yuet Wah Street first started in 1978 with a view to replacing the temporary R.C.P. near the junction of Hip Wo Street/Yuet Wah Street which has been the subject of continual public complaint. The construction of the permanent R.C.P. at Yuet Wah Street was approved by this Council in July 1982 after a site visit by Members of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee had been held some months earlier. Tender formalities have now been completed and a contract has just been awarded.
To what extent it encroaches on facilities in the park
The R.C.P. under construction is situated at the south-western corner of the Yuet Wah Street Playground. The site was previously occupied by a dog's latrine and it occupies an area of about 0.02 ha, which is roughly 1% of the total area of the playground measuring about 1.45 ha. No other park facilities are affected.
What alternative sites had been looked at
The Department, together with the Town Planning Office, has tried to seek an alternative site to serve the purpose but unfortunately has not been able to come up with one which meets with the rigid site criteria regarding vehicular access, with any site disposition, environmental considerations, etc.
To be more specific, the following two alternative sites were considered as shown in the plan tabled:--
(a) JO Yuet Wah/ Hip Wo Street
The site was considered not suitable for the purpose on traffic engineering grounds because of its proximity to the traffic-signal-controlled junction.
(b) Another site within the Yuet Wah Street Playground
This site was ruled out jointly by the Environmental Hygiene and Recreation Select Committees of this Council because of the need to fell some of the large and mature trees in the playground which will adversely affect the amenities provided in this playground.
I would like to take this opportunity to reassure Members that the new R.C.P.S now being constructed are of a proven design which incorporates a carbon filtration system and amenity planting to eliminate unpleasant odour and to provide an effective screen from its neighbourhood. In the case of the R.C.P. in question, special arrangements will be made to minimize the noise disturbance to the school nearby by re-scheduling the collection times to non-schooling hours.
MR. HOWARD YOUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I want to ask another question. Just now Dr. HUANG told us that a carbon filtration system was incorporated in the R.C.P., I wish to know whether we have received many complaints since we started installing carbon filtration systems in the R.C.P.s.
DR. HUANG (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, as far as I know, we have not received any complaint. In the past, we received a lot of complaints from the residents nearby, but after we installed the carbon filtration system, we have not received any complaint, so I think, the residents in Kwun Tong can rest assured.
2. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):— What kind of facilities are provided at all Urban Council beaches? Are they appropriately provided? Does Urban Council provide sufficient and efficient management services at beaches for the beach-goers especially during summer time?
Recently noise nuisance and environment pollution are seriously caused by the youths at Repulse Bay beach and in the vicinity, what action will Urban Council take in order to improve the situation?
MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT Committee, replied as follows (in English):-This question asks what kind of facilities are provided at Urban Council beaches and whether they are appropriately
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