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The installation of a pontoon and some minor additional works are being undertaken, including the provision of a public address system and improved safety measures at the venue. This work will be completed to coincide with the opening of the facility.
MR. WONG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, just now, Mr. Young said that arrangements are now being made for tendering exercises, does that refer only to the refreshment kiosk or does that also apply to the provision of pedal-wheel boats and so on? Secondly, will there be adequate parking facilities?
MR. YOUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the tender has already been sent out, it stipulated firstly on the recreational side, we want to have approximately 50 boats of which 30 will be rowing boats and other pedal-wheel boats. The same tender is supposed to cover other life-saving services and cleansing services together with the operation of a kiosk. Regarding carparking spaces, there is a carpark within walking distance of that place and I believe that there is space for 64 private cars and 6 coaches.
MR. FORSGATE (in English):—Will there be sufficient water in the reservoir for these 50 boats?
MR. YOUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the reservoir at the moment is about 80% full and steps have been taken to have arrangements with the Water Supplies Department, with help of God, of course, so that it will be kept fairly full for recreational purposes. In fact, they advise us all the catchment gates to this reservoir have already been opened to have water channelled into the reservoir.
MR. SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I can in fact confirm that when I walked there this morning there is plenty of water, but I wonder whether Mr. Young is aware of the fact that the carpark he is talking about is half a mile away on a gradient of 1:4.
MR. YOUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, walking half a mile even with a gradient of 1:4 to someone energetic enough to paddle a rowing boat should not be difficult at all.
8. MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG asked the following question (in Cantonese):— The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra was set up by this Council in 1977 and has contributed much to the development and appreciation of Chinese music in the community. Is there any plan to enable it to be run independently along the line similar to the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, in the near future?
MR. LAWRENCE H. L. FUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—Mr. Chairman, first of all, I would like to thank my very cultured fellow Councillor Samuel WONG for acknowledging the fact
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that the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra has contributed much to the development and appreciation of Chinese music in the community. Thank you, Samuel.
This question concerns the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and the possibility of its being operated independently in a similar manner to the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
The hiving off of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra has been mooted from time to time. The latest review of the Chinese Orchestra was in 1984, when arguments for and against such privatization were examined.
On the one hand, hiving off may afford the Orchestra greater flexibility, particularly in administration and in community involvement through sponsorship. On the other hand, this might bring on other problems and perhaps an even greater demand for financial support from the Council. After due consideration, it was decided last year that the time was not yet ripe for Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra to become independent.
However, the future development of the Orchestra is subject to regular reviews and the possibility of its becoming independent will certainly be one of the key issues to be considered.
MR. WONG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, may I ask Mr. Fung why he thought that perhaps when it was hived-off, there would be even greater demand for financial support from Council or in other words, why must it be more expensive if we leave it to independent operators?
MR. LAWRENCE FUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, can I reverse the question and ask why Mr. WONG thinks that by hiving it off, it will be more economical?
MR. PETER CHAN (in English):—May I ask the Chairman of the Culture Select Committee to give us some record of our support to the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. I understand when I joined the Council we supported them with less than $1 million, now it has to be almost $9 million a year, could that be something that Mr. WONG could supply to us? I was told by the representative of the Philharmonic Orchestra that it is $19 million.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—It is nothing to do with the Chinese Orchestra but Mr. FUNG, if you wish to say something, it is entirely up to you.
MR. LAWRENCE FUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, I think I must clear the fact that our subsidy to the Hong Kong Philharmonic is neither $9 million or $19 million but it is in the one of the later items of today's meeting, the figures are in our annual budget.
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