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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
In the year 1984/85, there are about 102 subsidized secondary schools in Kowloon. In addition, there are government schools, subvented schools, private secondary schools, school-related sports associations and other clubs which also hire the playground. Generally speaking, a school would need to hire the playground for 2 days for its sports meet. During the summer vacation, the playground is closed to allow the grass to grow and in other days, it is also closed for one day in a week for maintenance. Granted that sports events are held by the schools even during those days which are not suitable for holding outdoor activities, it is clearly evident that demands for use of the playground far exceed supply.
Many schools are thus turned away whether by the first-come-first-served system formerly adopted or by the present system of drawing lots. Some schools are compelled to cancel the year's sports meet while others turn to hiring the Perth Street Playground, a playground of funny shape and with sub-standard tracks and other facilities, or the Kowloon Tsai Playground where an athlete could almost touch the aeroplanes frequently flying past there by raising his or her hands.
In the circumstances, there is urgent need for the Council to build a modern, standard playground in Kowloon. To maximize the use of the new playgrounds, it should be made available for football matches at night. Also, the Council should replace the tracks at the Mongkok Playground with 'Tartan Tracks' to meet the modern need, and to improve the changing rooms as well as the public address system. In this way, the Council will be living up to its long-standing goal of supporting sports activities, and will at the same time assist the schools and clubs in the promotion of sports and the training of sportsmen/sportswomen.
Noise Nuisance from Construction Sites
As far as I know, there are often complaints from the public against noise nuisance from construction sites. When it was learnt that the phase two redevelopment of Li Cheng Uk Estate would start at the end of 1985 and the noise emanating from piling and building of the super-structure would seriously affect over 8,000 pupils studying in the 13 secondary and primary schools and kindergartens in the neighbourhood, the headmasters of the 13 schools and kindergartens jointly wrote to me, requesting assistance, and I then submitted a document to the Shamshui Po District Board in my capacity as Chairman of the Sham Shui Po Schools Liaison Committee, asking for the District Board's support in the control of noise nuisance from construction sites, so as to minimize the effect on the over 8,000 pupils during their lessons. I am happy to say that the District Board's Environment Committee did give its unanimous support.
After numerous meetings with the officials of the Housing Department, the Department agreed to allocate funds for the purchase of 200 sets of loudspeakers for use by teachers of the affected schools. The matter is thus settled.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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As a matter of fact, in recent years, much noise nuisance is often caused by private as well as government re-development projects, such as the re-development of old tenement houses by private developers, the re-development of public housing estates and new construction projects etc., to people living or working in the older districts, particularly to the schools there. It is said that with regard to most of the government projects, there are provisions to require the contractors to use tools equipped with noise absorbers in their construction work, so that the noise emanated should not be more than 75 decibels as recorded from the outer walls of occupied buildings nearest to the construction sites. However, there is not yet any legislation to keep under control the private developments and contractors. I have specially cited the example of the phase two of the re-development of the Li Cheng Uk Estate in order to point out the following: The contractor only consents to some compromises because it is a government project and the Housing Department also agrees to provide funds for the purchase of loud-speakers. In this way, the reasonable demands of the 13 schools are met to some extent. If it is not a government project, I am afraid the over 8,000 pupils studying in the 13 schools will have no alternative but to suffer for 5 months the noise nuisance from the piling and the even longer period of time the noise nuisance generated from the construction of the superstructure following the piling work.
We all know that during lessons, the pupils require a very quiet surrounding. The teachers certainly cannot compete with noise emanating from the construction sites, particularly the continuous loud noise of piling. According to the teachers, it is really impossible to give lessons when piling goes on. The educators and pupils do realize that building projects and re-development of public housing estates are necessary for the improvement of community environment and of the quality of life of the residents, but in the course of construction, noise should be kept to the minimum. Government should therefore expand the sphere of control of noise emanating from the construction sites in order to protect the pupils and residents in the neighbourhood from too much of such noise nuisance.
With these words, Sir, I support the motion.
MR. MARVIN K. T. CHEUNG (in English):—Mr. Chairman, speaking as a newly appointed member of this Council, I have found the role of an Urban Councillor to be an intriguing one. Our Council is only a body of 30 people and yet it is charged with the responsibility for carrying out a number of vital functions which are essential to the smooth running of Hong Kong involving expenditure of well over $2,000 million. The Urban Services Department is said to be the executive arm of the Council and it is the U.S.D. that employ all the staff and incur virtually all the expenditure under the control of the Council. I am given to understand that the Council formulates policies and the U.S.D. is asked but not directed to carry them out. We, Urban Councillors, organize ourselves into 13 Select Committees, each with a chairman to oversee a particular aspect of the Council's work. Although the role of the Select