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The Urban Services Department has regular contact with the Regional Services Department regarding territory-wide sports events, and consideration will be given to the further promotion of 5-a-side soccer through the medium of a territory-wide competition.

THE HONOURABLE HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, arising from the last paragraph of the reply, would you be so kind as to bring this matter to the attention of the Chairman of the Regional Council at the next joint liaison meeting?

CHAIRMAN (in English):—I would, thank you.

3. MR. TONG KAM-BIU, ON BEHALF OF MR. FREDERICK K. K. FUNG, asked the following question (in Cantonese): The Sham Shui Po District Board has suggested that a market be built in Mei Foo. What is the Council's response to this proposal and what progress has been made?

MR. LEE CHIK-YUET, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question asks what progress has been made in the suggestion put forward by the Sham Shui Po District Board that a market be built by the Council at Mei Foo Sun Chuen.

The suggestion that a market be built in Mei Foo has been put forward by the Sham Shui Po District Board on several occasions. The latest proposal was to build a permanent market at a site earmarked for the Lai Chi Kok Area Centre.

The proposal has been examined and information has been collected by USD on the size of the population in the catchment area of the proposed market, their shopping patterns and the existing provision of market facilities in the vicinity. This information is weak in supporting the claim that a market should be built in this area. However, local residents indicated that they would further commission their own survey to study the shopping patterns of the residents of Mei Foo Sun Chuen and the adjacent residential estates in support of their proposal.

Regarding the proposed site originally earmarked for the Lai Chi Kok Area Centre, it was noted that it might be unsuitable as a slip road project was under consideration.

Taking all this into consideration, the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee decided on 21 May 1986 that before any decision could be reached, it would be necessary to examine the results of the survey commissioned by the local residents, and resolve the question of the slip road project mentioned above.

It has been subsequently found that the Lai Chi Kok Area Centre site is definitely not suitable. However, an alternative site under the Kwai Chung Road flyover has been suggested and present indications are that, pending clarification of certain technical details, it might be suitable for the purpose. However, nothing has been heard so far about the survey to be commissioned by the local residents.

The answer to Mr. FUNG's question is, therefore, that some progress has been made towards the identifying of a suitable site for the construction of a market in Mei Foo and the Council is prepared to re-consider the matter if the District Board, the Area Committee or local residents are able to produce fresh evidence to show that there is a need and viability for such a market to be built from public funds.

MR. TONG KAM-BIU (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, according to my understanding, the Sham Shui Po District Board is not too satisfied with our reply. From their numerous proposals and questions we can understand their dissatisfaction. I understand from the reply given by MR. LEE, the local residents were required to conduct a survey. But from my understanding in the District Board meeting, it appears that the views are not the same as ours. They hope that the Urban Council should conduct a survey and to prove that there is a need and viability for building such a market as the survey needs time and money. So I would like to ask whether we can give a definite reply to the District Board or do we have some sorts of publicity as to what we should do?

MR. LEE CHIK-YUET (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I think at present the Council's view is that we have not reached a final decision. If a market is to be built, we have to find out there is such a need and the market should be a viable one. If these two conditions are satisfied, we will consider building a market. As regards the site, that is the thing we can do. We are now liaising with the Building and Lands Department and the Highways Department and other relevant government departments too. An identified and ideal site we are now proposing is the one underneath the Kwai Chung flyover. There are some problems about the sewage system on the site which might be suitable for building a market. So we are working on these two directions. On the one hand, we are looking into the technical matters of the site which are within our control. On the other hand, whether there is a need and viability for building a market, we have not come up with a decision on this point in time. So, finally I would say that we have not reached a final position as to whether we can build a market complex or not.

(Mr. CHAN Kwok-ming arrived at 2:40 p.m.)

4. MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG (in Cantonese): The temporary market in the Southorn Playground in Wan Chai, occupying over 1,500 m2 active recreational area was constructed in August 1982 to temporarily resite the stall lessees in the old Lockhart Road Market. The new market complex has now been occupied.

I understand that this temporary market would be re-used a second time for resiting the stall lessees and hawkers in Wan Chai Market cum hawker bazaar.

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