Page 97 of 126
Page 97 of 126
4
172
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
build a swimming pool in the central part of the Eastern District to alleviate the demand. I would like to ask:
(a) Is it feasible to build a swimming pool as part of the Quarry Bay Park (Phase II) development?
(b) If not, does the Urban Council have any plan in hand to provide another leisure pool or swimming pool in the Eastern District?
MR. RONNIE WONG MAN-CHIU, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-The question concerns whether it is feasible to build a swimming pool as part of the Quarry Bay Park (Phase II) development, and if not, whether Council has plans to provide similar facilities in the Eastern District.
Before I reply to the question raised by Miss TING, I would like to recap Council's policy on provision of conventional and leisure swimming pools. The Council agreed in July 1989, having considered Committee Paper REC/53/89, that with the provision of 14 conventional pool complexes in the urban districts, the standard of provision of swimming pools, that is one per 287,000 population, had been met. The decision was reaffirmed in October 1991 vide Committee Paper REC/101/91, CAP/86/91. It was then also agreed that the provision of new swimming pool facilities should be confined to leisure pools which should be provided on a regional basis and that only three leisure pools should be developed (two in Kowloon, namely the Hammer Hill and Jordan Valley Swimming Pool Complexes and one on site to be identified on the northern part of Hong Kong Island stretching from western to eastern end).
According to the population size, Eastern District is entitled to two swimming pool complexes. These have already been provided at Victoria Park and Chai Wan. Therefore, we do not consider the provision of a third swimming pool in Eastern District is not therefore considered justified. To boost the usage of the Chai Wan Swimming Pool, Council approved in March 1990 the installation of leisure equipment in the children's pool of the Chai Wan Complex. The work was completed in October 1991. It is expected that the usage of the venue, which at present is 27% below the average, would increase.
Against the above background and to answer the question raised by Miss TING:
(a) it is technically feasible to build a conventional swimming pool complex as part of the Quarry Bay Park (Phase II) development but as mentioned earlier (since we have already met the requirement), there is no justification to provide an extra swimming pool. Furthermore, the site itself is not a good one because it is too close to tobacco company;
(b) there is no plan to provide another swimming pool or leisure pool in the Eastern District, but we are now searching for a suitable site for building a leisure pool complex on the northern part of the Hong Kong Island as a regional facility, and we have not made any firm decision on it.
Page 97 of 126
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
173
MISS CHRISTINA TING (in Cantonese):-Mr. WONG gave us a very clear explanation. But all we know that the Victoria Park Swimming Pool has existed for a long time and it is used by residents all over HK and not just for Eastern District. As for the Chai Wan Swimming Complex, we all know that it is rather far away and that it is not really so accessible to the general public. If you want to go to the Chai Wan Swimming Complex by bus, you would have to walk for another 15 minutes before you can reach the swimming pool. So, that is why it is unpopular. But the Eastern District would have an increase in population. This can be seen from the increasingly congested traffic and the increase in the number of housing complexes. In 1993 and 1994, there will be more people coming to live in the Eastern District. Many years ago, we were promised that in Java Road there would be a swimming pool and later we were told that the site was not right and it was changed to Quarry Bay Park. On 5 September, the USD official told the Eastern District Board that they would consider having a swimming pool built in Hoi Chak Street. We do not want a leisure pool which is too expensive, we would just like to have an all-weather standard pool. Besides, the EPD doesn't object to having a swimming pool close by the tobacco company. I hope that further explanation can be given by Mr. WONG.
MR. RONNIE WONG (in Cantonese):-I fully understand the feeling of Miss TING as she is facing a lot of pressure behind. But the Council has already provided two pools in the Eastern District, we have already met the town planning requirement. If we continue to build another swimming pool, of course, on the one hand it would satisfy the requirements or needs of certain group of our community, but on the other hand, a lot of people would criticise this as a waste of public money. I would like to further supplement one point: in fact, according to the information available, in Eastern District, we actually have 4 swimming pools if we use demarcation of constituency according to UC and LegCo elections, we still have Morrison Hill Swimming Pool and the Wan Chai Swimming Pool. Again, these pools are very popular among groups and so, because of these reasons, I am afraid that we cannot change our decision. The USD still believes that building another swimming pool in the Eastern District will not be appropriate.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):-In paragraph 3, Mr. WONG says that there are two swimming pools complexes and I am forgetting about his last answer about the two extra swimming pools which are not really in the Eastern District. They are counted by the fact that many many people from the Eastern District going to the Victoria Park Swimming Pool. So actually there are two and a half swimming pools. In Shau Kei Wan, there is a considerable number of new public housing coming into occupation during the next two years. So the Eastern District will be entitled to 3 swimming pools within two years. Surely two years is not so great a time that consideration cannot now be given to introduce a third swimming pool. The question is: has that been considered at all?
Page 97 of 126