Page 200 of 498
of 498
196
# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
recess, there were already motions concerning the early completion of Council facilities and construction works. Having heard Mr. WONG's reply, I would like to raise two points. Does Mr. WONG know that there are parks in Nam Cheong and Lai Chi Kok referred to by him which are within Sham Shui Po District? Secondly, I wonder if Mr. WONG knows the podium parks to be built by developers at the Airport podium, Airport Railway and the podium of Tai Kok Tsui Station are very different from the standard parks built by the Council. I would also like to see if the Capital Works Select Committee will follow up on the large pieces of land at the West Kowloon reclamation area and its vicinity which are designated as parks. For example, sitting-out places have been earmarked in Ferry Point, the vicinity of Jordan Road and Cherry St. in Tai Kok Tsui. Will the Committee follow up on the above projects and see that they will be commenced soon? Apart from the works in West Kowloon reclamation area, there are projects expected to be launched in the next 8-10 years in Central/Wanchai, Kai Tak Airport, Green Island etc. Will these projects be included in the sphere of responsibility of Capital Works Select Committee? Will the Committee follow up on the progress of Council facilities in the newly developed reclamation areas so that the Council will not be criticized about 'Council facilities fall behind the completion of basic infrastructure'?
MR. WONG KING-CHEUNG (in Cantonese): Thank you for Mr. NG's question. In fact, the Capital Works Select Committee is responsible for monitoring work progress in reclamation and newly developed areas regularly. A better way to handle this is for the Land Use Sub-committee chaired by Mr. NG to discuss this in more detail. The West Kowloon Reclamation Area covers a large area. I have just mentioned three examples to you. In fact, apart from the three projects I mentioned to be completed in 1999, there is a preliminary schedule for completion of other Council facilities including the Cherry Street Park, the Tung Chau Street Market Complex and the sitting-out area in area D10 scheduled for completion in 2000; the reprovisioning of the Sai Yee Street UC garage in 2001; the Tai Kok Tsui Indoor Games Hall and its adjoining plot in 2002; the Mong Kok West Indoor Games Hall and the Ferry Street Indoor Games Hall nearby in 2003 and 2004; the Tai Kok Tsui West Promenade and the Regional Park of West Kowloon Reclamation Park in 2004.
In actual fact, as far as the recreational facilities are concerned, I believe our annual accounts will show that building of recreational facilities take up a large portion of Council expenditure. I agree with Mr. NG that we should not build Council facilities in already densely populated areas. It affects the livelihood of the people. I am also very concerned about this. I hope this will be discussed in detail at future meetings of the Capital Works Select Committee.
(4) MR. TIM S. MANUEL CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese): Last July, the Department submitted to the Markets and Street
Page 200 of 498
£198
Page 200
Page 201
Page 201 of 498