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PROVISIONAL Urban COUNCIL
and the persistent drop in the number of tourists, RESOLVED that the Council set up a Sunday flea market at the piazza of Hong Kong Coliseum as a trial scheme, in order to fully utilize the Council's venues for raising revenue, helping to create job opportunities, providing the tourist industry with a new tourist attraction and stimulating the economy."
In view of the present economic downturn, the setting up of a Sunday flea market would firstly secure a new and flexible site for those in need to make a living and secondly, assist artists in promoting local arts and preserving the living culture.
The flea market would provide a favourite spot to residents on Sundays. Visitors would be attracted, thereby securing more foreign currencies. My motion today is therefore to turn the open piazza of the Hong Kong Coliseum (that is, the Coliseum piazza) into a holiday flea market.
In fact I put forth the proposal at the Annual Debate held early this year but so far the Department has not taken any physical action. Looking around the world, we would find two places where flea markets are successfully held. They are Paris and London. They attract not only tens of thousands of local residents but also overseas visitors. Their attraction is not merely the wide variety of goods, antiques and handicraft. The involvement of artists and performers has created a unique cultural flavour, so much so that visitors linger and hate to leave, while others are attracted to the places on account of their reputation. Take the Camden Town in London for instance. There are a lot of artists and performers selling home-made jewellery, headwear, ornaments. It has become a very popular tourist spot. The popularity of second-hand goods markets not only encourages re-cycling but also fosters the awareness of environmental protection while the selling of antiques illustrates the significance of the living culture.
In the lengthy course of looking for their favourites and shopping, visitors to the flea market in the Hong Kong Coliseum may patronize the food and drinks kiosks there. It would indeed be very enjoyable and pleasant for one to watch the impromptu performance of street performers, such as musical performance or specially designed street performance, while hunting treasures and taking snacks.
The Montmartre district in Paris is not exactly a flea market, but it is a famous arts plaza where visitors may appreciate the famous works of art and watch street painters at work. They are always willing to become the person in a portrait for a small price, which can be taken home as a souvenir. It is this carefree atmosphere which tempts people to visit the place and linger.
It can be recalled that a long time ago in Hong Kong, the 'poor men's nightclub' was an attraction to late sleepers. It was also a treasure hunting ground for visitors. Unfortunately, this popular tourist spot no longer existed. Although there are similar stalls run in the Fairview Park as well as Yau Ma