THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1985
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DB MEMBERS WELCOME UC CULTURAL CENTRE IN SAI WAN HO
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THE URBAN COUNCIL'S DECISION TO BUILD A SMALL CULTURAL CENTRE IN SAI WAN HO WAS WELCOMED BY MEMBERS OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD TODAY WHEN THEY WERE BRIEFED ABOUT THE COUNCIL'S CAPITAL AND MINOR WORKS PROJECTS FOR THE DISTRICT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (PLANNING) OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MISS ELLE SHUM, TOLD THE MEETING THAT THE FINDINGS OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS DEFINITELY A NEED FOR A PURPOSE-BUILT CULTURAL CENTRE IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT IN VIEW OF THE LARGE POPULATION AND THE INADEQUACY OF FACILITIES THERE.
+THERE ARE TWO PROPOSALS WITH REGARD TO THE PROVISION OF SUCH A CULTURAL CENTRE: A FREE-STANDING MEDIUM-SIZED CULTURAL CENTRE IN CHAI WAN AND A SMALL CULTURAL CENTRE IN THE UC SAI WAN HO COMPLEX, SAID MISS SHUM.
+SINCE THE SMALL CULTURAL CENTRE IN SAI WAN HO IS EXPECTED TO BE LESS COSTLY, INVOLVES FEWER ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLICATIONS AND YET IS ABLE TO ANSWER MOST OF THE NEEDS OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT, THE COUNCIL HAS DECIDED THAT THIS CULTURAL CENTRE SHOULD BE BUILT AS SOON AS THE SITE IS AVAILABLE IN FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR.
+MEANWHILE, CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE TEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE IN CHAI WAN FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND ITS LONG-TERM USE WILL BE REVIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SMALL CULTURAL CENTRE.+
HOWEVER A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HOPED THAT THE CHAI WAN CULTURAL CENTRE WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED IN THE NOT-TOO- DISTANT FUTURE TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES IN THE DISTRICT.
OTHER PROJECTS OF GREAT CONCERN TO BOARD MEMBERS INCLUDED THE CHAI WAN FOLK MUSEUM, ALDRICH BAY PLAYGROUND, LYEMUN PARK, THE INDOOR GAMES HALL ON SAI WAN HO RECLAMATION, ELECTRIC ROAD COMPLEX AND JAVA ROAD COMPLEX,
IN REPLY, MISS SHUM UNDERTOOK TO TAKE THE MEMBERS' VIEWS INTO CONSIDERATION AND TO AMEND, WHERE POSSIBLE, THE PLANNING PROPOSALS ACCORDING TO THE IR OPINIONS.
MISS SHUM TOLD THE MEETING THAT THERE ARE 29 CAPITAL WORKS AND 54 MINOR WORKS PROJECTS IN THE COUNCIL'S PLANNING PIPELINE FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT, OF WHICH SOME 52 PER CENT ARE RECREATION AND SPORTS FACILITIES.
THE MULTI-MILLION PROGRAMME, INCLUDING THREE PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. COVERS A VERY WIDE FIELD INCLUDING MARKET COMPLEXES, COOKED FOOD CENTRES, A TEMPORARY HAWKER BAZAAR, PARKS, GARDENS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS AND TOILET FACILITIES.
J
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