1960-10-29 — Page 5

HOW WOULD YOU REDESIGN HONGKONG CENTRAL?

WHAT would you suggest if you were asked to

redesign Hongkong's central

district?

It is a question worth thinking about because there will be an op- portunity perhaps early next year for members of the public to make representations on a Government draft plan for the re-development of the central area.

This Will include control district, the former Dockyard and Army lands in the, city centre anci the new reclama- tions.

A number of organisations have already given their views.

The lart, earlier this week, was the Federation of Hongkong Industries.

WOR

that What happened Guvernancat drew up a rough redevelopmera plan of the prea resting out

Its proposals.

IL

then circulated this plan to organisations like, the Federa- tion, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese MaTIA- facturers Assariullon, the Kai- fongs, the General Chamber of Commerce and the Society of Architects,

I asked them for their epm- ments and counter-suggestions.

Incorporate

A number nf these have been published in the Press in- recent months. Having received them all and studied them,

Incorporate GovernmurA may

in a

some of their proposals final draft pina for the area.

This is the one the general pubtle will be able to comment on. And perhaps as a result of their opinions Government will then draw up a firmi fiant plan of the area,

This may be some me late involved next year. A Veis process, oil this, but it is right

and proper that it should not, bu ruthed, and in all sugges- tions made be given full sideration.

CO

Because what is being plan- ned now is the shape of things to come in Hongkong, the city we will be stuck with us Jong as the Colony remains British.

So the importance of careful planning is obvious,

Anticipation

What involves is anticipat- Ing the needs of the city ten, twenty and even thirty years ahead. Millions of doliers wil be spent, The question is how should we lay out this new city area which will make t source of pride, an embodiment of good sense and wise order. ing, and an exumple of 1- telligent far-sightedness for generalons ahead?

The Chali Mall has not seen Government's plan and all it do ni the moment is to

នភព

the

By R.G. Hutcheon

in

singularly appropriate wharves and the cirport aro which will iceflitate epithet. of the Body Corpulent, situated

and Pubile reaction' will possibly the handling clearing of

as increaseR-

the malls. Of course there would be that public service are inevitable have to be a biggish post office in Hongkong central as well to unti ap melenicy and manage-

the considerable office expert la brought out handle ment

mail. here to make drastle changes. maximum staff wconomies should of be practised and the idea decentralisation endorsed in the planning of new offices.

Another bullding to go cvar in Kowloon should be the per- manen! trede and industrial display centre. But rather than

The Yacht Club-out to Deepwater Bay.

or

03

also

More room for pedestrians, bres for ears we of Ice House Street, the Federation of In-

dustries, urges. "One point that must be firmly cympathetic consideration. To out fear of becoming involved improssed Is that if the Club is those who feel that reclaimed in traffic, to be offered another central land is too valuable to be used

But before venting our wrath site, it should not become ex-

IL A public playground, elusive club property. It should should not be forgotten that of the motorists. It should be remembered that any proposat instead be leased for the winter two car parks have been built to give more freedom to the months and opened for public on one large area of reclaimed pedestrian at the motorists'

and particularly land, and the priority for people expense recreation

affects public school games in the summer. is surely more important than transport.

This is no sald in any, spirit for ears... of unkindness to the Cricket Club. Indeed it is not the only club that should be shifted. The Yacht Club would do far better if it were moved tp Deepwater Bay and given a site on Middle Island, though in that event Middle Island would have to be joined to the mainland.

Yacht Club

Looking at the harbour from Harlech-road on the Peak there seems to be plenty of room for yachting enthusiasts, but with the growing ferry traffe, junks skudding around the harbour and merchant and naval ships is midstream, the Yacht Club might be far happier and have much better anchorage facilities in Deepwater Bry.

What should we do with the Present Yacht Club site The

.

and

If the Ponk Tram line could be put underground the entire distance between 1.St. John's, Apartmenté ! neid · Queen's-road the Company should be allowed to carry out the extension. though the lower terminus will still be a long way from chiaj offices anal tourists will stil have to *Welk from (tie Star Ferry

"If, on the other hand, it is decided to leave the. terminus where it is the Peak Tram Com- pany could apply to run a feoder bus service in a loop run around the elty down Garden-read, Queen's-road, Pedder-strent, Connaught-road,

‚ Ferry.

Star

10

The Idea of a pedestrian pre- cinct needs clarification' (before further comment..

There have been a number of If roads become hopelessly references to it but its purpose the congested because of their nar- is not entirely clear. Obviously

Tho Foderntion General Chamber Commerce also make the sensible' sugges- than that the Cential District

be altered market should

10 incorporate a multi-storey ga!-

age.

cource The small is of terrible Inside and around the market, but the chief objection to it must be that a buliding of only throo storeys occupies such a valuable and extensive cen- tral position.

The long sides of the market would be ideal for ramps to carry cars to a five or six-storey garage above,

on

Moya, the GPO to Kowloon,

overcome

Murray-road, and Garden-road every "quarter of an hour will support without under-

standing coincide with trams.

the full implica tion. On the other hand many would be prepared to put up with something very much lons ambitious so long as the worst problems are and the most pressing needs satisfied in each expanding area. The Federation's plea for aesthetic designs, particularly in waterfront buildings will bo widely. echoed.", But it la strange that, no one has ad- vocated a well-lit waterfront with trees and benches, more like, the Thames Embankment than the 'Shanghai Bund..

The Cricket Club should be resited.

area in which the rowness, cer owners are not the it is an only ones to suffer, thousands pedestrian rather than transport who depend on buses and trams will have the pre-eminent right ability be told that if they want

10

will be affected too. Moreover this is an area in

And as they are people who car park 13 possibly prefer to Vegard them This would then free valuable ። permanent building deveted

which a public badly needed, and because of as pedestrians they may proper- land in the city for the develop- to trade and industry clone.

the smells below it is about the ly resent any proposal aimed at ment of parks, new city offices, shoutd be an exhibition hall

maiding going home or coming to only possible way of using a new public buildings, multi- which can be used for a variety storey garnges, shops, arcades, of different purpares including

public market for more than work more difficult. hotels and street widening. the annual agricultural show, adjoining typhoon shelter is al- one purpose,

When Hongkong's streets are 21 the trafle exhibition, real ready a popular water park."

The Federation of Hongkong as congested as

those of Lon- In the development of the rotor show if the trade wanted. Why not turn the Island Into an

Industries and the Society or don's West End im the week aren for open air Chinese opera Dockyard land one thing has 10, the CMA exhibition and any

play

the before Christmas, that will be be

cost other exhibition borne in mind: it

display with food stalls at night and a Architects both

about the the business playground for children during theme that people are more im- the time to think Hongkong $112 million. If we Government

portant than motor vehletes in architects plan to have two- the day? are not going to get it back community wanted.

replanning of the city.

1!cr pavements which is a goot Government from the British

The ruggestion that the long-

though costly idea, At present then cur Anal plan must provide

So what do they suggest? The there is, if not plenty of room Cricket Club ground

Federation feels that pavements for the recovery of a good part

should be moved is bound to

Getting back to Central Dis- west of Ice House-street should for everyone, certainly enough of by carinurking some of

opposition, for senti- trict, however, the idea of a arouse

move along in comfort be broader and roads narrower without excessive jostling. for jand

commercial

mental reasons if no other.

park in the city centre is a good

more serious attempt development

one that Govern- one both because of the lack, made to inculcate "inne sense" The idea of bringing the Peak eum-dice area.

But it is

public recreation area in motorists.

lower terminus ment must study boldly in the of

to As for the architects they like Queen's-rond will strlice several context of road realignment there and because people living

Government's plans that I would be better to resite have access to it.

with shops on the first floor and the central Similarly, elsewhere in

the Idea al a

the widening of Gardens on the outside of city buildings for even out district or

of town, "lang" for the Western District sa that pedestrians would be road and the use of the Bar- then this must be done.

on the new reclamation deserves free to do their shopping with racks and adjoining It.

25 ↑ shopping-

One good point, the Federation of industries maites is that the new central office of the GPO should be in Kowloon, not in Hongkong. This is the side on which the railway station, the

kong

Overcrowded

"

and a

Tram

and

and if it is firmly convinced in overcrowded Wanchai would the idea of two-tier pavements pends on

sympathetic chords. But it de-

of way,

Overhead

As to the idea for raising overseas loans, Government's view is that with Britain's high ute of taxation and Hongkong's low taxation, the Colony has no hope of raising one in London. Hongkong, would in all prob

more money, they should in- crease taxation. It would possibly, also be pointed out to us that if Hongkong Is the re The best kind of pedestrian pository of so much capital precinet-assuming it is large from Southeast Asia it should enough-would be one in which attempt to tap the local market overhead roads conduct all prl- before trying overseas, vote and public transport over the area in question, because whether we like it or not traffi

through the still has to move

Certainly if Hongkong had to elty, particularly our central district which is pinched in be set into the queue for loans and

SCA tween the

and a steep we were awarded a position mountain with

three based on priorities, we would only parullel main roads running be somewhere near the end.

In planning the Hongkong of through it.

the future it would be wisest to The Federation of Industries, discount outside help. Too has called an Government to many, overseas investors have get loans from abroad to finance burnt their fingers investing in not only the planning of the China in the past to want to central area, the dockyard land invest even in secure Hongkong, and the reclaimed lards, but the Better to shape our plans to entire city.

what we can raise locally from The Ides of an all embracing current revenue, private invest- plan is one of those counsels of ment and a loon raised in the perfection which most people Colony.

The queue

I

A NEW OLIVETTI

Peak

Tram

termlous- should be moved?

muke comments on a number of suggestions made by those organisations which have both seen and been invited to give opinions on Government's pro- posals.

In their reports they reveal that Government has earmarked some cholce areas of land, in- cluding part of Murray Bar- racles, for

Government buildings.

exaelly

Without knowing what' Government's proposals are, the public will agree that the principle of decentralisation Sa preferable to the

over.

concentration vi Government offices in Hongkong central.

The mag, ก. Goverment

was al pains to point out at the

last budget, 19 that to staff new offices in Kowloon or outlying

areas of the Colony w Force the size of the establish– ment which has already earned

up

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