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Cifp. X II
24. We notice that west of the Diocesan Boys School on the west side of the Rail- way and just by Yaumati Railway station there is a piece of land reserved on the Town Development Plan for a Railway yard. We understand that there is no immediate pro- spect of this land being required for Railway purposes and we recommend that so much of it as can be used as a playground should be made available for allotment on annual permit.
PROVISION FOR THE MORE DISTANT FUTURE.
25. In addition to the above mentioned areas, which might be made almost im- mediately available for use as playing fields on the south side of the Kowloon hills wo consider that it is also necessary to bear in mind the needs of the more distant future when Kowloon will have grown into a large city with a teeming population requiring yet more extensive playing field areas. Such areas can only be found on the north of the Kowloon hills and the only possible area convenient of access both by rail and road appears to be afforded by the tidal flats at the head of Tide Cove, We understand that a causeway across the inlet from the present main road near Shatin Railway Station to the opposite shore is projected in connection with the proposed Saikung Road. This would afford a convenient opportunity for reclaiming the land above the causeway and while we do not consider that playing field areas are at present required here we strongly recommend that an area of 100 acres be definitely set apart for future playing fields and preserved from alienation. The area should have easy access from Shatin Railway Station and from the motor road. The area shoull be reserved on the development plans as soon as the exact line of the causeway is settled.
EXTENSIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS OF EXISTING PLAYING FIELD
AREAS ON THE MAINLAND.
26. With regard to the possible extension of King's Park we note that there is still an area here on the west of that portion of the Park lying to the north of Gascoigne Road which if developed and levelled would afford space for an additional three grounds of the usual size required for a football ground. We recommend that Government should complete the development of this part of King's Park as public playing fields for
the Yaumati district.
27. It was suggested to us that the large area in Kowloon at present reserved for cemeteries might be better devoted to an extension of the King's Park playing fields but we do not concur in this suggestion and recommend that this cemetery area should re- main undisturbed.
28. We note that a large area extending from Kowloon Old City northwards and embracing the Kowloon Golf Club's course and the Rifle Range has been marked as per- manently reserved for purposes of a Park and playing fields, We agree that this area should be permanently reserved but we regret that we cannot put forward any useful suggestions for its further development for purposes of recreation until a new site can be found elsewhere for the rifle ranges. We believe it would greatly benefit the recrea- tional facilities in Kowloon if the rifle ranges were transferred and we recommend that Government should use every effort to provide a different location for them in some other part of the Colony.
29. With regard to the Railway reclamation land on the east of Chatham Road extending from Holt's Wharf to the junction of Gascoigne and Chatham Roads, we un- derstand that portions of this land on the west of the line are at present allotted by the Railway Department with the approval of tiovernment to various Chubs, but that the land on the east of the line with the exception of small portions at the north and south ends, the reservation of which for railway purposes is necessary, is vacant and is only occasionally used by the military as a parade ground or as a hockey field. We understand that there is no regular means of approach across the railway from the west side and that there are strong objections on the part of the Railway management to further level crossings over
the railway or indeed to the use of this land on the east side at all unless it is fenced off from the railway by a high fence. If the area is to be regularly used as playing fields it will be necessary to approach it either from the sea by the erection of a landing stage, which in view of its exposed position would be a somewhat expensive proposition, or by access paths which might be constructed from the Holt's Wharf level-crossing along the side of the railway and from near the Chatham Road railway bridge. We understand further from the Railway Authorities that at least one year's tenure might be promised of any land that might be allotted to a Club here, and that there is every possibility that a Club would be allowed to retain such allotment for longer periods than a year though no guarantee could be given to that effect.
30. It is realised that the land is reserved for commercial development but there appears to be no prospect of such development in the immediate future and it seems desirable to make use meanwhile of this easily accessible flat land for purposes of re-
We recommend therefore :—
creation.
(a) That the whole of the available land on the railway reclamation on both sides of the railway, as shown on a plan furnished by the Manager of the Railway (see Appendix V) should be allotted through the permanent Re- creation Grounds Committee annually to such Clubs as might wish to take up a ground there, subject to it being ascertained by the Committee cach year before-hand from the Manager of the Railway that the land is still available for allotment.
(b) That Government should fence in the line, or make it a condition of allotment that Chubs should fence off their playing areas from the line at their own expense.
(c) That Government should! provide means of access by making a path either from Holt's Wharf level-crossing or from near Chatham Road Railway Bridge or both.
31. We note that there is a part of the present allotinent of the Kowloon Cricket Club at King's Park between the Club's bowling green and its cricket field which is unused. We understand that the Chib has been keeping this area as a site for a new pavilion, but we consider that pending any such development good use could be made of the ground if it was allotted as a public playground for games requiring little spare.
Smaller open spaces in Hong Kong and the Mainland.
32. We recommend generally that Government should bear in mind the great im portance of preserving in already developed areas and reserving in areas as yet unde- veloped as many open spaces or small 'squares' as possible, where the old and young of either sex in the neighbourhood may take the air, and on some of which games such as volleyball and basketball requiring little space might be played by the vernacular schoolboys and other children of the neighbouring houses. We consider also that build- ing land not yet sold or built upon, which we now find in many cases to be let out to market gardeners on temporary permits, might often be made available for purposes of such games pending its development, and we recommend that Government should facilitate the use of such land in this way.
OPEN SPACES IN HONG KONG,
33. Turning to particular small open spaces which we have noted as desirable reservations in the urban areas of Hong Kong we recommend :--
(a) the permanent reservation as a playground for the children of Wanchai of a plot of Crown Land on the Praya East Reclamation to the west of the Fire Station and between Inland Lot 2827 and Inland Lot 2815; sec Appendix VI;
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