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FUEL Y, JUNE 4, 1985

THE MULTI-MILLION PROGRAMME, INCLUDING FOUR UNDER CONSTRUCTION, COVERS A VERY WIDE FIELD INCLUDING THE TERRITORY'S FIRST BOATING PARK AT WONG NAI CHUNG GAP ROAD, A CYCLING PARK, A SPORTS CENTRE, AN INDOOR GAMES HALL, AN OPEN-AIR AMPHI-THEATRE, PARKS, SQUASH COURTS, BASKETBALL COURTS, MINI-SOCCER PITCHES, A CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND, REST GARDENS, SITTING-OUT AREAS, BEACH BUILDINGS, A PICNIC AREA, MARKET COMPLEXES, A COOKED-FOOD CENTRE, REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS AND TOILET FACILITIES.

THE PROPOSED REFUSE COLLECTION POINT (RCP) AT ABERDEEN EMERGED AS THE FOCAL POINT OF DISCUSSION. SEVERAL MEMBERS HOPED THAT ANOTHER SITE WOULD BE ALLOCATED FOR THE PROJECT BECAUSE THE PROPOSED SITE, WHICH IS NEAR A PRIMARY SCHOOL, MIGHT CAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE PROBLEMS TO SCHOOL CHILDREN.

URBAN COUNCILLOR MR WALTER SULKE, WHO IS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER OF THE BOARD, STRESSED THAT RCPS WITH MODERN DESIGN WOULD CAUSE THE LEAST HYGIENE PROBLEM.

THE STAFF OFFICER (PLANNING) OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR Y.L. NG WHO PRESENTED THE URBAN COUNCIL'S WORKS PROGRAMME TO THE BOARD, POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPOSED RCP, WOULD BEAUTIFY THE DISTRICT'S ENVIRONMENT AND WOULD NOT BE VISIBLE TO SCHOOL CHILDREN BECAUSE IT WOULD BE DECORATED WITH GREENERY. HE EMPHASISED, HOWEVER, THAT BOARD MEMBERS' SUGGESTIONS FOR A MORE SUITABLE SITE WOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

OTHER PROJECTS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH BY BOARD MEMBERS INCLUDED A SOCCER PITCH AND TWO BASKETBALL COURTS AT THE ABERDEEN WATERFRONT, THE COOKED-FOOD CENTRE, THE CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND AT NAM LONG SHAN ROAD, AND THE WELFARE ROAD PARK.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, MR JASPER LAM, SAID BEFORE THE MEETING THAT THE URBAN COUNCIL'S CONSULTATION PROGRAMME WOULD HELP STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS. HE WELCOMED THE MOVE TO INCLUDE THE MINOR WORKS PROJECTS IN THE CONSULTATION PROGRAMME WHICH HE SAID WOULD PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE OF THE COUNCIL'S WORKS PROJECTS FOR VARIOUS DISTRICTS.

+ HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD IN FUTURE INCLUDE THOSE PROJECTS WHICH ARE PLANNED BEYOND THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IN THE CONSULTATION PROGRAMME TO ENABLE BOARD MEMBERS TO PUT FORWARD THEIR VIEWS AT THE VERY INITIAL STAGE, HE ADDED.

THE SOUTHERN DB WAS THE SIXTH BOARD CONSULTED THIS YEAR BY THE URBAN COUNCIL ON ITS FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAMME. THE OTHER FIVE ARE THE CENTRAL/WESTERN, KWUN TONG, WONG TAI SIN, WAN CHAI AND YAU MA TEI DISTRICT BOARDS.

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