XN000022-1986-08-06 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1986

TAI KOK TSUI SITE BEING CLEARED FOR TEMPORARY MARKET

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A LARGE-SCALE CLEARANCE OPERATION WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN TAI KOK TSUI LATER THIS MONTH FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TEMPORARY MARKET.

THE CLEARANCE WILL PROVIDE ABOUT 3 000 SQUARE METRES OF LAND TO ACCOMMODATE 20 MARKET STALLS FOR SELLING MEAT. FISH. POULTRY AND VEGETABLES, AND 200 MINI-STALLS FOR A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER GOODS.

+THE PROJECT WILL MAKE GOOD THE LACK OF MARKET FACILITIES FOR MORE THAN 65 000 RESIDENTS IN TAI KOK TSUI AND SYCAMORE AREAS, + THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MONG KOK DISTRICT BOARD, MR CHOW CHUN-FAI, SAID.

+ IT WILL ALSO HELP RESITE THE LARGE NUMBER OF ON-STREET HAWKERS PRESENTLY SCATTERED ON BUSY STREETS ROUND THE AREA, POSING NUMEROUS ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.

+RESIDENTS HOPE THAT EVENTUALLY A PERMENENT URBAN COUNCIL COMPLEX WOULD BE BUILT TO REPLACE THE TEMPORARY MARKET, AND TO PROVIDE COOKED FOOD STALLS, A LIBRARY, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS FACILITIES,+ HE SAID.

MR CHOW SAID THE DISTRICT BOARD WAS WELL AWARE OF RESIDENTS NEED AND HAD PRESSED HARD FOR PROPER MARKET FACILITIES SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1982.

A SITTING-OUT AREA ADJACENT TO THE SITE WILL BE RETAINED IN VIEW OF THE LACK OF AMENITY GROUND IN THE DISTRICT.

THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED TO COST MORE THAN $12 MILLION. CONSTRUCTION WORK WILL START IN EARLY NOVEMBER AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 12 MONTHS.

THE MARKET SITE, BOUNDED BY FUK TSUN STREET, TAI KOK TSU I ROAD AND IVY STREET, IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY SQUATTER HUTS USED AS WORKSHOPS, SHOPS AND DWELLING PLACES.

A TOTAL OF 107 FAMILIES, COMPRISING 358 PEOPLE, WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE CLEARANCE. REHOUSING PROCESS IS ALMOST COMPLETED AND ALL 36 ELIGIBLE WORKSHOPS AND SHOPS HAVE COLLECTED EX-GRATIA PAYMENT FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.

THE CLEARANCE WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

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