XN000022-1987-05-22 — Page 2

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 1987

GOVERNOR VISITS KOWLOON CITY

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BRAVING HEAVY RAIN, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SPENT AN AFTERNOON VISITING KOWLOON CITY TODAY (FRIDAY), WHICH WAS THE FOURTH OF HIS FAMILIARISATION TOURS TO THE DISTRICTS.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR T.H. CHAU KOWLOON CITY DISTRICT OFFICER, MR ALEX FONG AND DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMAN, MR WONG SIK-KONG, SIR DAVID AND LADY WILSON FIRST TOOK A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE DISTRICT FROM A NEARBY PRIMARY SCHOOL.

SIR DAVID LEARNT THAT A SIX-HECTARE URBAN COUNCIL PARK WAS BEING DEVELOPED ON A NEARBY SITE TO PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR RESIDENTS INCLUDING JOGGING AND CYCLING TRACKS, VOLLEYBALL COURTS, BASKETBALL COURTS, AND A ROCK GARDEN.

THE SITE WAS FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY ABOUT 14 000 PEOPLE OF SAI TAU VILLAGE AND WAS COMPLETELY CLEARED IN JULY LAST YEAR.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT A ROAD WIDENING PROJECT TO PROVIDE A ONE WAY THREE-LANE ROAD TO ALLEVIATE THE PRESENT TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE AREA WOULD BE COMPLETED BY 1988 ALONG CARPENTER ROAD.

THE GOVERNOR WAS ALSO BRIEFED BY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION (SPECIAL DUTIES), MR HT LUI, ON THE PROGRESS OF THE KOWLOON WALLED CITY CLEARANCE.

THE PARTY THEN PROCEEDED TO PRIVATE STREETS IN TO KWA WAN TO SEE THE DIFFERENCES IN ROAD SURFACE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SANITARY CONDITIONS BETWEEN A RESUMED AND AN UNRESUMED PRIVATE STREET. EIGHT PRIVATE STREETS IN TO KWA WAN WERE RESUMED UNDER A PILOT SCHEME IN 1983 AND THREE MORE WOULD BE RESUMED LATER THIS YEAR.

SIR DAVID WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE 37 PRIVATE STREETS IN KOWLOON CITY, REPRESENTING 13 PER CENT OF ALL THE PRIVATE STREETS IN THE TERRITORY AND MOST OF THEM WERE IN TO KWA WAN AND HUNG HOM SUB-DISTRICTS.

THE PARTY WALKED THROUGH A PRIVATE STREET WHICH WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY STRUCTURES AND VEHICLES.

SIR DAVID LATER WENT TO THE HOUSING SOCIETY'S KA WAI CHUEN IN HUNG HOM WHICH WAS BEING REDEVELOPED FROM THE PRESENT NINE SIX-STOREY BLOCKS TO EIGHT 17-STOREY BLOCKS IN FOUR PHASES.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT PHASES I AND II OF THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE FINAL PHASE WOULD BE COMPLETED IN 1991.

/THE GOVERNOR