HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
Before taking the first item on to-day's agenda, I am sure that it is the wish of Members that I should welcome Dr. COOMBES, who has been appointed to act as the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services during the absence from the Colony of Dr. P. H. TENG.
Dr. COOMBES is, I am sure, well-known to most of you. He acted previously as Vice-Chairman from July 1958 to February 1959, so he is no stranger to this Council.
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13th February, 1962, were confirmed.
PAPER.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:-
Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of February 1962.
QUESTIONS.
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
The Urban Amenities Select Committee would appreciate a statement on the following matters:-
(a) When are the major projects proposed by the Select Committee likely to be completed: Kowloon Tsai Park, Oxford Road Playground, King's Park Rest Garden, Aberdeen Park, Kwun Tong Recreation Ground, Fa Yuen Street Rest Garden, Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate Playground, Sung Wong Toi Rest Garden Fountain, Ma Tau Wei Road Playgrounds and sitting-out area, Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground, etc.?
(b) Whether Government would consider reverting to the arrangement whereby private architects and engineers would be engaged where the Public Works Department is unable to carry out Council projects expeditiously?
(c) Why is the Council limited by Government to six projects each year? Is this measure an attempt to control the spending of the block vote of $1,000,000?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
1.
192 is not a part of the text, it is a page number, so it should be kept as is, at the beginning of the text. Similarly, "Page 104 of 11" is likely a page number indicator and should be kept at the end. The corrected text with proper formatting is as follows:
192
...Page 104 of 11
becomes192
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
...193
...192
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
Before taking the first item on to-day's agenda, I am sure that it is the wish of Members that I should welcome Dr. COOMBES, who has been appointed to act as the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services during the absence from the Colony of Dr. P. H. TENG.
Dr. COOMBES is, I am sure, well-known to most of you. He acted previously as Vice-Chairman from July 1958 to February 1959, so he is no stranger to this Council.
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13th February, 1962, were confirmed.
PAPER.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:-
Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of February 1962.
QUESTIONS.
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
The Urban Amenities Select Committee would appreciate a statement on the following matters:-
(a) When are the major projects proposed by the Select Committee likely to be completed: Kowloon Tsai Park, Oxford Road Playground, King's Park Rest Garden, Aberdeen Park, Kwun Tong Recreation Ground, Fa Yuen Street Rest Garden, Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate Playground, Sung Wong Toi Rest Garden Fountain, Ma Tau Wei Road Playgrounds and sitting-out area, Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground, etc.?
(b) Whether Government would consider reverting to the arrangement whereby private architects and engineers would be engaged where the Public Works Department is unable to carry out Council projects expeditiously?
(c) Why is the Council limited by Government to six projects each year? Is this measure an attempt to control the spending of the block vote of $1,000,000?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
1.
193
In answer to the first part of your question, the position regarding the projects listed by you is as follows:-
(a) Kowloon Tsai Park
As you will be aware, the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club has kindly promised to donate $2 million towards the cost of the swimming pool and the Public Works Sub-Committee of Finance Committee has approved the expenditure of $1.5 million on the park itself. A difficulty has arisen in that the revised estimates for the Swimming Pool and ancillary buildings based on tenders received by the private architects is approximately $2.77 million. This means that the revised estimate for the entire project is considerably in excess of the $3.5 million available. Discussion is now in progress with the private architects, to discover whether it would be possible to revise the schedule of accommodation for the project in such a way as to keep within the financial limit. At this stage, I think you will agree that it is important to proceed with the project at once, even if it means cutting down on some of the facilities proposed for the park. You may rest assured that the Urban Amenities Select Committee will be kept fully informed. It had originally been hoped that the swimming pool would be completed by August this year, but it is now apparent that the increase in cost in the tenders received may cause some delay.
(b) Oxford Road Playground
This project was deleted from the 1962/63 Public Works Programme because the Public Works Sub-Committee of Finance Committee considered that it was more appropriate at present to provide such playground facilities in more densely populated areas than the Oxford Road area.
(c) King's Park Rest Garden
This project was deleted from the 1962/63 Public Works Programme, since it was considered that its facilities should be reduced so as to bring it within the scope of the Urban Amenities Block Vote.
(d) and (e) Aberdeen Park and Kwun Tong Recreation Ground These two projects were deleted from the 1962/63 Public Works Programme, as being premature.
Page 104 of 11
192
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
Before taking the first item on to-day's agenda, I am sure that it is the wish of Members that I should welcome Dr. COOMBES, who has been appointed to act as the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services during the absence from the Colony of Dr. P. H. TENG.
Dr. COOMBES is, I am sure, well-known to most of you. He acted previously as Vice-Chairman from July 1958 to February 1959, so he is no stranger to this Council.
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13th February, 1962, were confirmed.
PAPER.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:-
Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services
Department for the month of February 1962.
QUESTIONS.
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
The Urban Amenities Select Committee would appreciate a
statement on the following matters:-
(a) When are the major projects proposed by the Select Committee likely to be completed: Kowloon Tsai Park, Oxford Road Playground, King's Park Rest Garden, Aberdeen Park, Kwun Tong Recreation Ground, Fa Yuen Street Rest Garden, Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate Playground, Sung Wong Toi Rest Garden Fountain, Ma Tau Wei Road Playgrounds and sitting-out area, Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground, etc.?
(b) Whether Government would consider reverting to the arrangement whereby private architects and engineers would be engaged where the Public Works Depart- ment is unable to carry out Council projects expedi- tiously?
(c) Why is the Council limited by Government to six projects each year? Is this measure an attempt to control the spending of the block vote of $1,000,000?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
1.
193
In answer to the first part of your question, the position regarding the projects listed by you is as follows:-
(a) Kowloon Tsai Park
As you will be aware, the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club has kindly promised to donate $2 million towards the cost of the swimming pool and the Public Works Sub-Committee of Finance Committee has approved the expenditure of $1.5 million on the park itself. A difficulty has arisen in that the revised estimates for the Swimming Pool and ancillary build- ings based on tenders received by the private architects is approximately $2.77 million. This means that the revised estimate for the entire project is considerably in excess of the $3.5 million available. Discussion is now in progress with the private architects, to discover whether it would be possible to revise the schedule of accommodation for the project in such a way as to keep within the financial limit. At this stage, I think you will agree that it is important to proceed with the project at once, even if it means cutting down on some of the facilities proposed for the park. You may rest assured that the Urban Amenities Select Committee will be kept fully informed. It had originally been hoped that the swimming pool would be completed by August this year, but it is now apparent that the increase in cost in the tenders received may cause some delay.
(b) Oxford Road Playground
This project was deleted from the 1962/63 Public Works Programme because the Public Works Sub- Committee of Finance Committee considered that it was more appropriate at present to provide such playground facilities in more densely populated areas than the Oxford Road area.
(c) King's Park Rest Garden
This project was deleted from the 1962/63 Public Works Programme, since it was considered that its facilities should be reduced so as to bring it within the scope of the Urban Amenities Block Vote.
(d) and (e) Aberdeen Park and Kwun Tong Recreation Ground These two projects were deleted from the 1962/63 Public Works Programme, as being premature.
Page 104 of 11
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