Page 102
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
He said: Mr. Chairman, in introducing, as Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, the motion which is standing in my name, I am doing so on behalf of the entire Committee. It would not be amiss to make some observations on the question of playgrounds and sitting-out areas in Hong Kong. In fact, it might be thought remiss of me not to do so and thus lose what might conceivably be an excellent opportunity of emphasizing in public the views, which, I believe, are held by all members of the Select Committee.
ment.
We realize only too well that there is a great scarcity of open land in Hong Kong. For that very reason, the Select Committee has pursued, as a matter of policy, the development of small plots of land in every available manner for the playgrounds which now exist in the congested areas of Hong Kong. It is our regret that more of these small lots are not made available to us by the Public Works Department. We can well understand the need to put these lots to use either by Government or by auction in order to raise revenue for Government expenditure. However, no one is so warped in his judgment to deny the fact that the provision of recreational facilities is in essence a community responsibility. To use the term "community responsibility" in Hong Kong is to use it synonymously with Government action, because it is hopeless to expect any public organization in this Colony to have the funds, with which to buy land in order that playgrounds may be made available to the public, as is done in some communities elsewhere in the world which I have seen. It has been my good lot to be able to compare the public recreational facilities in Hong Kong with those which exist in many places in the world. While I realize the need to cut our coat according to the cloth, yet I believe that we have not explored to the maximum the possibilities which exist in Hong Kong, to provide very small, very tiny, very diminutive playgrounds for the under-privileged children who live in the congested areas of Hong Kong. In examining the situation here over the years, the Committee has found out that there are vast and extensive areas in Hong Kong, which do not have a playground. In my question to-day, I brought out the fact that there are no playground facilities for children living in the frightfully congested area, which is known generally as the Western District.
Mr. Chairman, the motion manifestly is an expression of the achievement of the Select Committee concerned in bringing, within the framework of the legislation covering playgrounds, the many projects which have been completed in recent years. Some of them are listed as temporary. I read into this amendment a sinister reflection. Perhaps it is a reservation on the part of our great friend the Director of Public Works so that one day he might well take back these playgrounds and auction them off to the highest bidder, as is the custom in this Colony.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
103
Mr. Chairman, may I make a plea in conclusion that the Public Works Department should show us the goodwill that we evidently hold for their Director, by placing at our disposal more of such lots, particularly in the under-privileged districts. Over the week-end, I read an article about playgrounds in modern cities and I was so despondent after reading it by the comparison between what is now thought to be the absolute minimum and what we have for show in Hong Kong. Accordingly, Mr. Chairman, as a representative of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, I propose the motion which stands in my name.
DR. R. H. S. LEE:- Mr. Chairman, it gives me real pleasure in seconding my friend, Mr. SALES' motion. It means that we are going to add another 25 pleasure grounds to the list of 50 that is now in the Schedule. When we examine these figures there are 30 in Hong Kong and 45 in Kowloon. In view of Mr. SALES' well-known predilection for Kowloon, he should feel very well contented to-day. When we look back to the Colony's deplorable lack of open spaces in the past, this is a tremendous step forward. I can well remember the time when I first asked questions on parks and playgrounds, I was ruled out of order, because they did not come within the purview of this Council. In those days, Mr. Chairman, we did not have any park and nothing like the playgrounds which we have to-day. As a result of pressure made in the right quarters, the position is now very much improved. With the Block Vote, the initiative now lies in the hands of the Council. There is no reason why we should not move from strength to strength as Mr. SALES has indicated in his motion and continue to provide more pleasure grounds for the enjoyment of the people of Hong Kong.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I beg to second.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, I was not prepared to speak to-day on this subject, but in view of my friend, Mr. SALES' valued and somewhat long-winded championing of the cause of the public in the provision of playgrounds, I cannot help but express a few words in sympathy and support of what he has said. I do recall that about six months to a year ago a question was raised in Council concerning the provision of an additional playground in the Wan Chai area, with specific reference to the old Rediffusion site. As Mr. SALES so aptly mentioned, Government was too engrossed in its predilection for selling land at an enormously high price rather than for providing additional playground space in the congested areas in Wan Chai. Mr. SALES mentioned that it came to his attention that there were several areas in Hong Kong-I think he refers to the Western Area-which do not have a single playground, and I am wondering, Mr. Chairman, whether this situation has arisen primarily as a result of the short-term or so-called piecemeal planning we have in Hong Kong. I remember that,
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102
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
He said: Mr. Chairman, in introducing, as Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, the motion which is standing in my name, I am doing so on behalf of the entire Committee. It would not be amiss to make some observations on the question of playgrounds and sitting-out areas in Hong Kong. In fact, it might be thought remiss of me not to do so and thus lose what might conceivably be an excellent opportunity of emphasizing in public the views, which, I believe, are held by all members of the Select Committee.
ment.
We realize only too well that there is a great scarcity of open land in Hong Kong. For that very reason, the Select Committee has pursued, as a matter of policy, the development of small plots of land in every available manner for the playgrounds which now exist in the congested areas of Hong Kong. It is our regret that more of these small lots are not made available to us by the Public Works Depart- We can well understand the need to put these lots to use either by Government or by auction in order to raise revenue for Government expenditure. However, no one is so warped in his judgment to deny the fact that the provision of recreational facilities is in essence a community responsibility. To use the term "community responsibility" in Hong Kong is to use it synonymously with Government action. because it is hopeless to expect any public organization in this Colony to have the funds, with which to buy land in order that playgrounds may be made available to the public, as is done in some communities elsewhere in the world which I have seen. It has been my good lot to be able to compare the public recreational facilities in Hong Kong with those which exist in many places in the world. While I realize the need to cut our coat according to the cloth, yet I believe that we have not explored to the maximum the possibilities which exist in Hong Kong, to provide very small, very tiny, very diminutive playgrounds for the under-privileged children who live in the congested areas of Hong Kong. In examining the situation here over the years, the Committee has found out that there are vast and extensive areas in Hong Kong, which do not have a playground. In my question to-day, I brought out the fact that there are no playground facilities for children living in the frightfully congested area, which is known generally as the Western District.
Mr. Chairman, the motion manifestly is an expression of the achievement of the Select Committee concerned in bringing, within the framework of the legislation covering playgrounds, the many projects which have been completed in recent years. Some of them are listed as temporary. I read into this amendment a sinister reflection. Perhaps it is a reservation on the part of our great friend the Director of Public Works so that one day he might well take back these play- grounds and auction them off to the highest bidder, as is the custom in this Colony.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
103
Mr. Chairman, may I make a plea in conclusion that the Public Works Department should show us the goodwill that we evidently hold for their Director, by placing at our disposal more of such lots, particularly in the under-privileged districts. Over the week-end, I read an article about playgrounds in modern cities and I was so despondent after reading it by the comparison between what is now thought to be the absolute minimum and what we have for show in Hong Kong. Accordingly, Mr. Chairman, as a representative of the Urban Amenities Select Committee, I propose the motion which stands in my name.
DR. R. H. S. LEE:-Mr. Chairman, it gives me real pleasure in It means that we are going seconding my friend, Mr. SALES' motion.
to add another 25 pleasure grounds to the list of 50 that is now in the Schedule. When we examine these figures there are 30 in Hong Kong and 45 in Kowloon. In view of Mr. SALES' well-known predilection for Kowloon, he should feel very well contented to-day. When we look back to the Colony's deplorable lack of open spaces in the past, this is a tremendous step forward. I can well remember the time when I first asked questions on parks and playgrounds, I was ruled out of order, because they did not come within the purview of this Council. In those days, Mr. Chairman, we did not have any park and nothing like the playgrounds which we have to-day. As a result of pressure made in the right quarters, the position is now very much improved. With the Block Vote, the initiative now lies in the hands of the Council. There is no reason why we should not move from strength to strength as Mr. SALES has indicated in his motion and continue to provide more pleasure grounds for the enjoyment of the people of Hong Kong.
With these remarks, Mr. Chairman, I beg to second.
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I was not prepared to speak to-day on this subject, but in view of my friend, Mr. SALES' valued and somewhat long-winded championing of the cause of the public in the provision of playgrounds, I cannot help but express a few words in sympathy and support of what he has said. I do recall that about six months to a year ago a question was raised in Council concerning the provision of an additional playground in the Wan Chai area, with specific reference to the old Rediffusion site. As Mr. SALES So aptly mentioned, Government was too engrossed in its predilection for selling land at an enormously high price rather than for providing additional playground space in the congested areas in Wan Chai. Mr. SALES mentioned that it came to his attention that there were several areas in Hong Kong-I think he refers to the Western Area-which do not have a single playground, and I am wondering, Mr. Chairman, whether this situation has arisen primarily as a result of the short-term or so- called piecemeal planning we have in Hong Kong. I remember that,
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