1964 — Page 36

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed
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Page 36 of 312

50

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question :-

(a) What measures has this Council taken to make known to Government that we consider it to be in the public interest to re-provision the children's playground and the other amenities along Chatham Road before widening it for vehicular traffic?

(b) What representations have you made in consequence? (c) What is Government's response?

(d) When is the project to be carried out?

(e) Is there any reason at all why an alternative solution should not be found by expediting the construction of the projected road along the waterfront as has been sug-gested in Select Committee?

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows: ----

Members will be aware that there have been proposals for the widening of Chatham Road for a number of years. Each time the matter has been raised, Members have made it clear that they are opposed to any plans to widen Chatham Road until they can be assured that any open space used will be reprovisioned on an acre for acre basis. These views have been conveyed to Government on each occasion.

The desirability of providing alternative areas of open space is recognized by Government and was referred to by the Public Works Sub-Committee on page 51 of their latest published Report. Various possibilities are now being investigated. The road widening, though becoming increasingly urgent, will not be started until alternative areas of open space have been found. It is planned to preserve as many as possible of the existing trees.

A new road along the eastern side of the reclamation would be a major undertaking and could not be constructed at least until the railway had been moved to the Hung Hom Reclamation and planning of the area had been finalized, taking into account the possibility of a cross-harbour tunnel. This would take at least 5 years. Meanwhile the proposal to widen Chatham Road is intended to relieve existing traffic congestion and must be put in hand immediately the problem of the playground has been resolved, whether or not it is decided to build a new road along the waterfront. The improvement to Chatham Road will

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

51

however continue to be of value, even if a waterfront road is built in due course, since by that time traffic densities will have increased.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, have copies of the Report of the Public Works Sub-Committee been made available to Members of this Council?

CHAIRMAN:-I do not think that they have yet, but they will be.

MR. SALES: -When was this Report issued to the public? CHAIRMAN:-I understand that it was published recently.

MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I shall not embarrass the Public Works Department in this context, but I do suggest to the Urban Services Department that at least page 51 should be made available to Members of the Council if Government is unable to bear the expenditure of supplying copies to every Member.

CHAIRMAN: -Your point will be looked into, Sir.

MR. SALES: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, as you have expressed in your answer the thought which I interpret to be an assurance that the children's playground will first be reprovisioned before the road is widened, could this Council be told where the new playground will be located since you are unable to state that it will be in the Railway land?

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, I regret that at the present moment I am unable to say where the playground is going to be located. Our problem is trying to find an alternative place for it.

MR. SALES: In the circumstances, Mr. Chairman, could Government justify the alienation of a big plot of land at King's Park when the widening of Chatham Road would deprive the children in a short time of the use of the playground there?

CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I think you are introducing new matter.

MR. SALES: Not at all, Sir. It is germane to the original question, but I subscribe to your wish to evade giving this Council an answer. May I, with your permission, put the next question?

CHAIRMAN: -Sir, I wish to point out to you that I am not in the habit of trying to evade giving this Council an answer. It is simply that I am unable so far to answer your point.

MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:·

(a) What is the time-table for the re-development of the land now occupied by the Whitfield Barracks?

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Page 36 of 312 50 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question :- (a) What measures has this Council taken to make known to Government that we consider it to be in the public interest to re-provision the children's playground and the other amenities along Chatham Road before widening it for vehicular traffic? (b) What representations have you made in consequence? (c) What is Government's response? (d) When is the project to be carried out? (e) Is there any reason at all why an alternative solution should not be found by expediting the construction of the projected road along the waterfront as has been sug-gested in Select Committee? THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows: ---- Members will be aware that there have been proposals for the widening of Chatham Road for a number of years. Each time the matter has been raised, Members have made it clear that they are opposed to any plans to widen Chatham Road until they can be assured that any open space used will be reprovisioned on an acre for acre basis. These views have been conveyed to Government on each occasion. The desirability of providing alternative areas of open space is recognized by Government and was referred to by the Public Works Sub-Committee on page 51 of their latest published Report. Various possibilities are now being investigated. The road widening, though becoming increasingly urgent, will not be started until alternative areas of open space have been found. It is planned to preserve as many as possible of the existing trees. A new road along the eastern side of the reclamation would be a major undertaking and could not be constructed at least until the railway had been moved to the Hung Hom Reclamation and planning of the area had been finalized, taking into account the possibility of a cross-harbour tunnel. This would take at least 5 years. Meanwhile the proposal to widen Chatham Road is intended to relieve existing traffic congestion and must be put in hand immediately the problem of the playground has been resolved, whether or not it is decided to build a new road along the waterfront. The improvement to Chatham Road will HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 51 however continue to be of value, even if a waterfront road is built in due course, since by that time traffic densities will have increased. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, have copies of the Report of the Public Works Sub-Committee been made available to Members of this Council? CHAIRMAN:-I do not think that they have yet, but they will be. MR. SALES: -When was this Report issued to the public? CHAIRMAN:-I understand that it was published recently. MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I shall not embarrass the Public Works Department in this context, but I do suggest to the Urban Services Department that at least page 51 should be made available to Members of the Council if Government is unable to bear the expenditure of supplying copies to every Member. CHAIRMAN: -Your point will be looked into, Sir. MR. SALES: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, as you have expressed in your answer the thought which I interpret to be an assurance that the children's playground will first be reprovisioned before the road is widened, could this Council be told where the new playground will be located since you are unable to state that it will be in the Railway land? DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, I regret that at the present moment I am unable to say where the playground is going to be located. Our problem is trying to find an alternative place for it. MR. SALES: In the circumstances, Mr. Chairman, could Government justify the alienation of a big plot of land at King's Park when the widening of Chatham Road would deprive the children in a short time of the use of the playground there? CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I think you are introducing new matter. MR. SALES: Not at all, Sir. It is germane to the original question, but I subscribe to your wish to evade giving this Council an answer. May I, with your permission, put the next question? CHAIRMAN: -Sir, I wish to point out to you that I am not in the habit of trying to evade giving this Council an answer. It is simply that I am unable so far to answer your point. MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:· (a) What is the time-table for the re-development of the land now occupied by the Whitfield Barracks? Page 36 of 312
Baseline (Original)
Page 36 of 312 50 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question :- (a) What measures has this Council taken to make known to Government that we consider it to be in the public interest to re-provision the children's playground and the other amenities along Chatham Road before widening it for vehicular traffic? (b) What representations have you made in consequence? (c) What is Government's response? (d) When is the project to be carried out? (e) Is there any reason at all why an alternative solution should not be found by expediting the construction of the projected road along the waterfront as has been sug- gested in Select Committee? THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows: ---- Members will be aware that there have been proposals for the widening of Chatham Road for a number of years. Each time the matter has been raised, Members have made it clear that they are opposed to any plans to widen Chatham Road until they can be assured that any open space used will be reprovisioned on an acre for acre basis. These views have been conveyed to Government on each occasion. The desirability of providing alternative areas of open space is recognized by Government and was referred to by the Public Works Sub-Committee on page 51 of their latest published Report. Various possibilities are now being investigated. The road widening, though becoming in- creasingly urgent, will not be started until alternative areas of open space have been found. It is planned to preserve as many as possible of the existing trees. A new road along the eastern side of the reclamation would be a major undertaking and could not be constructed at least until the railway had been moved to the Hung Hom Reclamation and planning of the area had been finalized, taking into account the possibility of a cross-harbour tunnel. This would take at least 5 years. Meanwhile the proposal to widen Chatham Road is intended to relieve existing traffic congestion and must be put in hand imme- diately the problem of the playground has been resolved, whether or not it is decided to build a new road along the waterfront. The improvement to Chatham Road will HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 51 however continue to be of value, even if a waterfront road is built in due course, since by that time traffic densities will have increased. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, have copies of the Report of the Public Works Sub-Committee been made available to Members of this Council? CHAIRMAN:-I do not think that they have yet, but they will be. MR. SALES: -When was this Report issued to the public? CHAIRMAN:-I understand that it was published recently. MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I shall not embarrass the Public Works Department in this context, but I do suggest to the Urban Services Department that at least page 51 should be made available to Members of the Council if Government is unable to bear the expendi- ture of supplying copies to every Member. CHAIRMAN: -Your point will be looked into, Sir. MR. SALES: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, as you have expressed in your answer the thought which I interpret to be an assurance that the children's playground will first be reprovisioned before the road is widened, could this Council be told where the new playground will be located since you are unable to state that it will be in the Railway land? DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, I regret that at the present moment I am unable to say where the playground is going to be located. Our problem is trying to find an alternative place for it. MR. SALES: In the circumstances, Mr. Chairman, could Govern- ment justify the alienation of a big plot of land at King's Park when the widening of Chatham Road would deprive the children in a short time of the use of the playground there? CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I think you are introducing new matter. MR. SALES: Not at all, Sir. It is germane to the original ques- tion, but I subscribe to your wish to evade giving this Council an answer. May I, with your permission, put the next question? CHAIRMAN: -Sir, I wish to point out to you that I am not in the habit of trying to evade giving this Council an answer. It is simply that I am unable so far to answer your point. MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:· (a) What is the time-table for the re-development of the land now occupied by the Whitfield Barracks?
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Page 36 of 312

50

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question :-

(a) What measures has this Council taken to make known to Government that we consider it to be in the public interest to re-provision the children's playground and the other amenities along Chatham Road before widening it for vehicular traffic?

(b) What representations have you made in consequence? (c) What is Government's response?

(d) When is the project to be carried out?

(e) Is there any reason at all why an alternative solution should not be found by expediting the construction of the projected road along the waterfront as has been sug- gested in Select Committee?

THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows: ----

Members will be aware that there have been proposals for the widening of Chatham Road for a number of years. Each time the matter has been raised, Members have made it clear that they are opposed to any plans to widen Chatham Road until they can be assured that any open space used will be reprovisioned on an acre for acre basis. These views have been conveyed to Government on each occasion.

The desirability of providing alternative areas of open space is recognized by Government and was referred to by the Public Works Sub-Committee on page 51 of their latest published Report. Various possibilities are now being investigated. The road widening, though becoming in- creasingly urgent, will not be started until alternative areas of open space have been found. It is planned to preserve as many as possible of the existing trees.

A new road along the eastern side of the reclamation would be a major undertaking and could not be constructed at least until the railway had been moved to the Hung Hom Reclamation and planning of the area had been finalized, taking into account the possibility of a cross-harbour tunnel. This would take at least 5 years. Meanwhile the proposal to widen Chatham Road is intended to relieve existing traffic congestion and must be put in hand imme- diately the problem of the playground has been resolved, whether or not it is decided to build a new road along the waterfront. The improvement to Chatham Road will

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

51

however continue to be of value, even if a waterfront road

is built in due course, since by that time traffic densities will have increased.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, have copies of the Report of the Public Works Sub-Committee been made available to Members of this Council?

CHAIRMAN:-I do not think that they have yet, but they will be.

MR. SALES: -When was this Report issued to the public? CHAIRMAN:-I understand that it was published recently.

MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I shall not embarrass the Public Works Department in this context, but I do suggest to the Urban Services Department that at least page 51 should be made available to Members of the Council if Government is unable to bear the expendi- ture of supplying copies to every Member.

CHAIRMAN: -Your point will be looked into, Sir.

MR. SALES: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, as you have expressed in your answer the thought which I interpret to be an assurance that the children's playground will first be reprovisioned before the road is widened, could this Council be told where the new playground will be located since you are unable to state that it will be in the Railway land?

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, I regret that at the present moment I am unable to say where the playground is going to be located. Our problem is trying to find an alternative place for it.

MR. SALES: In the circumstances, Mr. Chairman, could Govern- ment justify the alienation of a big plot of land at King's Park when the widening of Chatham Road would deprive the children in a short time of the use of the playground there?

CHAIRMAN: ---Sir, I think you are introducing new matter.

MR. SALES: Not at all, Sir. It is germane to the original ques- tion, but I subscribe to your wish to evade giving this Council an answer. May I, with your permission, put the next question?

CHAIRMAN: -Sir, I wish to point out to you that I am not in the habit of trying to evade giving this Council an answer. It is simply that I am unable so far to answer your point.

MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:·

(a) What is the time-table for the re-development of the land

now occupied by the Whitfield Barracks?

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