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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, I wonder whether Mr. WATSON is correct, whether the new term is not "beatle birds". (Laughter).
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
In view of the absence of bathing beaches within easy reach of the urban areas, will the Chairman state what sites and likely dates of completion of public swimming pools are being planned for Hong Kong and Kowloon?
At the request of THE CHAIRMAN, MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
Mr. Chairman, as you are aware, the question of building more swimming-pools has been actively advocated by the Urban Amenities Select Committee and representations have been made for a higher priority to be accorded to them.
There are two public swimming-pools at present, that at Victoria Park on the Island and the pool at Kowloon Tsai which is being opened by His Excellency the Governor this week. There are three further swimming-pools in the Public Works Programme, one at Cheung Sha Wan in Category B and one each at Kennedy Town and Tai Wan in Category C. The detailed requirements for the Cheung Sha Wan pool are being prepared in the Department, and my friend, the Director of Public Works has said that it may be possible to complete the scheme within three years, that is, some time in 1967.
A site has been reserved for the pool at Kennedy Town between Smithfield Road and Pokfulam Road near the University Recreation Ground. It is not possible at this stage to give an estimated completion date, but a recommendation that the project be upgraded to Category B of the Public Works Programme is likely to be made later this year.
The scheme at Tai Wan is combined with an open space project on a proposed new reclamation there and will, of course, have to await approval of undertaking of the reclamation which is not as yet in the Public Works Programme and it is again, I am afraid, not possible to give an estimated completion date.
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In addition to these three projects, there is the proposed swimming-pool at Yau Ma Tei in connexion with the construction of a Civic Centre there.
DR. LEE:- Mr. Chairman, in view of the great time required to plan and to develop a public swimming pool, can you inform me whether other new developing areas, such as Chai Wan and Kwun Tong and other areas, are contemplated, and if not, will you put this suggestion to Government at the first opportunity?
CHAIRMAN: Sir, the Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee has mentioned projects which are in the Public Works Programme, or in respect of which some planning has already taken place. But swimming pools have also been proposed in Kwun Tong and in connexion, as you may remember, with the possible reclamation of Lai Chi Kok Bay. These proposals are at this stage only tentative. I can only add, Sir, that the Urban Amenities Select Committee will, I am sure, push this matter, with a view to getting more swimming pools.
DR. LEE:- I ask the supplementary, Mr. Chairman, because swimming is a very popular sport in Hong Kong and I hope this matter will be pursued with the greatest urgency.
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, might I say, wearing another hat, that as President of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association I am delighted with the support that is given in this Council to swimming. Certainly, the Urban Amenities Select Committee will be very pleased to push forward this programme, provided money and land can be found by Government for such schemes.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware of the filthy state of Tai Nam Street between Cheung Sha Wan Road and Castle Peak Road; and can he explain why it has been allowed to be in such a condition, and what steps does he propose to rectify it?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
I agree that the state of this stretch of street has left something to be desired. This has been in part due, I think, to the presence in the street of a number of unlicensed cooked-food hawkers. These hawkers were removed recently by the Police and the cleansing arrangements in force in the area should be sufficient to keep the street in a reasonable condition. These unlicensed hawkers are liable to re-appear at times when the licensed cooked-food stalls in the street are being patronized by workers from local
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2
Page 62 of 312
102
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, I wonder whether Mr. WATSON is correct, whether the new term is not "beatle birds". (Laughter).
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:
In view of the absence of bathing beaches within easy reach of the urban areas, will the Chairman state what sites and likely dates of completion of public swimming pools are being planned for Hong Kong and Kowloon?
At the request of THE CHAIRMAN, MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
Mr. Chairman, as you are aware, the question of building more swimming-pools has been actively advocated by the Urban Amenities Select Committee and representations have been made for a higher priority to be accorded to them.
There are two public swimming-pools at present, that at Victoria Park on the Island and the pool at Kowloon Tsai which is being opened by His Excellency the Governor this week. There are three further swimming-pools in the Public Works Programme, one at Cheung Sha Wan in Category B and one each at Kennedy Town and Tai Wan in Category C. The detailed requirements for the Cheung Sha Wan pool are being prepared in the Department, and my friend, the Director of Public Works has said that it may be possible to complete the scheme within three years, that is, some time in 1967.
A site has been reserved for the pool at Kennedy Town between Smithfield Road and Pokfulam Road near the University Recreation Ground. It is not possible at this stage to give an estimated completion date, but a recom- mendation that the project be upgraded to Category B of the Public Works Programme is likely to be made later this year.
The scheme at Tai Wan is combined with an open space project on a proposed new reclamation there and will, of course, have to await approval of undertaking of the reclamation which is not as yet in the Public Works Pro- gramme and it is again, I am afraid, not possible to give an estimated completion date.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
103
In addition to these three projects, there is the proposed swimming-pool at Yau Ma Tei in connexion with the construction of a Civic Centre there.
DR. LEE:- Mr. Chairman, in view of the great time required to plan and to develop a public swimming pool, can you inform me whether other new developing areas, such as Chai Wan and Kwun Tong and other areas, are contemplated, and if not, will you put this suggestion to Government at the first opportunity?
CHAIRMAN: Sir, the Chairman of the Urban Amenities Select Committee has mentioned projects which are in the Public Works Pro- gramme, or in respect of which some planning has already taken place. But swimming pools have also been proposed in Kwun Tong and in connexion, as you may remember, with the possible reclamation of Lai Chi Kok Bay. These proposals are at this stage only tentative. I can only add, Sir, that the Urban Amenities Select Committee will, I am sure, push this matter, with a view to getting more swimming pools.
DR. LEE:-I ask the supplementary, Mr. Chairman, because swim- ming is a very popular sport in Hong Kong and I hope this matter will be pursued with the greatest urgency.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, might I say, wearing another hat, that as President of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association I am delighted with the support that is given in this Council to swimming. Certainly, the Urban Amenities Select Committee will be very pleased to push forward this programme, provided money and land can be found by Government for such schemes.
DR. R. H. S. LEE asked the following question:-
Is the Chairman aware of the filthy state of Tai Nam Street between Cheung Sha Wan Road and Castle Peak Road; and can he explain why it has been allowed to be in such a condition, and what steps does he propose to rectify it?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:-
I agree that the state of this stretch of street has left something to be desired. This has been in part due, I think, to the presence in the street of a number of unlicensed cooked- food hawkers. These hawkers were removed recently by the Police and the cleansing arrangements in force in the area should be sufficient to keep the street in a reason- able condition. These unlicensed hawkers are liable to re-appear at times when the licensed cooked-food stalls in the street are being patronized by workers from local
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