1965 — Page 88

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 88 of 382

154

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(c) Has there been any request for more accessible accommodation in this estate by the Social Welfare Department? If not, why not? If so, has the request been granted?

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:

8 bays on the ground floor of Block X, Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate, were allocated to the Social Welfare Department as dormitories for paraplegics or wheel-chair patients and another 81 bays as sheltered workshops for the same purpose; the Resettlement Management Select Committee approved the allocation and also certain alterations to adapt the premises for these purposes. Officers in the Social Welfare and Medical Departments who are concerned with rehabilitation considered these premises suitable for the purpose; the officer in charge of an adjoining vocational training centre for the handicapped, a joint project of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation and the Social Welfare Department, will supervise the centre for paraplegics. No other ground floor accommodation in this Estate was available for allocation at the time.

DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, I am not quite satisfied with the answer to part (c) of this question. It does not seem to be covered there. I asked whether there has been any request for more accessible accommodation in this Estate. If not, why not? If so, has the request been granted? It has not been referred to in the answer. Could I have that answer please?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I am not aware of any other request from the Social Welfare Department for any other space in the Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate, and certainly if a request were made I think it would have to be 'No' since no other ground floor accommodation is presently available in the Estate.

DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, is something going to be done to make this block more easily accessible for the paraplegics? It is extremely difficult to go up and down steps in a wheel chair.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, this block, Block 'X', is roughly 20 ft. below road level and is approached by a 12' wide concrete road, roughly 1 in 12 gradient and it is not necessary for paraplegics or anyone else to have to use the steps which are at a different location in relation to the block.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

155

DR. BELL: How accessible is transport for those people there?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I am not sure whether Dr. BELL is referring to public transport or to accessibility to the block itself by transport. Certainly, taxis and private motors can gain access to the block by going down the ramp that I referred to. I do not know of any public transport passing on the road nearby.

DR. BELL: How far away is public transport from there?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- At a guess I should say about one third of a mile away.

DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, since we have the Director of Social Welfare on our Council, may I ask why, perhaps, there hasn't been representation made for better accommodation for paraplegics?

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:- Mr. Chairman, the position is that this particular accommodation was available. It is close to various other facilities, or not far from other facilities in the Kwun Tong Area and it was considered by the people concerned with rehabilitation, both in my department and in the Department of Medical and Health Services, that it would be suitable for the purpose and therefore we decided to go ahead. I think that this is the position.

MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, was that ground floor given to the Social Welfare Department at the expense of the wheel-chair patients?

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE: I do not quite follow the question, Mr. Chairman. The intention is that a number of paraplegics, some of whom are in the care of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation and some in my care in my own Rehabilitation Centre, should be resettled as a group in this accommodation.

MR. HU: If Mr. BARON is not quite aware of my question I will make it clear to him. That accommodation was originally designed for wheel-chair patients and is now given to the Social Welfare Department. Is that the position?

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:- No, Sir. The position is that this was a ground floor area in a resettlement block which now has been adapted for resettlement of paraplegics and it is shortly to be occupied by a group of paraplegics or wheel-chair patients.

DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, could it be borne in mind for the future both by the Resettlement Department and the Director of Social Welfare's Department that for paraplegics it would be a great deal better to have somewhere where it was not necessary to go up and down a one in twelve gradient ramp.

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Page 88 of 382 154 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL (c) Has there been any request for more accessible accommodation in this estate by the Social Welfare Department? If not, why not? If so, has the request been granted? THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows: 8 bays on the ground floor of Block X, Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate, were allocated to the Social Welfare Department as dormitories for paraplegics or wheel-chair patients and another 81 bays as sheltered workshops for the same purpose; the Resettlement Management Select Committee approved the allocation and also certain alterations to adapt the premises for these purposes. Officers in the Social Welfare and Medical Departments who are concerned with rehabilitation considered these premises suitable for the purpose; the officer in charge of an adjoining vocational training centre for the handicapped, a joint project of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation and the Social Welfare Department, will supervise the centre for paraplegics. No other ground floor accommodation in this Estate was available for allocation at the time. DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, I am not quite satisfied with the answer to part (c) of this question. It does not seem to be covered there. I asked whether there has been any request for more accessible accommodation in this Estate. If not, why not? If so, has the request been granted? It has not been referred to in the answer. Could I have that answer please? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I am not aware of any other request from the Social Welfare Department for any other space in the Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate, and certainly if a request were made I think it would have to be 'No' since no other ground floor accommodation is presently available in the Estate. DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, is something going to be done to make this block more easily accessible for the paraplegics? It is extremely difficult to go up and down steps in a wheel chair. COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, this block, Block 'X', is roughly 20 ft. below road level and is approached by a 12' wide concrete road, roughly 1 in 12 gradient and it is not necessary for paraplegics or anyone else to have to use the steps which are at a different location in relation to the block. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 155 DR. BELL: How accessible is transport for those people there? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I am not sure whether Dr. BELL is referring to public transport or to accessibility to the block itself by transport. Certainly, taxis and private motors can gain access to the block by going down the ramp that I referred to. I do not know of any public transport passing on the road nearby. DR. BELL: How far away is public transport from there? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- At a guess I should say about one third of a mile away. DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, since we have the Director of Social Welfare on our Council, may I ask why, perhaps, there hasn't been representation made for better accommodation for paraplegics? DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:- Mr. Chairman, the position is that this particular accommodation was available. It is close to various other facilities, or not far from other facilities in the Kwun Tong Area and it was considered by the people concerned with rehabilitation, both in my department and in the Department of Medical and Health Services, that it would be suitable for the purpose and therefore we decided to go ahead. I think that this is the position. MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, was that ground floor given to the Social Welfare Department at the expense of the wheel-chair patients? DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE: I do not quite follow the question, Mr. Chairman. The intention is that a number of paraplegics, some of whom are in the care of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation and some in my care in my own Rehabilitation Centre, should be resettled as a group in this accommodation. MR. HU: If Mr. BARON is not quite aware of my question I will make it clear to him. That accommodation was originally designed for wheel-chair patients and is now given to the Social Welfare Department. Is that the position? DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:- No, Sir. The position is that this was a ground floor area in a resettlement block which now has been adapted for resettlement of paraplegics and it is shortly to be occupied by a group of paraplegics or wheel-chair patients. DR. BELL:- Mr. Chairman, could it be borne in mind for the future both by the Resettlement Department and the Director of Social Welfare's Department that for paraplegics it would be a great deal better to have somewhere where it was not necessary to go up and down a one in twelve gradient ramp. Page 88 of 382

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382 Page 88 of 382 Page 88 of 382 154 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL (c) Has there been any request for more accessible accom- modation in this estate by the Social Welfare Depart- ment? If not, why not? If so, has the request been granted? THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows: 8 bays on the ground floor of Block X, Kwun Tong Resettle- ment Estate, were allocated to the Social Welfare Depart- ment as dormitories for paraplegics or wheel-chair patients and another 81 bays as sheltered workshops for the same purpose; the Resettlement Management Select Com- mittee approved the allocation and also certain alterations to adapt the premises for these purposes. Officers in the Social Welfare and Medical Departments who are concerned with rehabilitation considered these prem- ises suitable for the purpose; the officer in charge of an adjoining vocational training centre for the handi- capped, a joint project of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation and the Social Welfare Department, will supervise the centre for paraplegics. No other ground floor accommodation in this Estate was available for allocation at the time. DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, I am not quite satisfied with the answer to part (c) of this question. It does not seem to be covered there. I asked whether there has been any request for more accessible accommodation in this Estate. If not, why not? If so, has the request been granted? It has not been referred to in the answer. Could 1 have that answer please? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I am not aware of any other request from the Social Welfare Department for any other space in the Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate, and certainly if a request were made I think it would have to be 'No' since no other ground floor accommodation is presently available in the Estate. DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, is something going to be done to make this block more easily accessible for the paraplegics? It is extremely difficult to go up and down steps in a wheel chair. COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Mr. Chairman, this block, Block 'X', is roughly 20 ft. below road level and is approached by a 12' wide concrete road, roughly 1 in 12 gradient and it is not necessary for paraplegics or anyone else to have to use the steps which are at a different location in relation to the block. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 155 DR. BELL: How accessible is transport for those people there? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:—I am not sure whether Dr. BELL is referring to public transport or to accessibility to the block itself by transport. Certainly, taxis and private motors can gain access to the block by going down the ramp that I referred to. I do not know of any public transport passing on the road nearby. DR. BELL: How far away is public transport from there? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-At a guess I should say about one third of a mile away. DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, since we have the Director of Social Welfare on our Council, may I ask why, perhaps, there hasn't been representation made for better accommodation for paraplegics? DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:-Mr. Chairman, the position is that this particular accommodation was available. It is close to vari- ous other facilities, or not far from other facilities in the Kwun Tong Area and it was considered by the people concerned with rehabitation, both in my department and in the Department of Medical and Health Services, that it would be suitable for the purpose and therefore we decided to go ahead. I think that this is the position. MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, was that ground floor given to the Social Welfare Department at the expense of the wheel-chair patients? DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE: I do not quite follow the ques- tion, Mr. Chairman. The intention is that a number of paraplegics, some of whom are in the care of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilita- tion and some in my care in my own Rehabilitation Centre, should be resettled as a group in this accommodation. MR. HU: If Mr. BARON is not quite aware of my question I will make it clear to him. That accommodation was originally designed for wheel-chair patients and is now given to the Social Welfare Depart- ment. Is that the position? DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:-No, Sir. The position is that this was a ground floor area in a resettlement block which now has been adapted for resettlement of paraplegics and it is shortly to be occupied by a group of paraplegics or wheel-chair patients. DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, could it be borne in mind for the future both by the Resettlement Department and the Director of Social Welfare's Department that for paraplegics it would be a great deal better to have somewhere where it was not necessary to go up and down a one in twelve gradient ramp.

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382

Page 88 of 382

154

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(c) Has there been any request for more accessible accom- modation in this estate by the Social Welfare Depart- ment? If not, why not? If so, has the request been granted?

THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:

8 bays on the ground floor of Block X, Kwun Tong Resettle- ment Estate, were allocated to the Social Welfare Depart- ment as dormitories for paraplegics or wheel-chair patients and another 81 bays as sheltered workshops for the same purpose; the Resettlement Management Select Com- mittee approved the allocation and also certain alterations to adapt the premises for these purposes. Officers in the Social Welfare and Medical Departments who are concerned with rehabilitation considered these prem- ises suitable for the purpose; the officer in charge of an adjoining vocational training centre for the handi- capped, a joint project of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation and the Social Welfare Department, will supervise the centre for paraplegics. No other ground floor accommodation in this Estate was available for allocation at the time.

DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, I am not quite satisfied with the answer to part (c) of this question. It does not seem to be covered there. I asked whether there has been any request for more accessible accommodation in this Estate. If not, why not? If so, has the request been granted? It has not been referred to in the answer. Could 1 have that answer please?

DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, is something going to be done to make this block more easily accessible for the paraplegics? It is extremely difficult to go up and down steps in a wheel chair.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Mr. Chairman, this block, Block 'X', is roughly 20 ft. below road level and is approached by a 12' wide concrete road, roughly 1 in 12 gradient and it is not necessary for paraplegics or anyone else to have to use the steps which are at a different location in relation to the block.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

155

DR. BELL: How accessible is transport for those people there?

DR. BELL: How far away is public transport from there?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-At a guess I should say about one third of a mile away.

DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, since we have the Director of Social Welfare on our Council, may I ask why, perhaps, there hasn't been representation made for better accommodation for paraplegics?

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:-Mr. Chairman, the position is that this particular accommodation was available. It is close to vari- ous other facilities, or not far from other facilities in the Kwun Tong Area and it was considered by the people concerned with rehabitation, both in my department and in the Department of Medical and Health Services, that it would be suitable for the purpose and therefore we decided to go ahead. I think that this is the position.

MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, was that ground floor given to the Social Welfare Department at the expense of the wheel-chair patients?

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE: I do not quite follow the ques- tion, Mr. Chairman. The intention is that a number of paraplegics, some of whom are in the care of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilita- tion and some in my care in my own Rehabilitation Centre, should be resettled as a group in this accommodation.

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:-No, Sir. The position is that this was a ground floor area in a resettlement block which now has been adapted for resettlement of paraplegics and it is shortly to be occupied by a group of paraplegics or wheel-chair patients.

DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, could it be borne in mind for the future both by the Resettlement Department and the Director of Social Welfare's Department that for paraplegics it would be a great deal better to have somewhere where it was not necessary to go up and down a one in twelve gradient ramp.

1965 — Page 88

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