Page 113 of 279
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order. Before taking the first item on to-day's agenda, am sure Members will wish me to welcome Dr. Raymond LEE back to the Colony and to this Council. (Applause).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 2nd August, 1966 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of August 1966.
(2) Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the future scope and operation of the Urban Council.
MR. SALES: Sir, it is as Chairman of the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee that I wish to make a statement in connection with your report for the month of August.
Members will have seen the information that over 300,000 people used our two pools in August. This is a staggering figure and gives further evidence of the tremendous demand for swimming facilities which exists in Hong Kong. Needless to say, all our urban beaches are likewise put to very good use. Consequently, Government must press on with the implementation of our plans for swimming pools in every district where the population is heavy. The time for talking about swimming pools is well past. Swift action must be taken.
Because virtually all recreation facilities which the Council has provided for public use have met with great response, I ask Government to double our block vote which now stands at $1,500,000. The Select Committee has many ambitious plans, but the Select Committee must bide their time simply because there is no money to carry them out. This should not be the case when there is such a dreadful shortage of public recreational amenities in Hong Kong, particularly in the older and grossly overcrowded districts.
I also advocate that when the resettlement estates are built, the playgrounds which are planned for them should be developed at the same time so that they would be available at once without the children in particular having to wait so long for these amenities as they do at present. This would be a definite improvement and could be put into effect without more ado.
200
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
201
Finally, Sir, this Council has for several years pleaded with Government for the authority to go into the New Territories and develop the open spaces there that have been earmarked for parks and playgrounds. More and more people living in the urban areas are already making use of the New Territories for recreation. It is advisable that such facilities as are already in use should be properly developed so that they might not suffer in consequence from misuse and depredations. Studies have been carried out and reports have been issued so there is no reason to delay. Now is the time for action if the interest of the people is to be properly served.
Sir, may I as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on the future scope of the Urban Council, present the Committee's report to my colleagues. In doing so, Sir, I would like to thank the sterling services given by my colleagues Mr. BERNACCHI and Dr. BELL of the Reform Club, Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN of the Civic Association and Mr. Wilson WANG, Appointed Member. Also we recognize now, as we did in our report, the excellent work done by Mr. TINSON, the Secretary of the Ad Hoc Committee.
CHAIRMAN: -Perhaps I should add in clarification that this Report by the Ad Hoc Committee will now be considered by the Whole Council in Committee, and will be debated upon in public at our meeting next month.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, welcome back to Hong Kong after your skiing trip somewhere in Oceania and your trek across the Australian continent.
I would now like to ask question 1.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
(a) To what extent is the Urban Council responsible for cleaning stagnant pools of water from construction sites which, apart from being sites for potential tragedies—as was the case of a fourteen-year old boy who was recently reported to have drowned in a stagnant pool on a construction site are also potential mosquito breeding sites and therefore very much the source of discomfort and nuisance to the public?
(b) What is the Urban Services Department doing to clear stagnant pools of water on construction sites and to ensure that they are not breeding sites for mosquitoes?
Page 113 of 279
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Page 113 of 279
200
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and Gentlemen, the meeting is called to order. Before taking the first item on to-day's agenda, am sure Members will wish me to welcome Dr. Raymond LEE back to the Colony and to this Council. (Applause).
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 2nd August, 1966 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following papers:
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of August 1966.
(2) Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the future scope
and operation of the Urban Council.
MR. SALES: Sir, it is as Chairman of the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee that I wish to make a statement in connection with your report for the month of August.
Members will have seen the information that over 300,000 people used our two pools in August. This is a staggering figure and gives further evidence of the tremendous demand for swimming facilities which exists in Hong Kong. Needless to say, all our urban beaches are likewise put to very good use. Consequently, Government must press on with the implementation of our plans for swimming pools in every district where the population is heavy. The time for talking about swimming pools is well past. Swift action must be taken.
Because virtually all recreation facilities which the Council has provided for public use have met with great response, I ask Government to double our block vote which now stands at $1,500,000. The Select Committee has many ambitious plans, but the Select Committee must bide their time simply because there is no money to carry them out. This should not be the case when there is such a dreadful shortage of public recreational amenities in Hong Kong, particularly in the older and grossly overcrowded districts.
I also advocate that when the resettlement estates are built, the playgrounds which are planned for them should be developed at the same time so that they would be available at once without the children in particular having to wait so long for these amenities as they do at present. This would be a definite improvement and could be put into effect without more ado.
1
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
201
Finally, Sir, this Council has for several years pleaded with Govern- ment for the authority to go into the New Territories and develop the open spaces there that have been earmarked for parks and playgrounds. More and more people living in the urban areas are already making use of the New Territories for recreation. It is advisable that such facilities as are already in use should be properly developed so that they might not suffer in consequence from misuse and depredations. Studies have been carried out and reports have been issued so there is no reason to delay. Now is the time for action if the interest of the people is to be properly served.
Sir, may I as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on the future scope of the Urban Council, present the Committee's report to my colleagues. In doing so, Sir, I would like to thank the sterling services given by my colleagues Mr. BERNACCHI and Dr. BELL of the Reform Club, Mr. Hilton CHEONG-LEEN of the Civic Association and Mr. Wilson WANG, Appointed Member. Also we recognize now, as we did in our report, the excellent work done by Mr. TINSON, the Secretary of the Ad Hoc Committee.
CHAIRMAN: -Perhaps I should add in clarification that this Report by the Ad Hoc Committee will now be considered by the Whole Council in Committee, and will be debated upon in public at our meeting next month.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, welcome back to Hong Kong after your skiing trip somewhere in Oceania and your trek across the Australian continent.
I would now like to ask question 1.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question: ----
(a) To what extent is the Urban Council responsible for cleaning stagnant pools of water from construction sites which, apart from being sites for potential tragedies—as was the case of a fourteen-year old boy who was recently reported to have drowned in a stagnant pool on a con- struction site are also potential mosquito breeding sites and therefore very much the source of discomfort and nuisance to the public?
(b) What is the Urban Services Department doing to clear stagnant pools of water on construction sites and to ensure that they are not breeding sites for mosquitoes?
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.