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in our speeches, so to speak, on the question of licensing of bars in general if that is the sentiment of the Unofficial Members of this Council.
MR. HU: I referred to bars in Tsim Sha Tsui, because I would like to get our Commissioner for Resettlement out of this trouble. (Laughter). As a matter of fact, the Commissioner for Resettlement has nothing to do with bars. There are no bars in Resettlement Estates. (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, may we please now have a short recess?
(A brief recess was held at this point.
The Secretary for Chinese Affairs, the Director of Social Welfare and Dr. P. F. WOO left the meeting during recess.)
MOTIONS.
(1) Mr. A. de O. SALES moved the following:-
Resolved that this Council request the Government to reserve the whole of Whitfield Barracks as open space.
He said: Mr. Chairman, this Council has given much consideration in Committee to the development of Whitfield Barracks in the public interest. Also, it is several years since a Question was first put down and the subject discussed in public. All this time my colleagues have also strongly advocated the wisdom of taking advantage of this golden opportunity to provide the people of Hong Kong with a much-needed park in a central location.
While some headway has been made from the original proposal put by the Town Planning Board, the concessions are still not satisfactory. Any plot of land in Whitfield Barracks, no matter how relatively small, which may be set aside for commercial development, will still mean in effect that the public will be deprived of it. All the land there should be used in common and in a way which is directly beneficial to the community.
Sir, I would also mention that in Tsim Sha Tsui there are only two small playgrounds: the one at Middle Road is of 1 acre while that at Chatham Road covers 1.2 acres. There is of course the King George V Memorial Park, 24 acres in area, but that is hardly enough for the thousands of people who live in Yau Ma Tei where there is nothing more than perhaps a small playground or two to serve the schools and the many thousands of children of that very heavily populated district. For sure, the situation all west of Nathan Road is very bad indeed, and, Sir, the prospect for any substantial improvement is bleak.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
33
Recently His Excellency the Governor graciously referred to the impressive development in the provision of much-needed recreational facilities. For all the support that His Excellency has given this Council in this important aspect of our work, we are much encouraged. Sir, we hope that in the question of Whitfield Barracks we can count on the Governor as our powerful ally.
There is still a tremendous amount of progress to be made before Hong Kong can be said to have recreational facilities and public open spaces adequate for a community of our size and economic development. 1,000 acres of land may be very impressive when compared with what Hong Kong had only eight years ago. But, it is just about one square metre per person. This is really a very low figure when compared with the amount of public open space available even in some of the much older cities in the world, not to compare with those new countries where there is no lack of suitable land,
Indeed, the provision of open spaces in Hong Kong has not been made on an even basis. In the new areas such as in the foothills of the peninsula, there are comparatively large parks and playgrounds for the thousands of people living in New Kowloon. But in the old districts, where there are heavy concentrations of people, the parks and playgrounds are few and far between, if any. Examples are the Western District on the Island in which there is not even a single playground at sea level; Sai Ying Pun; Yau Ma Tei which would be served in part by a proper development of Whitfield Barracks. We must make good this appalling deficiency in the old districts. My colleagues and I have advocated that the Government buy private land where such is not available for play facilities for the people. I have not heard that the Government has taken a stand on this matter. The provision of facilities for the recreation of the people, young and old, is most pressing, more here than in the United Kingdom, where the problem is also serious but where it is being tackled with despatch.
Sir, in Hong Kong, let the authorities consider setting up a Department of Parks and Recreation with its own properly qualified technical staff including architects, if it is the Government's resolve to press ahead with the development of adequate play facilities to meet the growing demand of a people with rising expectations. More and better play facilities must be provided; there should be more flood-lighting of existing playgrounds so that use might be made of them for longer periods; covered facilities should be built in order to increase the range of activities.
Mr. Chairman, let the Government not dismiss this matter of Whitfield Barracks lightly because once the land is developed other than for community needs, it will virtually have been committed if not for all time at least for a generation to come. Open land that is
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in our speeches, so to speak, on the question of licensing of bars in general if that is the sentiment of the Unofficial Members of this Council.
MR. HU: I referred to bars in Tsim Sha Tsui, because I would like to get our Commissioner for Resettlement out of this trouble. (Laughter). As a matter of fact, the Commissioner for Resettlement has nothing to do with bars. There are no bars in Resettlement Estates. (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN:-Ladies and gentlemen, may we please now have a
short recess?
(A brief recess was held at this point.
The Secretary for Chinese Affairs, the Director of Social Welfare and Dr. P. F. WOO left the meeting during recess.)
MOTIONS.
(1) Mr. A. de O. SALES moved the following:-
Resolved that this Council request the Government to reserve
the whole of Whitfield Barracks as open space.
He said: Mr. Chairman, this Council has given much considera- tion in Committee to the development of Whitfield Barracks in the public interest. Also, it is several years since a Question was first put down and the subject discussed in public. All this time my colleagues have also strongly advocated the wisdom of taking advantage of this golden opportunity to provide the people of Hong Kong with a much- needed park in a central location.
While some headway has been made from the original proposal put by the Town Planning Board, the concessions are still not satis- factory. Any plot of land in Whitfield Barracks, no matter how rela- tively small, which may be set aside for commercial development, will still mean in effect that the public will be deprived of it. All the land there should be used in common and in a way which is directly bene- ficial to the community.
Sir, I would also mention that in Tsim Sha Tsui there are only two small playgrounds: the one at Middle Road is of 1 acre while that at Chatham Road covers 1.2 acres. There is of course the King George V Memorial Park, 24 acres in area, but that is hardly enough for the thousands of people who live in Yau Ma Tei where there is nothing more than perhaps a small playground or two to serve the schools and the many thousands of children of that very heavily populated district. For sure, the situation all west of Nathan Road is very bad indeed, and, Sir, the prospect for any substantial improvement is bleak.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
33
Recently His Excellency the Governor graciously referred to the impressive development in the provision of much-needed recreational facilities. For all the support that His Excellency has given this Council in this important aspect of our work, we are much encouraged. Sir, we hope that in the question of Whitfield Barracks we can count on the Governor as our powerful ally.
There is still a tremendous amount of progress to be made before Hong Kong can be said to have recreational facilities and public open spaces adequate for a community of our size and economic development. 1,000 acres of land may be very impressive when compared with what Hong Kong had only eight years ago. But, it is just about one square metre per person. This is really a very low figure when compared with the amount of public open space available even in some of the much older cities in the world, not to compare with those new countries where there is no lack of suitable land,
Indeed, the provision of open spaces in Hong Kong has not been made on an even basis. In the new areas such as in the foothills of the peninsula, there are comparatively large parks and playgrounds for the thousands of people living in New Kowloon. But in the old districts, where there are heavy concentrations of people, the parks and playgrounds are few and far between, if any. Examples are the Western District on the Island in which there is not even a single play- ground at sea level; Sai Ying Pun; Yau Ma Tei which would be served in part by a proper development of Whitfield Barracks. We must make good this appalling deficiency in the old districts. My colleagues and I have advocated that the Government buy private land where such is not available for play facilities for the people. I have not heard that the Government has taken a stand on this matter. The provision of facilities for the recreation of the people, young and old, is most pressing, more here than in the United Kingdom, where the problem is also serious but where it is being tackled with despatch.
Sir, in Hong Kong, let the authorities consider setting up a Department of Parks and Recreation with its own properly qualified technical staff including architects, if it is the Government's resolve to press ahead with the development of adequate play facilities to meet the growing demand of a people with rising expectations. More and better play facilities must be provided; there should be more flood- lighting of existing playgrounds so that use might be made of them for longer periods; covered facilities should be built in order to increase the range of activities.
Mr. Chairman, let the Government not dismiss this matter of Whitfield Barracks lightly because once the land is developed other than for community needs, it will virtually have been committed if not for all time at least for a generation to come. Open land that is
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