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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE DIRECTOR of Public Works replied as follows:-
Mr. Chairman, this question concerns the area opposite Victoria Park, part of which is a sports ground controlled by the Education Department and the remainder of which is let on annual permit to a motor-car supplier for the parking of lorries and public cars as well as for open storage. This particular question has, of course, been raised a number of times in the past and as some Members may recall, my predecessor, Mr. WRIGHT, in answer to one such question, stated that "no decision had then been taken as to the future permanent use to which this particular area would be put; and Government was then reviewing its policy on private recreation grounds and that until a new policy had been agreed it was not intended to disturb the arrangements then in force."
As you are, of course, aware, the policy on private recreation grounds has now been agreed by Government and the final development of the land can therefore be pursued. The area in question is shown on the draft Outline Zoning Plan for Causeway Bay as "open space". This Plan was gazetted for public inspection under Section 5 of the Town Planning Ordinance from 20th December, 1968, to 20th February, 1969, and action is now being taken to submit it for approval by the Governor-in-Council.
If the draft outline zoning plan is approved by the Governor-in-Council a layout plan indicating possible uses for sites will be prepared and submitted to Land Development and Planning Committee for agreement. At this stage the Urban Services Department may apply for the allocation of such sites as it requires and I understand from the Director of Urban Services that he intends again to ask for the allocation of this area for use as a public open space.
MR. SALES: -Sir, when are you going to put into effect, if you have not already done so, your intention to apply for the allocation of this area?
CHAIRMAN: —Mr. SALES, over the past years I have made this Council's position clear and have asked for the allocation of this land 17 times.
MR. SALES: Sir, may I thank you for your persistence in this matter.
As you are aware, I first put this question to you many years ago, in February 1963, so 17 times in 6 years is not such an impressive figure, is it?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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CHAIRMAN:-In fact, Mr. SALES, I was not here in 1963, but I had already taken the matter up two years before it came to the Committee's attention.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, are you aware in this connexion that I introduced a Motion, seconded by Mr. BERNACCHI and passed unanimously by this Council nearly five years ago, for this land to be converted as an extension to Victoria Park?
CHAIRMAN:-Indeed I am, Mr. SALES, and the question has been raised seven times previously as well.
MR. SALES: --Seven times in five years, again is not a very impressive figure.
(2) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
If the Government is agreed on the importance of the multi-purpose sports halls for the recreation of the people in our densely populated areas, why has the Colonial Secretariat declined to pay for the construction of the first one at the Kai Tak East Park estimated to cost only about $354,000?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
The original proposal from the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee envisaged the provision of three basketball courts with changing rooms, a store-room, cafe, toilets and a simple stage and dressing room. This was expected to cost between $100,000 and $200,000, but no detailed drawings or costing were prepared.
Members of the Committee subsequently put forward a revised proposal, based on this outline requirement, with somewhat similar but, in certain aspects, more elaborate requirements and requesting the construction of a hall (not merely a roofed-over area), as the Committee considered that a basic covered-over area without walls would be too exposed to the weather to enable it to be used fully for the purpose intended.
The revised scheme was then put forward to the Secretariat for consideration where it was felt that, while the concept of a simple building for active recreation at an order of cost of between $100,000 and $200,000 had been accepted in principle in the hope that a relatively cheap structure of this sort (designed for participants in games rather than spectators) could be used in other playgrounds, the concept
Page 29 of 237
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Page 29 of 237
Page 23 of 237
28
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
THE DIRECTOR of Public Works replied as follows:-
Mr. Chairman, this question concerns the area opposite Victoria Park, part of which is a sports ground controlled by the Education Department and the remainder of which is let on annual permit to a motor-car supplier for the parking of lorries and public cars as well as for open storage. This particular question has, of course, been raised a number of times in the past and as some Members may recall, my predecessor, Mr. WRIGHT, in answer to one such question, stated that
"no decision had then been taken as to the future permanent use to which this particular area would be put; and Government was then reviewing its policy on private recreation grounds and that until a new policy had been agreed it was not intended to disturb the arrangements then in force."
As you are, of course, aware, the policy on private recreation grounds has now been agreed by Government and the final development of the land can therefore be pursued. The area in question is shown on the draft Outline Zoning Plan for Causeway Bay as "open space". This Plan was gazetted for public inspection under Section 5 of the Town Planning Ordinance from 20th December, 1968, to 20th February, 1969, and action is now being taken to submit it for approval by the Governor-in-Council.
If the draft outline zoning plan is approved by the Governor- in-Council a layout plan indicating possible uses for sites will be prepared and submitted to Land Development and Planning Committee for agreement. At this stage the Urban Services Department may apply for the allocation of such sites as it requires and I understand from the Director of Urban Services that he intends again to ask for the allocation of this area for use as a public open space.
MR. SALES: -Sir, when are you going to put into effect, if you have not already done so, your intention to apply for the allocation of this area?
CHAIRMAN: —Mr. SALES, over the past years I have made this Council's position clear and have asked for the allocation of this land 17 times.
matter.
MR. SALES: Sir, may I thank you for your persistence in this As you are aware, I first put this question to you many years ago, in February 1963, so 17 times in 6 years is not such an impressive figure, is it?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
29
CHAIRMAN:-In fact, Mr. SALES, I was not here in 1963, but I had already taken the matter up two years before it came to the Committee's attention.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, are you aware in this connexion that I introduced a Motion, seconded by Mr. BERNACCHI and passed un- animously by this Council nearly five years ago, for this land to be converted as an extension to Victoria Park?
CHAIRMAN:-Indeed I am, Mr. SALES, and the question has been raised seven times previously as well.
MR. SALES: --Seven times in five years, again is not a very impres- sive figure.
(2) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
If the Government is agreed on the importance of the multi- purpose sports halls for the recreation of the people in our densely populated areas, why has the Colonial Secretariat declined to pay for the construction of the first one at the Kai Tak East Park estimated to cost only about $354,000?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
The original proposal from the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee envisaged the provision of three basket- ball courts with changing rooms, a store-room, cafe, toilets and a simple stage and dressing room. This was expected to cost between $100,000 and $200,000, but no detailed drawings or costing were prepared.
Members of the Committee subsequently put forward a revised proposal, based on this outline requirement, with somewhat similar but, in certain aspects, more elaborate requirements and requesting the construction of a hall (not merely a roofed-over area), as the Committee considered that a basic covered-over area without walls would be too exposed to the weather to enable it to be used fully for the purpose intended.
The revised scheme was then put forward to the Secretariat for consideration where it was felt that, while the concept of
a simple building for active recreation at an order of cost of between $100,000 and $200,000 had been accepted in principle in the hope that a relatively cheap structure of this sort (designed for participants in games rather than spectators) could be used in other playgrounds, the concept
No comments yet.
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