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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(c) How many are being held back and, if so, for what

reason?

THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:

-

The first part of this question deals with the number of recreational projects under construction. There are at present 21 such projects, 11 in the Public Works Pro- gramme and 10 in the urban amenities block vote pro- gramme, including 3 district swimming pool complexes and the smaller complex at Morrison Hill; 4 grass soccer pitches and 7 hard-surfaced mini-soccer pitches; 9 basket- ball/volleyball courts; 1 running track and athletic facili- ties; 3 roller-skating rinks; 9 rest gardens and 4 children's playgrounds; and the floodlighting of 13 recreation areas. The second and third parts of the question ask how many items are being processed in each category and how many are being held back and for what reason. Excluding the 11 P.W.D. projects already mentioned, there are 8 items in Category A of the Public Works Programme, 14 in Category B, 3 in Category D, and 9 in Category C. The 3 Category-D items, which are beach buildings at various beaches, are being temporarily held up while considera- tion is given to a suggestion that changing facilities should be charged for. One Category-C item, the Java Road Playground, is awaiting the removal of the sand depot of the Government Supplies Department. 4 of the Cate- gory-B items are also being held back, one, the permanent development of Chai Wan Park, being dependent on the mass transit system proposals and also on further reclama- tion. (Members will be aware however that the tempor- ary development of part of this park is being pushed ahead with under the block vote). The three other Cate- gory-B items, Pok Fu Lam Road Playground, Hoi Sham Park Stage II and Brick Hill Park Stage I, are awaiting site allocation or the finalization of site boundaries.

In addition to the Public Works Programme items, there are 81 projects in the block vote programme which have not yet reached the construction stage. Of these, funds have been released to the Public Works Department in respect of 23 items, 50 are being processed in the Urban Services Department, and 8 are being held back: two because of clearance difficulties (Shek Lung Street Playground and Tai Shing Street Temporary Playground), one because of the mass transit system study (Kwun Tong Road Rest Garden), one because the sites are not yet available (Tsz Wan Shan Resettlement Estate Stage V playgrounds), one

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

47

awaiting completion of nearby engineering works (King's Park High Level Service Reservoir Playground), one awaiting details of revised site boundaries (Chai Wan Road Playground), one because of legal complications over the site (Alexandra House roadside plot improve- ment), and one because it exceeds the block vote limit (Cha Kwo Ling Road Playground and will therefore have to be considered for inclusion in the Public Works Pro- gramme).

MR. SALES: ---Thank you very much for a very clear account, Mr. Chairman. May I have your assurance that where it is possible to do so, you will be pressing ahead with the elevation of some of these projects now in the Public Works Department programme from Category B to Category A at the earliest possible opportunity?

CHAIRMAN:-Wherever this is considered desirable, Mr. SALES, we

press ahead.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, you use the term "considered desir- able". Considered desirable by the Select Committee, I take it?

CHAIRMAN:-I am sure the Select Committee is generally consulted, Mr. SALES.

MR. SALES: Yes, I am not afraid the Select Committee will not be consulted, but I want you to define to this Council "considered desirable". By you, by the Colonial Secretariat, by the Finance Branch or by the Select Committee of this Council, and I hope it is the last Body?

CHAIRMAN:-As soon as the Department is aware that we can proceed with the items in this programme, we ask for up-grading immediately.

MR. SALES:-Thank you very much. You ask for up-grading on the strength of the advice of the Select Committee, and not because of any other reason and notwithstanding the opposition, perhaps, of other departments?

CHAIRMAN:-No, not at all, Mr. SALES.

MR. SALES: Thank you very much. That is what I have been trying to establish.

MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, you say that the permanent development of Chai Wan Park is held up because of the mass trans- port system proposals and also on further reclamation. Question No. 1 is, is there any connection between the mass transport proposals and the further reclamation?