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Category B or Category C of the Public Works Programme, and when completed will add a further 12.1 acres to the 52.6 acres I have already mentioned. Further sites already earmarked but not yet released for recreational development amount to some 65 acres. This means that the total amount of public open space for this district, either existing or under development or so far envisaged, is nearly 130 acres. There is, of course, no standard laid down for any particular area, but the planned provision of 130 acres will provide about 26 acres per 100,000 of population. Of course, this Council wants even more land for public recreation. The Department is consulting relevant authorities on this point. I am obliged to Mr. Hu for drawing our attention to this matter.
MR. BERNACCHI: As a supplementary, Mr. Chairman. The answer was, of course, that this Council wants more land for recreational purposes. Is Mr. SALES aware that in Ngau Tau Kok, land has been made available for recreational purposes which cannot possibly be used because of the strong sunlight, unshaded by any buildings whatsoever?
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if you admit that supplementary, I will be delighted to say that the Urban Council is embarking on a programme of indoor play facilities to take care of weather conditions and also, where possible, the construction of pavilions. The development of our playgrounds is done in stages, so sometimes there are play facilities available without the other desirable features, and certainly the point made by Mr. BERNACCHI will be looked into immediately.
MR. BERNACCHI: Thank you.
MR. C. K. CHAN: Mr. Chairman, one supplementary. Although we have 35 acres of recreational land, there is still no lighting facilities. I think that lighting has been pressed for very hard by the CDO and the Kaifong, and would the Chairman of the Committee keep on pressing the Government to do that as quickly as possible.
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, the Council has a flood-lighting programme, as Mr. CHAN is aware as he is a member of that Select Committee. The programme goes on all the time, and as and when money becomes available, the facilities are introduced into our playgrounds. No doubt, in the course of time, all playgrounds in Hong Kong, where feasible, will have proper lighting.
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, I just ask Mr. SALES. When will the Kwun Tong swimming pool be completed?
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MR. SALES: It was stated in an answer to an earlier question that it would be ready in November this year.
MR. HU: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, could you kindly confirm that the standard figure is 28 acres for 100,000 people. The answer given by Mr. SALES is that there will be 26 acres for 100,000 people.
MR. SALES: Sir, that is not the only criterion. There is also the question of new developments of so much percentage of the area being set aside for active recreation and so much for just rest and green areas. 28 acres per 100,000 is thought to be a desirable standard, but there are other standards by which such facilities are also measured.
MR. HU: Thank you.
(14) MR. PETER C. K. CHAN asked the following question:
Mr. Chairman, I know Mr. SALES has been answering and asking a lot of questions. I hope he doesn't mind another one. On the 23rd of December, 1969, a motion "That the desirability of having a form of Ombudsman or Commissioner for Administration be referred to the Local Administration Select Committee for a report" was passed without opposition.
Can this Council be informed whether anything has been done in getting the report ready as soon as possible? If not, can this Council be informed of the reasons?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
Sir, I am always pleased to oblige my Friends in this Council. This question refers to the motion adopted at the December 1969 meeting of the Council, which referred the question of the desirability of having a form of Ombudsman or Commissioner for Administration to the Local Administration Select Committee for a report.
I am pleased that Mr. CHAN, who is also a member of the Select Committee, is giving me this opportunity to inform the Council of progress made by the Select Committee. The Committee first considered the terms of this motion at a meeting on 17th February, 1970, when the necessity to establish the effectiveness of the present Urban Council Ward System in the first instance was agreed unanimously. In consequence Members were requested to complete a questionnaire on the system. All views expressed by
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Page 69 of 241
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Category B or Category C of the Public Works Programme, and when completed will add a further 12.1 acres to the 52.6 acres I have already mentioned. Further sites already earmarked but not yet released for rec- reational development amount to some 65 acres. This means that the total amount of public open space for this district, either existing or under development or so far envisaged, is nearly 130 acres. There is, of course, no standard laid down for any particular area, but the planned provision of 130 acres will provide about 26 acres per 100,000 of population. Of course, this Council wants even more land for public recreation. The Department is consulting relevant authorities on this point. I am obliged to Mr. Hu for drawing our attention to this matter.
MR. BERNACCHI: As a supplementary, Mr. Chairman. The answer was, of course, that this Council wants more land for recreational purposes. Is Mr. SALES aware that in Ngau Tau Kok, land has been made available for recreational purposes which cannot possibly be used because of the strong sunlight, unshaded by any buildings whatsoever?
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, if you admit that supplementary, I will be delighted to say that the Urban Council is embarking on a programme of indoor play facilities to take care of weather conditions and also, where possible, the construction of pavilions. The develop- ment of our playgrounds is done in stages, so sometimes there are play facilities available without the other desirable features, and certainly the point made by Mr. BERNACCHI will be looked into immediately.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Thank you.
MR. C. K. CHAN:-Mr. Chairman, one supplementary. Although we have 35 acres of recreational land, there is still no lighting facilities. I think that lighting has been pressed for very hard by the CDO and the Kaifong, and would the Chairman of the Committe keep on pressing the Government to do that as quickly as possible.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, the Council has a flood-lighting programme, as Mr. CHAN is aware as he is a member of that Select Committee. The programme goes on all the time, and as and when money becomes available, the facilities are introduced into our play- grounds. No doubt, in the course of time, all playgrounds in Hong Kong, where feasible, will have proper lighting.
MR. HU: Mr. Chairman, I just ask Mr. SALES. When will the Kwun Tong swimming pool be completed?
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119
MR. SALES: —It was stated in an answer to an earlier question that it would be ready in November this year.
MR. HU:-Thank you. Mr. Chairman, could you kindly confirm that the standard figure is 28 acres for 100,000 people. The answer given by Mr. SALES is that there will be 26 acres for 100,000 people. . . .
MR. SALES: Sir, that is not the only criterion. There is also the question of new developments of so much percentage of the area being set aside for active recreation and so much for just rest and green areas. 28 acres per 100,000 is thought to be a desirable standard, but there are other standards by which such facilities are also measured.
MR. HU:-Thank you.
(14) MR. PETER C. K. CHAN asked the following question:
Mr. Chairman, I know Mr. SALES has been answering and asking a lot of questions. I hope he doesn't mind an- other one. On the 23rd of December, 1969, a motion "That the desirability of having a form of Ombudsman or Commissioner for Administration be referred to the Local Administration Select Committee for a report" was passed without opposition.
Can this Council be informed whether anything has been done in getting the report ready as soon as possible? If not, can this Council be informed of the reasons?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:
Sir, I am always pleased to oblige my Friends in this Council. This question refers to the motion adopted at the December 1969 meeting of the Council, which referred the question of the desirability of having a form of Ombuds- man or Commissioner for Administration to the Local Administration Select Committee for a report.
I am pleased that Mr. CHAN, who is also a member of the Select Committee, is giving me this opportunity to inform the Council of progress made by the Select Committee. The Committee first considered the terms of this motion at a meeting on 17th February, 1970, when the necessity to establish the effectiveness of the present Urban Council Ward System in the first instance was agreed unanimously. In consequence Members were requested to complete a questionnaire on the system. All views expressed by
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