1971 — Page 128

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Page 128 of 242

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(12) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-

(a) What is the present area of Kowloon Park?

(b) How much land has been released by the military au- thorities in Whitfield Barracks which has not been allocated to the Council for the Park?

(c) How is such land used at present and when is it intended

to develop it for recreation?

THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-

The details quoted in this reply are based on information obtained during the past few days from the Public Works Department and differ somewhat from previous estimates of the area of Kowloon Park. Some minor changes will therefore be necessary in plans of the layout of this Park already approved by the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee and revised plans will be referred back to that Committee as soon as possible.

(a) The present area of Kowloon Park is some 23 acres

of which

(b)

(i) acre is reserved adjacent to Nathan Road for a possible bus bay and has not therefore been allocated to the Council.

(ii) approx. 6 acres are only on temporary allocation being required eventually for a decked salt water reservoir (2.2 acres), a new road link between Haiphong and Canton Roads (2.5 acres) and permanent development along this road and also fronting on Austin Road (1.4 acres).

I shoud perhaps add here that we are hopeful that the decking of the reservoir will in due course be made available to us so that we do not lose out completely the 2.2 acres.

The total area of the Barracks site released by the Military Authorities is about 42 acres of which some 19 have not been allocated to the Council.

(c) Of the 19 acres not allocated

(i) approximately 13 acres have been zoned for com- mercial and residential development-most of which is used by the Transport Department as a mini-bus pound.

(ii)

acre is occupied by a mosque

(iii) 5 acres have been zoned as open space.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

237

These 5 acres are largely taken up at present by old military buildings and used by various Government Departments. The Recreation & Amenities Select Committee have pro- posed that when this area is allocated to the Council, (for which unfortunately no date can as yet be given), it shoud be developed as:

(i) part of Stage II of the park development (which is in Category B of the Public Works Programme)-- 21 acres.

(ii) a Swimming Pool (as Stage III-already submitted for inclusion in Category B of the Public Works Pro- gramme)-3 acres.

MR. SALES:

Sir, are you aware that the original allocation for public open space was 26 acres?

CHAIRMAN:--I have gone into this in some detail, Mr. SALES, and

it appears that we have been under the impression for many months, if not years, that we were getting 26 acres but in fact when you look at the figures that I have now given we will eventually have 28 acres.

MR. SALES: No, Sir, we will have eventually 24.2 acres, 1.8 short and I would suggest Sir, in the circumstances, that you make repre- sentation to get the 13 acres from (c)(i) which Government has zoned for commercial and residential development and which is a sore point with this Council.

CHAIRMAN: -We have endeavoured to do this many times, Mr. SALES, and I think it has been taken up with the Secretariat twice in the past year and I do not hold out much hope of any change being made so far.

MR. SALES: --Is there a reason for the Secretariat to insist on even more intensive development of that part of Tsim Sha Tsui for residential purposes when there is such a dreadful stortage of open space for recreation purposes in west Kowloon, west of Nathan Road and south of the foothills?

CHAIRMAN:-I really don't know the answer to that, Mr. SALES, but I can assure you that we shall continue to press for the remaining acreage.

MR. SALES:-Would you be prepared, Sir to make fresh repre- sentations to the Government for the allocation of the entire 42 acres of Whitfield Barracks public open space?

CHAIRMAN: --We have done this, as I say, many times in the past, Mr. SALES. I am prepared to try again when a suitable opportunity

occurs.