Page 137 of 242
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN: --Ladies and gentlemen, the meeting is called to order. Before proceeding with the Agenda, I would like to welcome Mr. LIGHTBODY who is occupying the chair as Commissioner for Resettlement at his first open Council meeting this afternoon. I hope that he will have a long and useful association with us.
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting held on 7th September, 1971, were confirmed.
PAPER.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:-
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of September 1971.
MR. A de O. SALES:-Sir, I would like to say as Chairman of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee how encouraging it is to read in the press the farewell statement made on 1st October by His Excellency the Governor where it forecasts the increasing concern which the Government is expected to show for the improvement of the quality of life of the people of Hong Kong. All men of goodwill must surely applaud this intimation of what future policy is likely to be. It will certainly find wide and strong support if, for nothing else, the common man has worked hard to help make Hong Kong what it is, so he is deserving of a better life, presumably through better housing, schooling, medical, social, cultural, recreational and other services and opportunities. It is now a question of putting this policy into practice in short order so that none need wait more for the just enjoyment of the fruits of their labour.
Mr. Chairman, true, as was singled out for mention on that occasion, we have opened three splendid swimming pool complexes in the last ten months; but, they have been a long time abuilding. What plans are there to speed up the construction of the others which have been planned so that all districts may have them early in this decade? Last month alone nearly 4 million people used our public pools; in time to come, the easy availability of such district pools might even take the pressure off our once-famed beaches, now sadly polluted.
What about indoor amenities for year-round use for wide-ranging neighbourhood activities? There is not yet a single structure for the purpose. Council proposed a multi-purpose community hall several years ago. A colonywide programme was drawn up but held back on the pretext that we must await the completion of the first one at Kai Tak East, now long delayed. Surely, Mr. Chairman, there is hardly any facility the Government has provided for the people which has not been put to even excessive use.
There are other projects in the pipeline. They ought to be expedited if they are meant for the enjoyment of the present generation of young people.
Council has laid down development plans, amenity zone by zone. But our Government proceeds piecemeal and even builds resettlement estates without providing recreational facilities at the same time. In our circumstances, there must be a bold, total commitment for open space development in the modern idiom.
Council has pointed out to the Government the need to refine our construction programme to cope with the increasing sophistication of the nature of public demand for leisure-time opportunities. Indeed, the people expect more of the Government all the time. The response we have met so far cannot be called encouraging.
We pressed ahead with a year-round public entertainment programme the like of which Hong Kong has never had. Yet we are also not given the support we need in terms of staff and money.
For sure, the U.S.D. is short of staff. Moreover, there is hardly any with the specialist qualifications we require for the proper development of youth recreation programmes of incontestable social benefit.
This is the broad picture. Here, we have the plans and the goodwill to serve the people's needs; elsewhere lies the power. But where is the will to act? I ask no more of the Government than a simple declaration. What is the Government actually going to do in practical terms to support the Council to develop a full-scale cultural and recreational programme worthy of the community?
Mr. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN:-At the Standing Committee of the Whole Meeting held on 14th September last, it was decided to accept the Central Government's offer of the use of the Legislative Council Chamber for public meetings of the Urban Council.
The use of the Legislative Council Chamber should be temporary in nature until such time that the Central Government can provide suitable permanent premises for the Urban Council, preferably in one building housing both the Council and the Urban Services Department.
Steps are now in hand to enable the Urban Council to have its public meetings in Legislative Council Chamber, to commence most probably in January 1972.
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Page 137 of 242
254
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN.
CHAIRMAN: --Ladies and gentlemen, the meeting is called to order. Before proceeding with the Agenda, I would like to welcome Mr. LIGHTBODY Who is occupying the chair as Commissioner for Resettlement at his first open Council meeting this afternoon. I hope that he will have a long and useful association with us.
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting held on 7th September, 1971, were confirmed.
PAPER.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:-
(1) Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban
Services Department for the month of September 1971.
MR. A de O. SALES:-Sir, I would like to say as Chairman of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee how encouraging it is to read in the press the farewell statement made on 1st October by His Excellency the Governor where it forecasts the increasing concern which the Government is expected to show for the improvement of the quality of life of the people of Hong Kong. All men of goodwill must surely applaud this intimation of what future policy is likely to be. It will certainly find wide and strong support if, for nothing else, the common man has worked hard to help make Hong Kong what it is, so he is deserving of a better life, presumably through better housing, schooling, medical, social, cultural, recreational and other services and opportuni- ties. It is now a question of putting this policy into practice in short order so that none need wait more for the just enjoyment of the fruits of their labour.
Mr. Chairman, true, as was singled out for mention on that occasion, we have opened three splendid swimming pool complexes in the last ten months; but, they have been a long time abuilding. What plans are there to speed up the construction of the others which have been planned so that all districts may have them early in this decade? Last month alone nearly 4 million people used our public pools; in time to come, the easy availability of such district pools might even take the pressure off our once-famed beaches, now sadly polluted.
What about indoor amenities for year-round use for wide-ranging neighbourhood activities? There is not yet a single structure for the purpose. Council proposed a multi-purpose community hall several
ļ
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
255
A colonywide programme was drawn up but held back on years ago. the pretext that we must await the completion of the first one at Kai Tak East, now long delayed. Surely, Mr. Chairman, there is hardly any facility the Government has provided for the people which has not been put to even excessive use.
There are other projects in the pipeline. They ought to be ex- pedited if they are meant for the enjoyment of the present generation of young people.
Council has laid down development plans, amenity zone by zone. But our Government proceeds piecemeal and even builds resettlement estates without providing recreational facilities at the same time. In our circumstances, there must be a bold, total commitment for open space development in the modern idiom.
Council has pointed out to the Government the need to refine our construction programme to cope with the increasing sophistication of the nature of public demand for leisure-time opportunities. Indeed, the people expect more of the Government all the time. The response we have met so far cannot be called encouraging.
We pressed ahead with a year-round public entertainment pro- gramme the like of which Hong Kong has never had. Yet we are also not given the support we need in terms of staff and money.
For sure, the U.S.D. is short of staff. Moreover, there is hardly any with the specialist qualifications we require for the proper develop- ment of youth recreation programmes of incontestable social benefit.
This is the broad picture. Here, we have the plans and the goodwill to serve the people's needs; elsewhere lies the power. But where is the will to act? I ask no more of the Government than a simple declaration. What is the Government actually going to do in practical terms to support the Council to develop a full-scale cultural and recreational programme worthy of the community?
Mr. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN:-At the Standing Committee of the Whole Meeting held on 14th September last, it was decided to accept the Central Government's offer of the use of the Legislative Council Chamber for public meetings of the Urban Council.
The use of the Legislative Council Chamber should be temporary in nature until such time that the Central Government can provide suitable permanent premises for the Urban Council, preferably in one building housing both the Council and the Urban Services Department.
Steps are now in hand to enable the Urban Council to have its public meetings in Legislative Council Chamber, to commence most probably in January 1972.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.