1971 — Page 46

Page 46 of 242

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. SALES: -You cannot accept that?

CHAIRMAN:-I know that they were trying to help.

MR. SALES: In their own way?

CHAIRMAN: As best they could.

MR. SALES:—And the Secretariat's notorious way of helping is to put back the clock. Mr. Chairman, do you realize that this project was proposed 20 years ago?

CHAIRMAN:-No, Mr. SALES.

MR. SALES: Well, then may I tell you that it is so, and have it recorded for the umpteenth time in the proceedings of this Council that it was about 20 years ago that I first proposed this project in writing to the Colonial Secretary.

(10)

MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question:-

(a) How many new swimming pools will be completed this

year? How many others are under planning?

(b) Can consideration be given to speeding up the construc- tion of urban swimming complexes to meet the recrea- tional, sports and training needs of the community?

(c) What decisions have been reached regarding the provision of heated pools for all-year-round recreational and training use?

MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION & AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-

Sir, may I revert to the role of answering questions, which would please you more. I am grateful to Mr. MACKENZIE for his question, as it gives me the opportunity to inform the public once again of what this Council is doing in the way of providing swimming facilities for them. At the same time I would like to congratulate Mr. MACKENZIE on the quick start he has made in this Council.

There are already three swimming pool complexes at Victoria Park, Kowloon Tsai and Morse Park. Two large com- plexes, each with one main pool, one secondary pool, one diving pool, three teaching pools, children's play area and a paddling pool, will be completed this year in time for

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the latter part of the swimming season if all goes well. One of these complexes will be at Kwun Tong and the other at Lei Cheng Uk.

In addition, four swimming pool complexes are in the pipeline,

these being:

Kennedy Town:

Morrison Hill:

Hung Hom:

Chai Wan:

where site formation has just been completed;

which is in Category B of the Public Works Programme and is at the working drawing stage;

which is also in Category B; and which is in Category C.

The pool at Morrison Hill, which is being paid for and is being built by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, will be heated. A paper has recently been issued on the subject of heating the pool at Hung Hom for discussion at the next meeting of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee. As I said at the October meeting of this Council, the Select Committee has long suggested the provision of heated pools and have examined the pos- sibilities of doing so, but we are advised that it would not be possible to heat existing Urban Council swimming pools without considerable redesign and expense, so we are proposing to heat the next group of pools.

The Recreation and Amenities Select Committee will continue to press vigorously for the Government to build a number of swimming pool complexes spread over the urban areas as well as the New Territories. In fact, the Select Committee has already drawn up a programme for future pools at Kowloon Park Stage III, Hammer Hill Road, Kowloon Bay, Aberdeen, Lei Yue Mun, and possibly Lai Chi Kok, among other places to be considered in a subsequent phase.

MR. MACKENZIE:--Mr. Chairman, I am concerned at the in- ordinate delay, I believe that is the expression currently being used this afternoon, between the planning, construction and completion stages of swimming pools. From the record, I believe that the Kwun Tong and Lei Cheng Uk are reported as being under construction since 1967. The Morrison Hill, which I notice is on the working drawings stage is reported in the Government Annual Report as being in the planning stage in 1969. I presume that the initial bugs found in constructing the first pool complexes have now been ironed out, but I would like