1972 — Page 112

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

(i) what effective measures have been taken or con- templated to improve the facilities and standard for the Stadium?

(ii) what are the annual expenses for the maintenance of the Stadium and what are the annual incomes?

(c) Can the Chairman advise the Council that by April 1973 when the Council will have financial autonomy will the Hong Kong Government hand over the Stadium to the Urban Council properly redecorated and fitted with proper equipment free of encumbrance?

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

Mr. Chairman, I am obliged to Mr. NG for giving me this opportunity, without any prompting on my part I might add, to clarify a situation on behalf of the Urban Services Department.

The first part of this question relates to the regulations and by-laws governing the use of the Hong Kong Stadium and, in particular, the effect they have on football.

(i) The booking and use of the Hong Kong Stadium are governed by the Terms and Conditions of Hire for the Hong Kong Stadium, approved by this Council on 19th March, 1971, under Section 6 of the Hong Kong Stadium Ordinance. This Ordinance became law on 10th July, 1970 while its subsidiary by-laws were made by the Council on 11th May, 1971 and approved by resolution in the Legislative Council on 26th May, 1971. The Terms and Conditions of Hire were published in the Government Gazette on 7th July, 1971.

(ii) Neither the By-laws nor the Terms and Conditions of Hire have been reviewed since they were approved, except that a clause was recently added to the latter to control the use of the car parks under the Stadium Management.

(iii) I cannot of course state categorically that the depart- ment's enforcement of the regulations and by-laws has been to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. While the Hong Kong Football Association is con- cerned about restrictions placed on the use of the Stadium, the Stadium Manager, on the other hand, informs me that the booking of matches for this foot- ball season with the Hong Kong Football Association

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and other users has been conducted in a friendly and co-operative atmosphere. Of course, much detailed discussion with prospective hirers after acceptance of application to use the Stadium is necessary in order to plan properly the arrangements for the actual use of the Stadium.

(iv) In the department's view, the restrictions recently imposed do not constitute a hindrance to the develop- ment of football and, by spreading the load of matches to other stadia, the playing pitch at the Government Stadium can be kept in reasonable condition for important occasions. The proper development of football will be assisted by measures which the depart- ment has in hand to have Boundary Street Stadium available for fee-paying matches by the beginning of next year, but the biggest contribution will be in the covered Football Stadium at Ho Man Tin which is in Category B of the Public Works programme.

The second part of this question concerns the standard of

maintenance of the Hong Kong Stadium.

The Stadium, which reopened on 1st October, has been closed for the past four months to permit major renovation. Apart from a comprehensive programme of general main- tenance, special attention has been paid to re-turfing the whole of the grassed area, its previous poor state having been the source of much adverse comment, both in the press and in private. The new turf has made good progress and, in accepting bookings, the Stadium Manage- ment is imposing special conditions to prevent undue wear and tear. The position with regard to the running track is less satisfactory. It is still out of use although we hope to reopen it on 1st December after treating the existing surface, but in order to provide a satisfactory track it will be necessary to rebuild it. The department is taking action to upgrade an item in Category B of the Public Works Programme for this purpose. The work could be done next summer.

Besides the reprovisioning of the running track, there is an- other item at present in Category B of the Public Works Programme for the roofing of the eastern section of the spectator stands and interior structural alterations inside the pavilion building to provide a better layout and addi- tional changing room facilities. The department is seeking to upgrade this item in the Programme with a view to its