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rooms still unresolved. Now the question. Can anything be done to hurry things up both in this Council and in the Government generally?
CHAIRMAN:-We do our best to keep things moving smoothly as you know, but in the case of the buildings and study rooms which fall to the Education Department to organize, we can't do more than press them.
MRS. SYMONS:-Mr. Chairman, may I know when this press release and circular letter were issued? I remember discussing it in Library Select Committee, but I don't remember seeing them, certainly not in recent weeks. Does anybody know?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN :- I think I saw it last week, Mr. Chairman. Reference has been made by Mr. Lo to the Education Department's proposal to set up study rooms in selected Government schools. Does he know whether this refers to study rooms which would open at night?
MR. T. C. Lo:-I think there is a proposal to use Government schools in the evening.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Could a progress report from the Education Department on this particular point be obtained and circulated to members of the Select Committee?
CHAIRMAN:-I will ask the Director of Education to let us know what is happening and will pass the information on.
(11) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question:
May we be informed of the progress made in the development plans for the Cricket Club site? Has due consideration been given to widening or realignment of perimeter road-ways; to the provision of adequate pavements, and to pedestrian access to and from the hotel, office and multi-storey car-park constructions to the northeast and east of the site?
When will the site be vacated for redevelopment and when is it expected that the new facilities will be opened for public use?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
The Recreation and Amenities Select Committee has already agreed that the Cricket Club site should be developed along lines similar to that of Statue Square, except that
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the development should generally include more raised grassed areas. Five preliminary alternative sketches showing various possible designs for the layout of this area have been produced and will be submitted to the Select Committee shortly; other sketches have also been considered previously. Plans for converting the Club pavilion into a restaurant with facilities for public lecture and meeting rooms are also under preparation and will be considered within the concept of the whole development of this project. I am pleased to announce that this project was included in the Public Works Programme as a Category B item only last week and detailed planning can now commence just as soon as the Select Committee has reached a final decision on the layout.
The Urban Services Department, in consultation with the Traffic Engineering Division, Public Works Department, will ensure that consideration will be given to providing an adequate number of pedestrian subways or footbridges to give easy access to the site from all directions.
I am told that the present position on the timing of this project is that the Cricket Club will be offered its new site at Wong Nai Chung Gap within the next few months and, subject to the Club's acceptance, will be given three years to develop it and to move out of its present ground at Chater Road. It is consequently difficult at this stage to forecast precisely when all the new facilities will be opened for public use. The Recreation and Amenities Select Committee will nevertheless ensure that the project will be given the necessary priority so that the Public Works Department may start work immediately the Urban Council takes possession of the site.
MR. MACKENZIE:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask the first supplementary regarding the public pavilion. May I take it that, in fact, the actual use or the retention of the pavilion is a matter for decision still to be made?
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, this matter was considered by the Select Committee at various meetings and will no doubt still be considered, as I mentioned in paragraph I, when the plans and other matters under preparation at this time are presented to the Select Committee for further discussion.
MR. MACKENZIE:—Mr. Chairman, second supplementary. I am sure that Council will share my disappointment at the question of the timing of this project. Is there any reason why, apart from subsidence
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rooms still unresolved. Now the question. Can anything be done to hurry things up both in this Council and in the Government generally?
CHAIRMAN:-We do our best to keep things moving smoothly as you know, but in the case of the buildings and study rooms which fall to the Education Department to organize, we can't do more than press
them.
MRS. SYMONS:-Mr. Chairman, may I know when this press release and circular letter were issued? I remember discussing it in Library Select Committee, but I don't remember seeing them, certainly not in recent weeks. Does anybody know?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN :- I think I saw it last week, Mr. Chairman. Reference has been made by Mr. Lo to the Education Department's proposal to set up study rooms in selected Government schools. Does he know whether this refers to study rooms which would open at night?
MR. T. C. Lo:-I think there is a proposal to use Government schools in the evening.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Could a progress report from the Education Department on this particular point be obtained and circulated to members of the Select Committee?
CHAIRMAN:-I will ask the Director of Education to let us know what is happening and will pass the information on.
(11) MR. JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question:
May we be informed of the progress made in the development plans for the Cricket Club site? Has due consideration been given to widening or realignment of perimeter road- ways; to the provision of adequate pavements, and to pedestrian access to and from the hotel, office and multi- storey car-park constructions to the northeast and east of the site?
When will the site be vacated for redevelopment and when is it expected that the new facilities will be opened for public use?
MR. A. de O. SALES, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows:-
The Recreation and Amenities Select Committee has already agreed that the Cricket Club site should be developed along lines similar to that of Statue Square, except that
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
101
the development should generally include more raised grassed areas. Five preliminary alternative sketches showing various possible designs for the layout of this area have been produced and will be submitted to the Select Committee shortly; other sketches have also been considered previously. Plans for converting the Club pavilion into a restaurant with facilities for public lecture and meeting rooms are also under preparation and will be considered within the concept of the whole development of this project. I am pleased to announce that this project was included in the Public Works Programme as a Category B item only last week and detailed planning can now commence just as soon as the Select Committee has reached a final decision on the layout.
The Urban Services Department, in consultation with the Traffic Engineering Division, Public Works Department, will ensure that consideration will be given to providing an adequate number of pedestrian subways or footbridges to give easy access to the site from all directions.
I am told that the present position on the timing of this project is that the Cricket Club will be offered its new site at Wong Nai Chung Gap within the next few months and, subject to the Club's acceptance, will be given three years to develop it and to move out of its present ground at Chater Road. It is consequently difficult at this stage to forecast precisely when all the new facilities will be opened for public use. The Recreation and Amenities Select Committee will nevertheless ensure that the project will be given the necessary priority so that the Public Works Department may start work immediately the Urban Council takes possession of the site.
MR. MACKENZIE:-Mr. Chairman, may I ask the first supplemen- tary regarding the public pavilion. May I take it that, in fact, the actual use or the retention of the pavilion is a matter for decision still to be made?
MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, this matter was considered by the Select Committee at various meetings and will no doubt still be con- sidered, as I mentioned in paragraph I, when the plans and other matters under preparation at this time are presented to the Select Committee for further discussion.
MR. MACKENZIE:—Mr. Chairman, second supplementary. I am sure that Council will share my disappointment at the question of the timing of this project. Is there any reason why, apart from subsidence
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