HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
greatly increased cost. It is in the nature of a prototype. Based on experience gained from this games hall, future ones will be built with modifications where necessary. These games halls are intended for active recreation and a number of games such as table tennis, volley ball, basket ball and badminton may be played. They are not meant for important competitions and so spectator accommodation is somewhat limited. Another three similar games halls are expected to be started this year.
Football is probably our most popular sport. This means that the limited number of football pitches gets very intensive use.
What type of playing surface should we provide? This poses a problem. Ideally, football should be played on turf. However, our football season coincides roughly with our dry season. This means that our grass pitches simply cannot stand up to the amount of use that is demanded. Even at a stadium, which is used only for important matches, the grass will not last the season. Personally, I am convinced that artificial turf is the answer. There are fears that artificial turf may be abrasive. This may be true of the older type, but I have seen samples of the latest type which look like a soft carpet. Artificial turf will be expensive and I do not think we can ever afford to surface all our existing grass pitches with this material. The cost for one full size football pitch is over a million dollars, but the cost of this will be set off against the cost of turfing and continually patching up which will be required if we use grass. As an experiment, it is intended to lay one full size football pitch of artificial turf in King's Park. Depending on the success of this experiment, we will formulate our policy regarding artificial turf.
I now turn to another matter which is not within our purview but which may affect our swimming beaches and is, therefore, of direct concern to us. I refer to the proposed oil refinery on Lamma Island. Questions have been asked in this Council and concern has been expressed as to the danger of pollution posed by this refinery. I concede that important economic benefit will result from a refinery but the possibility of damage and pollution is too great for us to ignore. Hong Kong is too small a territory to be able to afford a refinery. If a serious spillage occurs the whole of our coast line and beaches may be affected.
I am not convinced when I am told that all precautions will be taken and that with proper care, no spillage will occur. If motorists drive carefully at all times and pedestrians also follow road safety rules, then no accident need ever occur. However, we know that this ideal situation will never in fact obtain. We know that in practice traffic accidents will occur every day. Similarly, I believe that the waters round Lamma Island will be polluted if the refinery is built. The recent oil spillage from a tank on Ap Lei Chau about which there has been a commission of enquiry goes to show this. It is not suggested that anyone was at fault or that inferior materials were used in the construction of the tank. Yet the spillage occurred.
Page 168 of 212
Despite all that has been said against it, I have a suspicion that the refinery will be built in the end. If this is the case, at least let all precautions be taken against spillage and let all equipment and emulsifiers be got ready in good time to combat the pollution that will undoubtedly occur.
I now come to another form of pollution, namely sewage. During the recent Urban Council visit to Britain, I was taken to see a sewage treatment works. When the visit was first suggested, my three colleagues as well as myself were very enthusiastic. However, when the day came, all my three colleagues found that they had important and pressing engagements elsewhere which made it necessary for them to forego the visit. Let me hasten to add that I, for one, believe they did have other engagements. For instance, Dr. HUANG who originally suggested that visit, had to meet some members of Parliament.
I was particularly interested to see whether the method used was feasible for Hong Kong. I was afraid that a large area would be required and that the land for miles around would hardly be a desirable residential area to say the least. However, I found that the area required was in fact quite small. The whole site was, I am told about 150 acres, of which a part only is now being used, the rest being kept as a reserve. The works serve a population of approximately 1.6 million, so we can see that the area required is not unduly large.
The method of treatment basically is to split the liquid from the sludge, by passing the sewage through various concrete channels and tanks. I was told before the visit that the water that comes through at the other end was good enough to drink. However, the resident engineer who kindly took me around only claimed that it was good enough to swim in. I did not put it to the test either way.
Before the visit, I was a little apprehensive about the smell that might be encountered. However, I was most gratified to find that there was hardly any smell at all. This was despite the fact that I walked right through the treatment works and in some instances was nearly within splashing distance of the liquid.
}
264
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
greatly increased cost. It is in the nature of a prototype. Based on experience gained from this games hall, future ones will be built with modifications where necessary. These games halls are intended for active recreation and a number of games such as table tennis, volley ball, basket ball and badminton may be played. They are not meant for important competitions and so spectator accommodation is some- what limited. Another three similar games halls are expected to be started this year.
Football is probably our most popular sport. This means that the limited number of football pitches gets very intensive use.
What type of playing surface should we provide? This poses a problem. Ideally, football should be played on turf. However, our football season coincides roughly with our dry season. This means that our grass pitches simply cannot stand up to the amount of use that is demanded. Even at a stadium, which is used only for important matches, the grass will not last the season. Personally, I am convinced that artificial turf is the answer. There are fears that artificial turf may be abrasive. This may be true of the older type, but I have seen samples of the latest type which look like a soft carpet. Artificial turf will be expensive and I do not think we can ever afford to surface all our existing grass pitches with this material. The cost for one full size football pitch is over a million dollars, but the cost of this will be set off against the cost of turfing and continually patching up which will be required if we use grass. As an experiment, it is intended to lay one full size football pitch of artificial turf in King's Park. Depending on the success of this experiment, we will formulate our policy regarding artificial turf.
I now turn to another matter which is not within our purview but which may affect our swimming beaches and is, therefore, of direct concern to us. I refer to the proposed oil refinery on Lamma Island. Questions have been asked in this Council and concern has been expressed as to the danger of pollution posed by this refinery. I con- cede that important economic benefit will result from a refinery but the possibility of damage and pollution is too great for us to ignore. Hong Kong is too small a territory to be able to afford a refinery. If a serious spillage occurs the whole of our coast line and beaches may be affected.
I am not convinced when I am told that all precautions will be taken and that with proper care, no spillage will occur. If motorists drive carefully at all times and pedestrains also follow road safety rules, then no accident need ever occur. However, we know that this ideal situation will never in fact obtain. We know that in practice traffic
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 168 of 212
265
accidents will occur every day. Similarly I believe that the waters round Lamma Island will be polluted if the refinery is built. The recent oil spillage from a tank on Ap Lei Chau about which there has been a commission of enquiry goes to show this. It is not suggested that any one was at fault or that inferior materials were used in the construction of the tank. Yet the spillage occurred.
Despite all that has been said against it, I have a suspicion that the refinery will be built in the end. If this is the case, at least let all precautions be taken against spillage and let all equipment and emulsifiers be got ready in good time to combat the pollution that will undoubtedly occur.
I now come to another form of pollution, namely sewage. During the recent Urban Council visit to Britain, I was taken to see a sewage treatment works. When the visit was first suggested, my three collea- gues as well as myself were very enthusiastic. However, when the day came, all my three colleagues found that they had important and pressing engagements elsewhere which made it necessary for them to forego the visit. Let me hasten to add that I, for one, believe they did have other engagements. For instance, Dr. HUANG who originally suggested that visit, had to meet some members of Parliament.
I was particularly interested to see whether the method used was feasible for Hong Kong. I was afraid that a large area would be required and that the land for miles around would hardly be a desirable residential area to say the least. However, I found that the area required was in fact quite small. The whole site was, I am told about 150 acres, of which a part only is now being used, the rest being kept as a reserve. The works serve a population of approximately 1.6 million, so we can see that the area required is not unduly large.
The method of treatment basically is to split the liquid from the sludge, by passing the sewage through various concrete channels and tanks. I was told before the visit that the water that comes through at the other end was good enough to drink. However, the resident engineer who kindly took me around only claimed that it was good enough to swim in. I did not put it to the test either way.
Before the visit, I was a little apprehensive about the smell that might be encountered. However, I was most gratified to find that there was hardly any smell at all. This was despite the fact that I walked right through the treatment works and in some instances was nearly within splashing distance of the liquid.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.