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shelter that would include some covered play space, an office enclosed by a counter and storeroom for play equipment, and a toilet. This shelter would provide a base of operation through which a varied programme of activities could be organized or supervised.
This Playleadership Scheme could be a joint effort with the co-operation of the Urban Council, Voluntary Organizations, Social Welfare Department, and the Education Department. This co-operative effort would, in itself, be a significant contribution in experimentation with patterns of urban planning which some cities might find helpful.
I would like to see in the near future the Urban Council become primarily responsible for the provision and maintenance of the playground facilities for sports and other planned recreational programmes. The Education Department could assist by formulating physical education regulations including the requirement of trained instructors and proper equipment. Voluntary Social Welfare Organizations, especially Youth Organizations, would provide staff and social workers to work with the children and youth on the spot. The Social Welfare Department could assist in providing training for these playleaders, financial assistance to meet recurrent expenses, and general support for this scheme in the context of youth services.
The effectiveness of the programme would depend on the imagination and co-operation of these four major organizations, and would be a significant experiment in urban development in Hong Kong.
I want to turn your attention now to another concern of the Urban Council: cultural activities in Hong Kong. In the 1974 Budget of the Council, cultural activities are allotted considerably less than recreational activities. I trust this is not an indication of the lesser importance that the Council places on this area of development, but rather an acknowledgement that programmes have already been initiated in this field, and therefore, seem less demanding perhaps. But surely no less significant, for cultural arts and activities develop a unique dimension of the quality of life within a community and usually made their greatest contributions in history when they were available to and appreciated by not only the elite, but also by the common man, by every man no matter what his station in life. I would propose the expansion of cultural arts in Hong Kong through the following ways.
(1) To expand the provision of cultural facilities similar to, but much larger than those at the City Hall; by expanding the
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proposed cultural complex at Tsim Sha Tsui that would provide for this greater seating capacity, a larger stage, and more effective stage equipment, so that large companies of artists would be able to perform. In addition, I hope Government would plan further cultural complexes in Satellite towns such as Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, etc. in order to offer such cultural activities to a broader representation of the Hong Kong population.
(2) To promote and assist at least one professional orchestra, a Chinese instrument orchestra, a dance group and a drama group, some of which might eventually be sponsored by the Urban Council; and to offer the performing arts to the public in a more extensive way, especially for young people. The performances would not only be presented by local groups, but also by international artists, at low admission prices.
(3) To encourage and cultivate young or emerging artists in Hong Kong to develop their talents by providing professional training and opportunities to perform, and, in this way, to contribute to contemporary expressions of art in Hong Kong.
(4) To provide more occasions which promote the cultural interchange between East and West, contributing to an appreciation of the gifts of all men and establishing more effective means of communication and understanding in readiness to participate more fully in the new world community that is emerging.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to say that I am convinced that the growth and development of the youth of Hong Kong must be given the highest priority in our future work. Our aim must be to reach the largest possible number of youth in all areas of the city, and to help create programmes which will help them in seeking direction in their lives and enable them to relate more meaningfully to their world. This is not an easy task, but it is a great challenge within urban planning today. The Playleadership Scheme which I have mentioned is one way we can respond to this challenge in 1974.
Our challenge is not only related to the development of recreation programmes for youth, but also to the expansion of cultural activities which would contribute to the quality of life among the people of Hong Kong. Hong Kong has been criticized for being a desert of culture, but we know that this city is rich in cultural gifts. It is like a rare stone—unpolished. Our task is to encourage the rediscovery
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shelter that would include some covered play space, an office enclosed by a counter and storeroom for play equipment, and a toilet. This shelter would provide a base of operation through which a varied programme of activities could be organized or supervised.
This Playleadership Scheme could be a joint effort with the co- operation of the Urban Council, Voluntary Organizations, Social Welfare Department, and the Education Department. This co-opera- tive effort would, in itself, be a significant contribution in experimenta- tion with patterns of urban planning which some cities might find helpful.
I would like to see in the near future the Urban Council become primarily responsible for the provision and maintenance of the play- ground facilities for sports and other planned recreational programmes, The Education Department could assist by formulating physical educa- tion regulations including the requirement of trained instructors and proper equipment. Voluntary Social Welfare Organizations, especially Youth Organizations, would provide staff and social workers to work with the children and youth on the spot. The Social Welfare Depart- ment could assist in providing training for these playleaders, financial assistance to meet recurrent expenses, and general support for this scheme in the context of youth services.
The effectiveness of the programme would depend on the imagina- tion and co-operation of these four major organizations, and would be a significant experiment in urban development in Hong Kong.
I want to turn your attention now to another concern of the Urban Council: cultural activities in Hong Kong. In the 1974 Budget of the Council, cultural activities are allotted considerably less than recreational activities. I trust this is not an indication of the lesser importance that the Council places on this area of development, but rather an acknowledgement that programmes have already been initiated in this field, and therefore, seem less demanding perhaps. But surely no less significant, for cultural arts and activities develop a unique dimension of the quality of life within a community and usually made their greatest contributions in history when they were available to and appreciated by not only the elite, but also by the common man by every man no matter what his station in life. I would propose the expansion of cultural arts in Hong Kong through the following ways.
(1) To expand the provision of cultural facilities similar to, but much larger than those at the City Hall; by expanding the
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
309
proposed cultural complex at Tsim Sha Tsui that would provide for this greater seating capacity, a larger stage, and more effective stage equipment, so that large companies of artists would be able to perform. In addition, I hope Govern- ment would plan further cultural complexes in Satellite towns such as Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, etc. in order to offer such cultural activities to a broader representation of the Hong Kong population.
(2) To promote and assist at least one professional orchestra, a Chinese instrument orchestra, a dance group and a drama group, some of which might eventually be sponsored by the Urban Council; and to offer the performing arts to the public in a more extensive way, especially for young people. The performances would not only be presented by local groups, but also by international artists, at low admission prices.
(3) To encourage and cultivate young or emerging artists in Hong Kong to develop their talents by providing professional train- ing and opportunities to perform, and, in this way, to con- tribute to contemporary expressions of art in Hong Kong. (4) To provide more occasions which promote the cultural inter- change between East and West, contributing to an appreciation of the gifts of all men and establishing more effective means of communication and understanding in readiness to partici- pate more fully in the new world community that is emerging.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to say that I am convinced that the growth and development of the youth of Hong Kong must be given the highest priority in our future work. Our aim must be to reach the largest possible number of youth in all areas of the city, and to help create programmes which will help them in seeking direction in their lives and enable them to relate more meaningfully to their world. This is not an easy task, but it is a great challenge within urban plan- ning today. The Playleadership Scheme which I have mentioned is one way we can respond to this challenge in 1974.
Our challenge is not only related to the development of recreation programmes for youth, but also to the expansion of cultural activities which would contribute to the quality of life among the people of Hong Kong Hong Kong has been criticized for being a desert of culture, but we know that this city is rich in cultural gifts. It is like a rare stone-unpolished. Our task is to encourage the rediscovery
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