1975 — Page 18

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 18 of 154

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PAPER

The following paper was laid on the table:

Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of March, 1975.

(Mr. PETER C. K. CHAN arrived at this point.)

QUESTIONS

(1) MR. R. H. LOBO, on behalf of Mr. John MACKENZIE, asked the following question (in English):-

In view of the substantial reduction in the strength of the military garrison, with consequent release of various areas currently utilised for military purposes:

(a) has the Council been consulted regarding the recrea- tional usage of areas to be vacated in Sham Shui Po, Chatham Road and Argyle Street?

(b) will the Council press for decisions in the current negotiations with the U.K. Government for the early release of all or part of Victoria Barracks, and the whole of Stone Cutter's Island, for recreational and other public use?

THE RECREATION & MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF AMENITIES SELECT CommitteE, replied as follows (in English): -

Mr. Chairman, with reference to part (a) of Mr. MACKENZIE'S question, the situation with regard to the military land at Sham Shui Po, Chatham Road and Argyle Street remains broadly as stated in my reply to his question about these areas at the Urban Council meeting on 12th March, 1974. Briefly, the 46 acres of military land at Sham Shui Po are zoned in the approved town plan for Cheung Sha Wan for use as a Military Camp and for Government, Institu- tion and Community purposes. This zoning will permit the provision of open space and other Urban Council facilities, but no date has been set for the surrender of the land, and detailed planning for its future use has not yet begun.

Most of the Chatham Road Camp is designated as public open space in the layout plan for the area known as East Tsim Sha Tsui and an item has recently been included in Category B of the Public Works Programme to enable planning of the open space to proceed with a view to implementation when the Camp is vacated towards the end of 1976.

Several bids were made in past years for the Argyle Street Camp for use as public open space but they were un- successful. It is understood that the site is required for the extension of the adjoining Kowloon Hospital and the remainder is scheduled for educational and other Govern- ment use.

I should now like to answer part (b) of Mr. MACKENZIE'S question. Following the recent announcement of the 15 per cent cut-back in the garrison in Hong Kong, enquiries were made on the Council's behalf as to whether there was any prospect of the surrender of additional military land for recreational use, with specific reference to Victoria Barracks and Stonecutter's Island. However, no hope was offered that these areas would be surrendered by the military authorities in the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, I am very much aware of the high recreational value of the areas in question and I shall certainly request the Urban Services Department to make a strong bid for their release at the earliest possible date.

(2) MR. R. H. LOBO, on behalf of Mr. John MACKENZIE, asked the following question (in English):-

The Council has been informed previously that the H.K. Cricket Club will be vacated this year but that most of the grounds will be needed by the Mass Transit Authority. Have final decisions been reached on this question and what

will be the future usage of the Club pavilion?

MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION & AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English): —

Mr. Chairman, the whole of the Cricket Ground at Chater Road is to be used as a Mass Transit works area for a period of three years, but it will not be required for this