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recreation, and has retitled the Recreation Sub-Committee as the Recreation Activities Sub-Committee which continues its functions of organizing/promoting sports and recreation activities, and of periodically reviewing the booking procedures and utilization of recreation facilities. With more staff for the Recreation Promotion Unit and with the establishment of a sub-committee specifically concerned with recreation development, the Council is ready to meet the rapidly increasing need for a comprehensive and more varied sports and recreational programme in the coming year.
As more Hong Kong people participate in the healthy recreational activities, the demand on the usage of recreational facilities has become so large that the Government must provide more land to the Council in Urban area for this purpose. The Council had the farsightedness in deciding to have one indoor game hall per district years ago but it is still inadequate to meet with the requirements. One problem the Council always face is to decide the facilities to be provided in any allocated open space, should it be football pitch, basketball court, volleyball court or tennis court, etc. Although there is general shortage of facilities in all sports, we should aim at balanced provision of facilities in order to ensure a balanced development of all sports. Therefore, it is imperative to review the deficiencies or adequacies of all sports facilities with a view to making towards a target for each facility, similar to the standard set for swimming pools, to aim at providing one sport facility for a certain number of the population. Many countries of the world have their own standard which can serve as useful guidance for us, but because of variety of factors that range from political and economical to geographical, plans suitable for other countries would not necessarily be applicable to Hong Kong. A reliable information regarding the leisure needs of Hong Kong people should be collected through a population survey. Other interested government departments, including Census and Statistics Department, should be consulted and a working group should be formed to conduct this survey covering not only sport facilities but also park area, open air play area and water sports etc.
Since the public housing programme started in 1954 and the Housing Authority reconstituted in 1973, about 45% of the population are in public housing now where tenants live in well managed environment at payment of reasonably low rents within their means or subsidized rent in the case of group 'B' estates while many other who do not have the privilege of living in public housing have to endure payment of high rent in private sector or live in unbearable environment and wait patiently for years to get into public housing. Many of old housing estates are in very poor state and the Housing Authority has the responsibility towards these tenants in improving their living environment. More housing estates have to be built at quicker rate to meet the demands from those on the waiting list and redevelopment plan for old estates has to be implemented to improve the living environment of the existing tenants. All these projects require huge sums of fund, part of which has to be generated from the rent income of
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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the estates. If rent of housing estates, such as group 'B' estates, has to be subsidized, the available fund will be greatly reduced and the speed of constructing new estates and modernization of old estates would slow down to the detriment of people desperately in need of accommodation in public housing and tenants living in older estates. Most of the group 'B' housing estates tenants are conscious of their privileges enjoyed in the past and should be readily prepared to accept more reasonable rent without any element of subsidy. However, those tenants who could not afford adjusted rent or even the present subsidized low rent should be given financial assistance in rental payment. The present Social Welfare Department rent assistance schemes could be further reviewed and revised to cope with situations more effectively. The present system of hidden subsidy in low rent should be replaced by a well-planned rental system with a separate rent assistance scheme. Many units in the new housing estates are used to meet development clearances which occupies fairly large percentage in recent years. Part of the development clearance is for Mass Transit Railway clearance, percentage of which has increased considerably in current year. While the Authority has the obligation to take on this responsibility for the benefit of better Hong Kong in future, the stock of housing supply is limited and the Authority can only do so at the sacrifice of those on the waiting list, who may have been waiting for as long as seven years. In recognition of the Authority's effort in offering housing to meet MTR clearance, MTR Corporation should consider, in return, to offer part of air space at their disposal to the Authority for the purpose of building more housing estates to compensate for those offered to meet MTR clearance, or to offer some units in estates being developed by MTR Corporation to the Authority for suitable allocation. Commenting on the walk-out which happened the day before yesterday, I believe that all Members of this Council have a responsibility towards millions of people living in urban areas, including those few thousand voters who turn up at the polling stations to cast their votes every two years, in the improvement of the living environment and enjoyment of a happier life. The general public will judge the performance of Members through the actual work done by the Council, not by political speeches and futile demonstrations. The work done by the Council since 1973, including what I have mentioned earlier, is the best proof of the united effort of the Members concerned. If all Members pay more attention to their attendance coupled with practical and useful discussions in meetings after researching and fact-finding preparation, the image of the Council can be enhanced further because of its thorough deliberations and implementation. The Council will be in a better position to seek more power in other areas. The appointment system will enable experienced and knowledgeable community leaders with strong service records to be chosen to serve on the Council and their past records and their knowledge of community needs are a sure guarantee of their ability to understand the problem and to contribute constructive work before fair
Page 107 of 13.
Page 107 of 135
174
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
recreation, and has retitled the Recreation Sub-Committee as the Recreation Activities Sub-Committee which continues its functions of organizing/ promoting sports and recreation activities, and of periodically reviewing the booking procedures and utilization of recreation facilities. With more staff for the Recreation Promotion Unit and with the establishment of a sub-committee specifically concerned with recreation development, the Council is ready to meet the rapidly increasing need for a
comprehensive and more varied sports and recreational programme in the coming year.
As more Hong Kong people participate in the healthy recreational activi ties, the demand on the usage of recreational facilities has become so large that the Government must provide more land to the Council in Urban area for this purpose. The Council had the farsightedness in deciding to have one indoor game hall per district years ago but it is still inadequate to meet with the requirements. One problem the Council always face is to decide the facilities to be provided in any allocated open space, should it be football pitch, basketball court, volleyball court or tennis court, etc. Although there is general shortage of facilities in all sports, we should aim at balanced provision of facilities in order to ensure a balanced develop- ment of all sports. Therefore, it is imperative to review the deficiencies or adequacies of all sports facilities with a view to making towards a target for each facility, similar to the standard set for swimming pools, to aim at providing one sport facility for a certain number of the population. Many countries of the world have their own standard which can serve as useful guidance for us, but because of variety of factors that range from political and economical to geographical, plans suitable for other countries would not necessarily be applicable to Hong Kong. A reliable information regarding the leisure needs of Hong Kong people should be collected through a popula- tion survey. Other interested government departments, including Census and Statistics Department, should be consulted and a working group should be formed to conduct this survey covering not only sport facilities but also park area, open air play area and water sports etc.
Since the public housing programme started in 1954 and the Housing Authority reconstituted in 1973, about 45% of the population are in public housing now where tenants live in well managed environment at payment of reasonably low rents within their means or subsidized rent in the case of group 'B' estates while many other who do not have the privilege of living in public housing have to endure payment of high rent in private sector or live in unbearable environment and wait patiently for years to get into public housing. Many of old housing estates are in very poor state and the Housing Authority has the responsibility towards these tenants in improving their living environment. More housing estates have to be built at quicker rate to meet the demands from those on the waiting list and redevelopment plan for old estates has to be implemented to improve the living environment of the existing tenants. All these projects require huge sums of fund, part of which has to be generated from the rent income of
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 107 of 135
175
the estates. If rent of housing estates, such as group 'B' estates, has to be subsidized, the available fund will be greatly reduced and the speed of
new estates and modernization of old estates would slow down
constructing to the detriment of people desperately in need of accommodation in public housing and tenants living in older estates. Most of the group 'B' housing estates tenants are conscious of their privileges enjoyed in the past and should be readily prepared to accept more reasonable rent without any element of subsidy. However, those tenants who could not afford adjusted rent or even the present subsidized low rent should be given financial assist- ance in rental payment. The present Social Welfare Department rent assistance schemes could be further reviewed and revised to cope with situations more effectively. The present system of hidden subsidy in low rent should be re- placed by a well-planned rental system with a separate rent assistance scheme. Many units in the new housing estates are used to meet development clearances which occupies fairly large percentage in recent years. Part of the development clearance is for Mass Transit Railway clearance, percentage of which has increased considerably in current year. While the Authority has the obligation to take on this responsibility for the benefit of better Hong Kong in future, the stock of housing supply is limited and the Authority can only do so at the sacrifice of those on the waiting list, who may have been waiting for as long as seven years. In recognition of the Authority's effort in offering housing to meet MTR clearance, MTR Corporation should consider, in return, to offer part of air space at their disposal to the Authority for the purpose of building more housing estates to compensate for those offered to meet MTR clearance, or to offer some units in estates being developed by MTR Corporation to the Authority for suitable allocation. Commenting on the walk-out which happened the day before yesterday, I believe that all Members of this Council have a responsibility towards millions of people living in urban areas, including those few thousand voters who turn up at the polling stations to cast their votes every two years, in the improvement of the living environment and enjoyment of a happier life. The general public will judge the performance of Members through the actual work done by the Council, not by political speeches and futile demon- strations. The work done by the Council since 1973, including what I have mentioned earlier, is the best proof of the united effort of the Members concerned. If all Members pay more attention to their attendance coupled with practical and useful discussions in meetings after researching and fact- finding preparation, the image of the Council can be enhanced further because of its thorough deliberations and implementation. The Council will be in a better position to seek more power in other areas. The appointment system will enable experienced and knowledgeable community leaders with strong service records to be chosen to serve on the Council and their past records and their knowledge of community needs are a sure guarantee of their ability to understand the problem and to contribute constructive work before fair
Page 107 of 13.
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