1978 — Page 25

Page 25 of 135

||

16

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

thinking particularly of the one along Canal Road, can it possibly be

developed for active recreational games like table tennis?

MR FUNG (in English):—Mr Chairman, of course, if the space is large enough and the pedestrian access is not in conflict with vehicular traffic, I am sure we would like to develop them as active recreational areas as well, but as Mr Lo is Chairman of Recreation and Amenities Select Committee knows

table tennis players are rather fussy about playing conditions and I do not

think spaces under flyovers would be suitable for table tennis as such.

4 MR JOHN MACKENZIE asked the following question (in English):-Does the Council have any plan for the expansion of the beach services and swim. ming facilities this summer, and are there any proposed measures for im provement in crowd control at the more popular beaches?

MR KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-In reply to Mr MACKENZIE'S question, I am pleased to report that there will be several improvements in beach services provided by the Council this summer. Firstly, more

lifeguards will be deployed to ensure better coverage. For the greater part of the swim. ming season, lifeguards will be on duty from 8am to 7pm, and during the height of summer, that is to say, from June to September, they will be on duty from 7.30am to 7.30pm. The Council feels that these extended hours are necessary in the interest of public safety and in view of the increasing use which is made of beaches all through the day.

As an experiment, the Council has decided to provide lifeguards at To Tei Wan beach in Tytam Bay at weekends and on public holidays this summer. This decision was taken because an increasing number of people are using this hitherto very quiet beach, most of them coming to it on pleasure craft. Other improvements include the acquisition of an additional powered rescue boat which will serve both Stanley Main Beach and To Tei Wan, and the provision of four new glass-reinforced plastic bathing rafts which have been positioned at various beaches on the Island, bringing the total to 20 rafts.

The Council will continue to operate 9 swimming pool complexes this summer, including the new ones at Aberdeen and Tai Wan Shan, Hung Hom both of which are expected to attract swimmers in large numbers because of their wide range of facilities and ideal location.

The second part of this question refers to crowd control at the more popular beaches. There are two aspects here: pedestrian and traffic circulation outside the beaches, and overcrowding on the beaches themselves. As regards the first of these, I am informed that both uniformed and plainclothes officers of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force patrol the beaches regularly, primarily in connection with anti-crime duties, but they do assist in crowd control wherever

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Page 25 of 135]

17

and whenever necessary. Traffic personnel are assigned to all the major beaches including Shek O, Repulse Bay and Deep Water Bay, particularly at weekends and on public holidays, to regulate traffic movements as may

be required from time to time.

As regards the second aspect, the control of crowds on beaches themselves, it this means some form of limitation on the number of people using them, has not been considered by the Council, and, in my view, it would be both impractical and undesirable.

MR MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr Chairman, at the peak traffic periods there is the frequent radio broadcast about road conditions. I wonder, in the interest of good management of the beaches and for the convenience of the bathing public, would it be possible to consider radio broadcasts on the conditions of beaches, particular closure of swimming pools, or heavy congestion on beaches during the holiday periods.

Mr Lo (in English):-So far this has not been done, but I think it could be a useful service to the public. I will certainly ask the department to consider the feasibility of this.

MR MACKENZIE (in English):— Can I ask the Chairman if the management of beaches includes coordination of traffic arrangements either by sea or land access to beaches. Is it a factor of present management?

MR Lo (in English):-Mr Chairman, not as far as the Urban Council is concerned.

MR MACKENZIE (in English):-May I assume it should be?

MR LO (in English):-Mr Chairman, I didn't catch Mr MACKENZIE's idea. MR MACKENZIE (in English):-Do you think it would be a good idea to have coordination in relation to overcrowding, particularly with the con- trolling of traffic, to ensure that crowds on beaches have an opportunity to get home, etc.?

MR LO (in English):-Well, up to now, there is no limit at all on the number of people going to beaches and no limited amount of traffic which heads towards the beaches. I am not quite sure how Mr MACKENZIE envisages this coordination.

MR MACKENZIE (in English):-Mr Chairman, does Mr Lo suggest that we reach complete saturation before we take any action?

MR LO (in English):-I think I have already indicated in my answer that I do not think any form of limitation is practical or desirable. I do not think there is any form of action we can take.

Page 25Page 26

Page 26 of 135