1978 — Page 42

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

Kong really wake up to its plight? Is there no vision of a better city? Nor

even the wish to create a new Hong Kong?

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 June 1978.

QUESTIONS

1 MR PETER CHAN CHI-KWAN asked the following question (in English):~ A female member of the public has complained to me publicly through certain public media about the 50¢ coin operated cubicles in the Female Toilet of the City Hall. Can the relevant select committee consider lifting this 50¢ charge for the use of the cubicle?

MR F. K. HU, CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):--Coin-operated cubicles in the City Hall were introduced after careful consideration by both the Cultural Affairs and General Administration Select Committees, and apply only during the day when there are no performances in the City Hall.

The object of the charge is to deter the use of the toilets as general public toilets and to prevent loiterers. The aim is to keep the toilets in good clean condition to cater for genuine users of the City Hall attending performances in the evening when all charges are suspended.

Whilst the Select Committees concerned will always keep matters such as these under consideration and give due weight to public complaints, the circumstances for this decision have not changed and the Select Committees are therefore unlikely to lift this charge.

MR CHAN (in English):-Mr Chairman, I think some years ago, I have to shift back to the male toilet, at least two of the cubicles were not coin- operated during the day while the others were in those days at about 10¢. Can the Select Committee consider at least to leave about one or two cubicles not coin-operated in the daytime so that people who have not got a 50¢ coin can still answer an emergency?

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Will Mr Hu accept that as a supplementary question?

MR HU (in English):-As a matter of fact, circumstances have not changed. Actually, arrangements have been made for coin-changing facilities either in the foyer's bar or in the booking boxes quite handily.

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MR CHAN (in English):-That is to say coin-changing is arranged. Suppose somebody who has not got any coin at all not even a $1 or $5 coin and he has an emergency to answer and there is no way of doing it. CHAIRMAN (in English):-That was a statement but I will still treat it as a supplementary question. (Laughter)

MR HU (in English):-This is mainly meant for people attending the City Hall concerts but for other people, there is one nearby the Star Ferry

Concourse.

MRS GRACE HO (in English):-Mr Chairman, may I pray indulgence to draw Mr CHAN's attention that there is a place for emergency and he is probably not aware of it, and that is the one mentioned in Mr Hu's reply.

2 MRS E. ELLIOTT asked the following question (in English):-

(a) Which buildings of the Cultural Complex have reached Category A of the building works programme? When were the plans upgraded to Category A? Did any special permission have to be obtained?

(b) Are any of the buildings in Category A to be built on the land at present

occupied by the railway station?

MR H. M. G. FORSGATE, CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-Before replying to Mrs ELLIOTT'S question I would like to table an explanatory note (Appendix I) on the three categories for major public works to assist members to under- stand the reply.

The Cultural Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui was included in Category C at the Public Works Sub-Committee 3rd Review in 1971 and upgraded to Category B at the 1st Review in 1974. The project comprises 2 auditoria, one large Chinese restaurant, one small Western restaurant, administrative offices and conference rooms, an arts library and a museum block. This item has been split into three phases. Phase I was included in Category A as Item 13U(G)—–— Cultural Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui Reclamation at the 1st Review in 1976. This phase entails construction of a sea wall and reclamation, including diversion of underground and cross-harbour services and site clearance for the auditoria building, and reprovisioning of the Post Office. Phase II which consists of the actual construction of the buildings is due to be upgraded to Category A in the Public Works Sub-Committee 1st Review 1978. Phase III which entails the construction of the Museums of Art and History is still in Category B, because the site is temporarily occupied by the MTR for its cross-harbour link.

At the 2nd Review of 1977, Item 14U(G)-Cultural Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui-Consultants' Fees, was included in Category A to enable the appoint-