1978 — Page 43

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

ment of theatrical and acoustic consultants for assistance with the design

of the auditoria.

A separate item in the Cultural Centre is Item 89 UC(G)-Planetarium at Tsim Sha Tsui which was upgraded to Category A in February 1976. This was later re-titled to its present name, the Hong Kong Space Museum, and

is now under construction,

The various stages of this project have so far followed the normal Public Works Programme procedure and no special permission needs to be sought.

In reply to part (b) of Mrs ELLIOTT's question, of the buildings being upgraded to Category A, the two auditoria are to be built on land presently occupied by the ex-Kowloon-Canton Railway Station. The Clock Tower how. ever lies just outside the site of the auditoria.

MRS ELLIOTT (in English):-Mr Chairman, for the sake of the hansard record, may I ask Mr Forsgate if he made a mistake when he read an art gallery', 7 lines from the bottom, I hope we have not changed that into a gallery instead of 'an art library'.

MR FORSGATE (in English):-I beg your pardon. ‘Art library', I correct it.

MRS ELLIOTT (in English):—Just for the record. I do have another question. I understand, Mr Chairman, from the answer given by the Chairman of the Planning and Development Select Committee, of those buildings in Phase II only two auditoria have already been upgraded to Category A. Is that correct?

MR FORSGATE (in English):-That is correct, Mr Chairman.

MRS ELLIOTT (in English):-And these are, as it happens, the only two buildings which are going to stand on the site of the railway station, right?

MR FORSGATE (in English):-Well, it all depends on what is to be by the railway station, if we meant actual building, the Red Brick Building, the two auditoria will run right on the top of the railway station and platforms extend a great deal to the east, likewise on the part of the railway station.

MRS ELLIOTT (in English):-In other words, the two auditoria which are in Category A, are the two buildings which will stand on the part which is being demolished?

MR FORSGATE (in English):-Correct.

CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mrs ELLIOTT, any other supplementaries? Any other Members?

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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Is there any possibility of increasing the number of gazetted beaches for public 3 MR KIM Y. S. CHAM asked the following question (in Cantonese):- use in view of the very congested traffic conditions going to beaches on weekends and the ordeal of queuing and travelling in public transport in this

very hot weather?

MR KENNETH T. C. Lo, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION AND AMENITIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):--There are altogether 39 gazetted beaches of which 12 on Hong Kong Island are under the manage- ment of the Urban Council and 27 are in the New Territories. With one exception, all the available and accessible beaches on Hong Kong Island have already been gazetted and developed for public use. The exception is To Tei Wan in Tai Tam Bay where the Council has introduced an experi- mental lifeguard service at weekends and on public holidays although the beach has not been formally gazetted. This arrangement has been introduced because an increasing number of people are using this hitherto quiet beach. Since access by land is difficult, most of those who visit the beach do so on pleasure craft. The need for the lifeguard service will be reviewed at the close of the swimming season in order to determine whether it should be put on a permanent basis.

Although there seems to be little possibility of opening up more beaches on Hong Kong Island, I am informed by the Director of Urban Services that there are plans for the gazetting of about 10 more beaches in the New Territories during the next 3 or 4 years. About half of these beaches are accessible by sea rather than by land and this may help to ease traffic conditions on congested roads.

MR CHAM (in Cantonese):-On racing days, there will be special arrange- ments by the Transport Department. I wonder if we can ask the Transport Department to arrange special traffic arrangements for the people going to beaches at weekends?

MR LO (in English):-Mr Chairman, I think the whole Council would cer- tainly welcome any special arrangements by the Transport Department to improve traffic to the beaches at weekends.

MR CHAM (in Cantonese):-Some beaches are specially reserved for the Prisons Department like the one in Stanley. I wonder if we can also open the beach at Stanley for all the people in Hong Kong?

MR LO (in English):-Mr Chairman, I believe the beach that Mr Cham is referring to is Tweed Bay just below Stanley Prison. I know the area fairly well. There is more from the outside than from the insde. (Laughter) This beach is a nice beach but access to it by land is only through the restricted area around the prison. We have to go right through the restricted area to