1979 — Page 28

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QUESTIONS

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

1 MISS MARIA W. C. TAM asked the following question (in English):~ (a) In respect of joint-user building projects are there any plans for utilizing the roof top area of such buildings?

(b) Is it feasible to use these roof top areas as

(i) gardens or

(ii) cafes or

(iii) 'workmen's night club' bazaars?

MR H. M. G. FORSGATE, CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-Joint-user building projects are joint-projects between the Urban Council and the Government. So far, none has made much progress although a number are under consideration. There are plans for utilising the roof-top areas of such buildings either as rest gardens or children's playgrounds.

Apart from joint-user buildings, there are also multi-purpose buildings under construction and planning to cater for Urban Council facilities such as markets, libraries, indoor games facilities, cultural services facilities, office accommodation, cooked-food centres, etc. A children's playground or garden is included on the rooftops of these buildings where practicable. The new Bowrington market now being constructed in Wan Chai will have a children's playground on the roof and the new Tin Wan market in Aberdeen will have a rest garden.

The use of roof-tops of UC multi-purpose buildings as cafes may be feasible and the Department will be asked to look into the matter.

However, it does not seem to be feasible to have 'workmen's night club' bazaars on roof-tops, because:

(1) it is difficult for hawkers to carry their goods to and from the roof-tops and administrative problems are envisaged. Furthermore, there is the question of the loading factor on roof-tops;

(2) the noise likely to be generated by such bazaars may cause undue disturbances to other buildings in the neighbourhood;

(3) judging from the buying habits in markets, it is unlikely that night bazaars on roofs will attract many patrons or be well received by hawkers.

As most of the joint-user and UC multi-purpose buildings will consist of a market with a dry goods section and a cooked food section providing many of the items to be found in a "workmen's night club' bazaar, and these sections will be in operation up to 8pm for the dry goods section and 2am for the cooked food section, there appears to be no need for the provision of night bazaars on the roof-tops of the buildings as well, even if all the points mentioned above can be solved. However, as it is not yet an accepted UC policy to provide 'workmen's night club' bazaars, perhaps the Street Traders Select Committee might care to look into the matter.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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2 MISS MARIA W. C. TAM asked the following question (in English):- (a) How many times a day is rubbish collected from refuse collection points in housing estates?

(b) Is there any method of inspection if the collectors should fail to keep to schedule?

(c) Between collections it is important that the lids are on the rubbish bins - is there any way to make sure that the lids are secured to the bins so that they would not be found missing?

MRS GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-The first part of the question refers to the frequency of collection of refuse from collection points in housing estates. This ranges from once to three times daily, depending on the need. The second part of the question deals with the method of control over the calling schedules of the collection vehicles. All refuse collection points in housing estates are set up and looked after by the Housing Department. The Urban Services Department is responsible only for collecting refuse from these points using refuse collection vehicles with the necessary crew for loading. Copies of the calling schedules of the vehicles are kept by the Estate Office, the USD District Cleansing Office and the USD Transport Section. In the event of vehicles failing to keep to schedules, the Estate staff contact the USD District Cleansing Office to find out the reason. The two departments maintain a close liaison and no particular problems have been reported.

I agree that it is important that the bins in use at the collection points should have proper lids but, because the contents of the bins are emptied into the vehicles by an automatic lifting device, it is impracticable to have the lids permanently secured on to the bins. The Housing Department staff are aware of the importance of keeping the bins covered up between collections and have reminded their contractors' staff who put the refuse in the bins of the need to replace the lids.

3 MR PETER P. F. CHAN asked the following question (in English):—May I ask whether the Council has made adequate facilities for cremation and what are its future plans?

MRS GRACE HO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question deals with the adequacy of facilities for cremation both now and for the future.

At present, facilities for cremation are available at the Cape Collinson and Diamond Hill Crematoria which have a combined capacity of 9,200 cremations per year.

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