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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Park and an aviary in Kowloon Park. There are at present over forty projects under construction and another sixty or so awaiting construction costing approximately $650 million. Some 310 more projects are in the development programme for implementation over the next decade or so and it is estimated that another $1,700 million at present day prices will be required to finance all these projects.
A total of $63.3 million was spent on Urban Council capital projects in the 1978/79 financial year and this is almost twice the amount of expenditure for the previous year which was $32.6 million. Although the increase was the general inflation trend, especially the increased costs of building and partly due to an acceleration in the Urban Council's building programme, construction, also played a significant part.
The Planning and Development Select Committee continued to explore new technology in building and construction. The use of solar energy had been under consideration for some time and the Council recently gave approval for an experiment to install a solar energy system at a public bath-house at Stanley. If this proves to be successful, solar energy systems might be introduced for other Urban Council facilities, as unlike other forms of energy it is not subject to a fuel fluctuation clause and the whims of others.
The Committee also continued to explore new design concepts in the building of market complexes which provide not only the usual marketing facilities but also cultural and recreational facilities on upper floors. The use of escalators has been successfully applied in two markets, one in Mong Kok and one in the newly completed market in Bowrington Road in Wan Chai. In the latter case, a split-level design was also introduced for the first time in an effort to improve the viability of market stalls on the upper level.
A new carbon-filter system will be installed in one of our new refuse collection points in Wan Chai which is intended to reduce much of the nuisance caused to nearby residents by the offensive smell from domestic garbage.
New and improved surfaces designed for outdoor and indoor sporting activities such as tennis, football, badminton were used. Artificial turf has been successfully tried on a football pitch at Morse Park. Two other projects, namely, a football pitch at Boundary Street and a hockey field at King's Park will be surfaced with artificial turf. A new jogging track at Victoria Park using bitumen macadam was recently completed. A plexipave surface which is suitable for tournament play was used in the new exhibition tennis court in Victoria Park. Similar materials will be used in the new tennis centre under construction at Wong Nai Chung Gap. A new swimming pool at Morrison Hill intended for teaching purposes will incorporate a deck-level scum channel which enables the distance between the surround of the pool and the water surface to be reduced, thus enhancing the movement of the physically handicapped. As it is visually more attractive, it might be considered in the design of future swimming pools.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 81 of 136
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In playgrounds, many new and adventurous play equipment were installed together with safety mattresses to protect our more enterprising youngsters.
In all our projects, special attention is paid to the use of maintenance-free, attractive, and durable materials on walls and floor surfaces both to reduce future maintenance costs as well as to enhance the appearance of the project.
In the design of our gardens and amenity areas, new ideas in landscape design and horticulture are introduced to enhance the public's enjoyment of these areas. Water features and fountains have also proved to be popular additions. A new garden designed on the lines of a traditional Chinese garden incorporating large pavilions connected by tiled arcades forming a covered pathway around the entire garden, a lotus pond, an ornate island pavilion over a lake, hilly mounds, and a serene Chinese rock garden was recently opened in Kowloon Park. The undoubted popularity of this project is reflected in the large number of visitors that flock to Kowloon Park at the weekends.
The use of private architects to supplement the working capacity of the Architectural Office of the Public Works Department on Urban Council capital and minor works items continued during the year, and two further packages of projects were formed, making six in total. The number of major and minor projects being handled by the six private architects engaged on Council works totalled 68. 18 items had been completed and 5 are nearing completion and work on about 10 are about to start soon. At present, two other packages consisting of 19 projects are being finalized. All the private architects are working very hard to provide a variety of facilities ranging from sports fields, playgrounds, gardens, libraries, markets, and indoor recreational facilities, to the less exciting but nevertheless very essential refuse collection points, public toilets, and bathhouses.
In order to make full utilization of scarce land resources and to speed up the development of urgently needed facilities, the Council entered into joint-venture schemes with the Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society in Yue Wan, Chai Wan, and in the Oi Kwan Court project at Morrison Hill. The Yue Wan project is complete while the Morrison Hill project is now nearing completion. The latter project will, when completed in mid-1980, provide accommodation for an Urban Services Department Training Unit, the Urban Services District Office, Wan Chai, with domestic flats on the top floors. Urban Council markets will be built at three different sites on Hong Kong Island jointly with the Housing Society at Centre Street, Fat Hing Street, and Lower Lascar Road. Two other joint-venture projects with the Housing Authority at Ngau Tau Kok and Aberdeen have also been agreed upon, and construction of one market building each at these two locations is being carried out in conjunction with Housing Authority's Home Ownership Schemes and should be ready in 1981 and 1982.
128
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Park and an aviary in Kowloon Park. There are at present over forty projects under construction and another sixty or so awaiting construction costing approximately $650 million. Some 310 more projects are in the development programme for implementation over the next decade or so and it is estimated that another $1,700 million at present day prices will be required to finance
all these projects.
A total of $63.3 million was spent on Urban Council capital projects in the 1978/79 financial year and this is almost twice the amount of expenditure for the previous year which was $32.6 million. Although the increases was the general inflation trend, especially the increased costs of building and partly due to an acceleration in the Urban Council's building programme,
construction, also played a significant part.
The Planning and Development Select Committee continued to explore new technology in building and construction. The use of solar energy had been under consideration for some time and the Council recently gave approval for an experiment to instal a solar energy system at a public bath- house at Stanley. If this proves to be successful, solar energy systems might be introduced for other Urban Council facilities, as unlike other forms of energy it is not subject to a fuel fluctuation clause and the whims of others.
The Committee also continued to explore new design concepts in the build- ing of market complexes which provide not only the usual marketing facilities but also cultural and recreational facilities on upper floors. The use of escalators has been successfully applied in two markets, one in Mong Kok and one in the newly completed market in Bowrington Road in Wan Chai In the latter case a split level design was also introduced for the first time in an effort to improve the viability of market stalls on the upper level.
A new carbon-filter system will be installed in one of our new refuse collection points in Wan Chai which is intended to reduce much of the nuisance caused to nearby residents by the offensive smell from domestic garbage.
New and improved surfaces designed for outdoor and indoor sporting activities such as tennis, football, badminton were used. Artificial turf has been successfully tried on a football pitch at Morse Park. Two other projects, namely, a football pitch at Boundary Street and a hockey field at King's Park will be surfaced with artificial turf. A new jogging track at Victoria Park using bitumen macadam was recently completed. A plexipave surface which is suitable for tournament play was used in the new exhibition tennis court in Victoria Park. Similar materials will be used in the new tennis centre under construction at Wong Nai Chung Gap. A new swimming pool at Morrison Hill intended for teaching purposes will incorporate a deck-level scum channel which enables the distance between the surround of the pool and the water surface to be reduced, thus enhancing the movement of the physically handicapped. As it is visually more attractive it might be con sidered in the design of future swimming pools.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 81 of 136
129
In playgrounds, many new and adventurous play equipment were installed together with safety mattresses to protect our more enterprising youngsters.
In all our
projects, special attention is paid to the use of maintenance
free, attractive and durable materials on walls and floor surfaces both to reduce future maintenance costs as well as to enhance the appearance of
the project.
In the design of our gardens and amenity areas, new ideas in landscape design and horticulture are introduced to enhance the public's enjoyment of these areas. Water features and fountains have also proved to be popular additions. A new garden designed on the lines of a traditional Chinese garden incorporating large pavilions connected by tiled arcades forming a covered pathway around the entire garden, a lotus pond, an ornate island pavilion over a lake, hilly mounds and a serene Chinese rock garden was recently opened in Kowloon Park. The undoubted popularity of this project is re- flected in the large number of visitors that flock to Kowloon Park at the
weekends.
The use of private architects to supplement the working capacity of the Architectural Office of the Public Works Department on Urban Council capital and minor works items continued during the year, and two further packages of projects were formed, making six in total. The number of major and minor projects being handled by the six private architects engaged on Council works totalled 68. 18 items had been completed and 5 are nearing completion and work on about 10 are about to start soon. At present, two other packages consisting of 19 projects are being finalized. All the private architects are working very hard to provide a variety of facilities ranging from sports fields, playgrounds, gardens, libraries, markets and indoor re- creational facilities, to the less exciting but nevertheless very essential refuse collection points, public toilets and bathhouses.
In order to make full utilization of scarce land resources and to speed up the development of urgently needed facilities, the Council entered into joint-venture schemes with the Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society in Yue Wan, Chai Wan and in the Oi Kwan Court project at Morrison Hill. The Yue Wan project is complete while the Morrison Hill project is now nearing completion. The latter project will, when completed in mid 1980, provide accommodation for an Urban Services Department Training Unit, the Urban Services District Office, Wan Chai, with domestic flats on the top floors. Urban Council markets will be built at three different sites on Hong Kong Island jointly with the Housing Society at Centre Street, Fat Hing Street and Lower Lascar Road. Two other joint-venture projects with the Housing Authority at Ngau Tau Kok and Aberdeen have also been agreed upon, and construction of one market building each at these two locations is being carried out in conjunction with Housing Authority's Home Ownership Schemes and should be ready in 1981 and 1982?
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