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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the department is well aware of the problem, so that is why a feasibility study is being carried out and I can assure Mrs. ELLIOTT that we will try to press the department to give the necessary recommendation to the relevant select committee at the earliest opportunity for detailed consideration.

MR. CHAINE (in English):---Mr. Chairman, a standard district cultural centre is provided with full air-conditioning. Whereas no air-conditioning was provided at the recently built sub-standard district cultural centre in Ap Lei Chau. Will the Council consider to up-grade such sub-standard district cultural centre?

CHAIRMAN (in English): The supplementary question is some way from the main question, but Mr. Hu, are you prepared to answer?

MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I have mentioned in the reply that future district cultural centres will be air-conditioned. For the existing one in operation, of course, we will look into each case on its own merit. The point raised by Mr. CHAINE will certainly be looked into.

MR. LAU (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, in Sai Cho Bay, there is a site set aside for a cultural centre and the expenditure involved is said to be borne by Government while the Council is responsible for its maintenance and design. I would like to know when this project will start.

MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I understand that the Government has no policy on the operation of the civic centre in the particular site which Mr. Stephen LAU has referred to although a site had been reserved for that purpose. That is why we have asked the department to carry out a feasibility study on the provision of regional cultural centres and if the feasibility study proves that there is such need, then we will have to discuss with the Government the question of financing.

MR. LAU (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, in Kowloon East, such facilities are really inadequate. After the opening of the Ko Shan Theatre, can the Council give priority to people of the Kowloon City District, Kwun Tong District and Wong Tai Sin District?

MR. HU (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the Ko Shan Theatre really is a territory-wide facility and it is certainly open to applications throughout Hong Kong and Kowloon. I am sure that applications from Kwun Tong and the nearby areas will receive equal consideration.

4.

MRS. E. ELLIOTT asked the following question (in English):—Lack of marketing facilities in Kwun Tong have created difficulties for shoppers in Kwun Tong, and resulted in chaotic obstructions on roads and pavements by hawkers.

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(a) How many new markets have been planned and when will they be completed? (b) What efforts have been made to find sites for temporary bazaars to serve the population until these markets are completed?

MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the provision of marketing facilities in Kwun Tong and is in two parts. The first part concerns the number of new markets that have been planned and the dates on which they will be completed. The second part seeks information on what efforts have been made to find sites for temporary bazaars to serve the population until these markets are completed.

In reply to the first part of the question, three new market complexes are due to be built in Shui Wo Street, Hip Wo Street, and Yee On Street. Planning for all three is at a comparatively early stage. The earliest, in Shui Wo Street, is likely to be completed in early 1986. The other two complexes (in Hip Wo Street and Yee On Street) will follow in 1987 or 1988.

In reply to the second part of the question, I can assure Members that the Council has been making every effort to find sites for temporary bazaars to serve the population in the Kwun Tong District. But suitable sites are extremely difficult to find and it would seem that all viable sites available in the centre of Kwun Tong have already been used as temporary bazaars. These include hawker bazaars at Yee Wo Street, Hip Wo Street, Mut Wah Street, and Shui Wo Street, and cooked food bazaars at Hip Wo Street, Tsun Yip Street, Kwun Tong Ferry concourse, Wai Yip Street, and Lai Yip Street. Despite the scarcity of suitable sites, the Department will continue to pursue the question with vigour, but clearly the long-term solution to the problem must lie in the early completion of the permanent market buildings which I have mentioned.

MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I am going to refer the subject later in this meeting. But for the time being, I would like to ask whether the answer means that there is not much hope of any improvement in the hawker situation in Kwun Tong for at least 4 or 6 years. Is that correct?

MR. SHUM (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, to answer this question, you may refer to the second part of my answer. We do have certain temporary bazaars and they are already in existence. But as for those market complexes, it will take time to complete them. At the moment, we do have some temporary bazaars and cooked food stalls.

MR. LAU (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, recently in Kwun Tong Yue Man Square, there is some improvement in the situation. I want to ask Mr. SHUM through you whether this is the result of better control of hawkers.

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