Page 50 of 194
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Does the Council realize that the local residents are becoming extremely impatient over the inability of the Council in bringing about early improvement to the hawker situation in this area?
MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the provision of market facilities in Hung Hom and is in three parts. The first part asks why this area has been neglected in the provision of new markets, the second part asks whether the existing market in Bulkeley Street will be reprovisioned and the third part asks whether Council appreciates the growing impatience of residents over its inability to bring about improvements to the hawker situation in the area.
In answer to the first part of the question, I must make the point that there is a general shortfall of market facilities throughout the urban area. Inevitably areas are bound to be better provided for than others, simply because of the lack of land on which to put the necessary building.
Secondly, the existing market at Bulkeley Street was built in 1952 and there is no doubt that it is inadequate to serve the needs of the large population in this part of Hung Hom. In order to provide improved facilities, a site of approximately 2900 m2 located at the junction of Ma Tau Wai Road and Station Lane is earmarked for a new market which will reprovision the existing market in Bulkeley Street. An item, namely, the Hung Hom Urban Council Complex, has been included in the Urban Council's approved capital works programme.
The Hung Hom Urban Council Complex will be very similar to other U.C. complexes. A market and a cooked food centre will occupy the lower floors, while the upper floors will provide indoor recreation facilities such as badminton courts, basketball courts, squash courts etc. and cultural facilities such as an auditorium, exhibition hall, rehearsal rooms etc. A feasibility study is taking place and when the results are available the various functional Select Committees will be approached to approve the facilities to be included in this complex. It is hoped that this project could be completed in 1987.
Thirdly, the Council does appreciate that local residents would like the clearance of hawkers to be achieved earlier, but the residents too must appreciate that there are approximately 750 on-street hawkers trading in Hung Hom, of which 450 are licensed, and that substantial environmental improvement to this area will have to await the resiting of the hawkers into the new Hung Hom Urban Council Complex. In the meantime, our General Duties Teams will continue to minimize obstruction by hawkers and to prevent further increases in the number of hawkers in this area.
MR. PAO (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask something concerning the first part of the question. The Chairman of the Markets & Street Traders Select Committee, in his reply, said that because of the shortage of land,
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
there is a general shortfall of market facilities in the urban area. But in Hung Hom, I cannot agree with this because there is no shortage of land. If you want to build a new market at the junction of Ma Tau Wai Road and Station Lane, land was available, even years before (if we had applied for that). So, I disagree with this point. Apart from this, I feel that ... (interrupted)
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): Could you clarify your point please?
MR. PAO (in Cantonese):—My major point is, if the project is to be completed in 1987, then the residents will have to wait for a long time. Is it possible to speed up the project?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, Mr. PAO stated that there is no shortage of land, but we know that in Council, the procedure is that we have to wait for the Government to allot us a particular piece of land before we carry out the layout plan. We cannot simply get a piece of vacant land and build a market there. As to whether we can speed up this project, the functional select committees are, in fact, trying their best to go ahead with the project and there is no delay whatsoever. As far as I know, all Urban Council complexes are being built as quickly as possible. However, I will reflect Mr. PAO's suggestion to the Capital Works Select Committee to see if it can be expedited. In fact, how soon it can be completed is not within the terms of reference of the Markets & Street Traders Select Committee.
6. MR. PAO PING-WING asked the following question (in Cantonese):—Over the years the Council has spent considerable funds in setting up of public libraries. Such libraries require massive investment both in terms of money for the provision and replenishment of books and in terms of staff resources to supervise. There is, therefore, a limit to the number of libraries which can be cost effectively provided. However, will the Council consider the provision of more reading rooms in its various facilities in different districts? These reading rooms can be provided at relative low costs, providing newspapers, simple reading materials and light magazines to cater for the needs of local residents. These reading rooms may also double up as study rooms for students during the examination period. The need for such facilities is well publicized in the media and is also evident from the long queue of students waiting outside early in the morning, particularly in the examination period.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question deals with provision of reading-cum-study rooms.
The provision of reading-cum-study rooms has been considered by the Libraries Select Committee over a number of years.
The need for such facilities is widely recognized but the Libraries Select Committee feels that reading-cum-study rooms, though sorely needed, are not
Page 51 of 194
Page 50 of 194
ין
|
70
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Does the Council realize that the local residents are becoming extremely impatient over the inability of the Council in bringing about early improvement to
the hawker situation in this area?
MR. SHUM CHOI-SANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the provision of market facilities in Hung Hom and is in three parts. The first
part asks why this area has been neglected in the provision of new markets, the second part asks whether the existing market in Bulkeley Street will be reprovisioned and the third part asks whether Council appreciates the growing impatience of residents over its inability to bring about improvements to the hawker situation in the area.
some
In answer to the first part of the question, I must make the point that there is a general shortfall of market facilities throughout the urban area. Inevitably areas are bound to be better provided for than others, simply because of the lack of land on which to put the necessary building.
Secondly, the existing market at Bulkeley Street was built in 1952 and there is no doubt that it is inadequate to serve the needs of the large population in this part of Hung Hom. In order to provide improved facilities, a site of approximately 2900 m2 located at the junction of Ma Tau Wai Road and Station Lane is earmarked for a new market which will reprovision the existing market in Bulkeley Street. An item, namely, the Hung Hom Urban Council Complex, has been included in the Urban Council's approved capital works programme.
The Hung Hom Urban Council Complex will be very similar to other U.C. complexes. A market and a cooked food centre will occupy the lower floors, while the upper floors will provide indoor recreation facilities such as badminton courts, basketball courts, squash courts etc. and cultural facilities such as an auditorium, exhibition hall, rehearsal rooms etc. A feasibility study is taking place and when the results are available the various functional Select Committees will be approached to approve the facilities to be included in this complex. It is hoped that this project could be completed in 1987.
Thirdly, the Council does appreciate that local residents would like the clearance of hawkers to be achieved earlier, but the residents too must appreciate that there are approximately 750 on-street hawkers trading in Hung Hom, of which 450 are licensed, and that substantial environmental improve- ment to this area will have to await the resiting of the hawkers into the new Hung Hom Urban Council Complex. In the meantime, our General Duties Teams will continue to minimize obstruction by hawkers and to prevent further increases in the number of hawkers in this area.
MR. PAO (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask something concerning the first part of the question. The Chairman of the Markets & Street Traders Select Committee, in his reply, said that because of the shortage of land,
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 50 of 194
71
there is a general shortfall of market facilities in the urban area. But in Hung Hom, I cannot agree with this because there is no shortage of land. If you want to build a new market at the junction of Ma Tau Wai Road and Station Lane, land was available, even years before (if we had applied for that). So, I disagree with this point. Apart from this, I feel that . . . (interrupted)
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): Could you clarify your point please?
MR. PAO (in Cantonese):—My major point is, if the project is to be completed in 1987, then the residents will have to wait for a long time. Is it possible to speed up the project?
MR. SHUM (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, Mr. PAO stated that there is no shortage of land, but we know that in Council, the procedure is that we have to wait for the Government to allot us a particular piece of land before we carry out the layout plan. We cannot simply get a piece of vacant land and build a market there. As to whether we can speed up this project, the functional select committees are, in fact, trying their best to go ahead with the project and there is no delay whatsoever. As far as I know, all Urban Council complexes are being built as quickly as possible. However, I will reflect Mr. PAO's suggestion to the Capital Works Select Committee to see if it can be expedited. In fact, how soon it can be completed is not within the terms of reference of the Markets & Street traders Select Committee.
6. MR. PAO PING-WING asked the following question (in Cantonese):—Over the years the Council has spent considerable funds in setting up of public libraries. Such libraries require masses investment both in terms of money for the provision and replenishment of books and in terms of staff resources to supervise. There is, therefore, a limit to the number of libraries which can be cost effectively provided. However, will the Council consider the provision of more reading rooms in it's various facilities in different districts? These reading rooms can be provided at relative low costs, providing newspapers, simple reading materials and light magazines to cater for the needs of local residents. These reading rooms may also double up as study rooms for students during the examination period. The need for such facilities is well publicized in the media and is also evident from the long queue of students waiting outside early in the morning, paticularly in the examination period.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question deals with provision of reading-cum-study
rooms.
The provision of reading-cum-study rooms has been considered by the Libraries Select Committee over a number of years.
The need for such facilities is widely recognized but the Libraries Select Committee feels that reading-cum-study rooms, though sorely needed, are not
Page 50 of 194
Page 50Page 51
Page 51 of 194
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.