1985 — Page 41

In the coming weeks, it is hoped to complete the round of consultations with all ten urban District Boards on the roll-forward 5-year forecast of Council's Capital Works Programme. With the co-operation and support of the District Boards, the Council is evolving up-to-date strategies to provide improved municipal facilities and services at lower costs.

Urban Councillors are also looking forward to the dinner reception extended to them by the Chairman and Members of the Provisional Regional Council later this week. It will undoubtedly be an occasion for Members of both Councils to get to know each other better in the interest of future close co-operation.

PAPER

(Miss Maria TAM and Mr. Lo King-man arrived during the Chairman's address.)

The following paper was laid on the table:-

(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and

Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of June 1985.

QUESTIONS

1. MR. L. H. KWAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):-

(a) In view of the fact that the open space at the junction of Man Cheong Street and Ferry Street (i.e. opposite Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter) has fallen out of use for some time, has the Council any plans for its development? And what use will it be put to?

(b) Would the Council consider to develop the area, if it plans to do so, into a

velodrome for BMX bicycles, similar to the one at Lai Kok Estate?

MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG, Chairman of the Recreation Select Committee, replied as follows (in English):-The question is about the open space at the junction of Man Cheong Street and Ferry Street. Dealing with the first part of the question, it should be clarified that the open space, whilst not very popular, is being maintained as an existing facility provided by the Council. The site was allocated to the Council in 1975 on a temporary basis with the condition that it has to be handed back to Government at four months' notice for use as a works area for the construction of the West Kowloon Corridor. Because of the temporary nature of the allocation, only relatively simple works were carried out to develop the 4 000 m2 site into a garden with park benches and amenity planting. Since the garden is separated from the nearby residential area by a major thoroughfare, i.e. Ferry Street, the facility is not very popular, except on occasions when the annual dragon boat races are held.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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The permanent zoning of this site is 'Open Space'. However, because Government will wish to make use of the site as a works area for the construc- tion of the West Kowloon Corridor for a period of four years, permanent development of the site has to be deferred and it is for this reason that the present provision of facilities at the site have so far been kept to a modest level. Mr. KWAN's proposal to build a facility for BMX bicycles will be taken into account when detailed plans for the permanent development of the area are drawn up. I say 'facility' because 'velodrome' usually refers to a purpose built track for training professional cyclers or for racing purposes. I assume Mr. KWAN really has in mind a cycling park for recreational purposes.

MR. L. H. Kwan (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I have two supplementary questions to ask. Firstly, since 1975 the Government allocated this area to us, now 10 years have already passed already and, therefore, it is no longer suitable for us to keep it as a temporary site, could we ask the Central Government to give us a reply to see whether the piece of land can be put to permanent use? Second question,

we wonder if the Urban Council can allow people living in the vicinity to cycle there?

MR. YOUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, the first question is whether it can be put to permanent use. This is of course in connection with the capital works programme of the Government. As I have told you before, when they build the West Kowloon Corridor they will need to use this piece of land, but it would be rather difficult for us to say when they will start that project as it is actually something which cannot be decided by the Urban Council. Even though the site has been given to us on a temporary basis for 10 years, at this point we still do not know what will happen and will have to hand back the site at 4 months' notice. The second question is whether people can now cycle in the area. At the moment it is open space and therefore we will have to consider a number of points, for instance, the safety of people using that area. We do not allow people to cycle in parks generally and the only exemption is the area right opposite the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai which is built for that purpose. We will have to make sure that the safety of the people using the open space is not jeopardized before we allow people to cycle there.

MR. PAO (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, in fact, this is something that is very common in many districts in Hong Kong. Of course, in the long run, even if the Urban Council would like to put it to permanent use, we cannot do so immediately. In fact, in many district boards they can do something like this. Let me take the example of Kowloon City, which have sites similar to this one. When and if the residents would like to develop cycling parks, the district board can put up funds for temporary facilities and the Urban Council also subsidize to a certain extent. I wonder if the Recreation Select Committee can look into this in greater detail. In my view if people living in a certain district feel that

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