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to conduct a Value for Money Study into both the horticulture and landscaping services and into staffing and standards at passive amenities generally. The results of the study will be reported to the Council in due course.
MR. TONG (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, we have got some figures of planting here. Do they include those damaged by typhoons, re-planted elsewhere or destroyed by vandalism?
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, those damaged by vandalism or re-planted elsewhere are not included here.
8. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):- Does Urban Council have the provision to build a permanent exhibition hall to display the history, future planning, functions and organization of UC so that the public of Hong Kong may get a clear picture and it may help to promote a better image of UC?
DR. THE Honourable Kim Y. S. CHAM, CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question asks whether the Urban Council has the provision to build a permanent exhibition hall to display the history, future planning, functions and organization of the Urban Council so that the public can get a clearer picture of the Council's activities, thereby promoting a better image for the Council.
No decision has been taken to build such a facility. However, the Department is looking at some existing buildings that might be suitable for the purpose, for example the City Hall Exhibition Hall, the Space Museum or Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Another possibility might be to set up an exhibition hall either in one of the existing multi-purpose complexes such as Aberdeen, or in one of the new generation of complexes now under construction such as, say, the Western Complex or the Ngau Chi Wan Complex.
These, of course, are possibilities which cannot be implemented instantaneously; however, the Cultural Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui should be completed in 1989 and once it is opened, that should take much pressure off the heavily used facilities at the City Hall, possibly freeing some of the accommodation there. Also, nine multi-storey Urban Council complexes are currently under construction on either side of the harbour and so, in time, there will be a considerable amount of space coming on stream, with the possibility of converting one floor for such a purpose. While a purpose-built permanent exhibition seems, therefore, unlikely within the next year or so, it is our hope that it will be possible to provide one reasonably shortly.
To supplement this answer, the Administration Select Committee has given considerable thought not only to having a permanent Urban Council exhibition hall, but also a mobile exhibition which could travel from district to district to promote subjects of civic importance such as, say, food hygiene and safety, anti-pest drives and so on. It is hoped that such a mobile exhibition can be set up within the next eighteen months.
Mr. CHAN is partly correct when he surmises that the purpose of providing exhibitions of this nature is to promote a better image for the Council. Other reasons are to enhance civic education and to extend the Council's grass-roots communications with the people of urban Hong Kong.
Mr. Joseph Chan (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, on the setting up of such an exhibition hall, I think that this is something we should give priority. Recently, we have got some quiz on general knowledge for the young people, but it is rather difficult for them to try and get the relevant information to prepare for the quizzes. During the Urban Council election, when people were interviewed, they were rather ignorant of the responsibilities of the Urban Council and therefore I really feel we should have such an exhibition hall. It is said that it is not really possible for us to have this built within the next year or so, I do not know the actual reasons and is it because of the financial reasons or the lack of premises?
DR. THE HONOurable Kim CHAM (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, we are most willing to furnish people with information on civic education and Mr. CHAN said recently we have already held quizzes on civic education and so the Urban Council actually is working very hard in this respect. In my reply I also talked about a mobile exhibition van and in this way we can relay the information directly to the schools and also relevant local organizations and we can establish direct communication with the general public. This is something that we will do on our own initiative and keep close contact with the different districts. As to the permanent exhibition hall, it will be in permanent premises which will be different from the mobile exhibition vans. In a permanent premises, we cannot really take the information directly to the recipient. On the other hand, we do have some advantages to gain if we have permanent exhibition halls because they are permanent. At the moment, such premises are hard to find and in a year or two after detailed planning, then perhaps we can really build such an exhibition hall and I do not think it is too late but at the moment we are still looking at premises.
MR. SZULKE (In English):—Mr. Chairman, isn't this Council Chamber a fixed exhibition area?
DR. THE HONOUrable Kim CHAM (in English):---I presume Mr. SZULKE means this Chamber where everybody sitting right now. I think Mr. SZULKE himself would be an exhibit. However, unless Mr. SZULKE wants to vacate his seat for the exhibition purpose, we would not be able to oblige.
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, have you considered the space in the lowest level of this building?
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to conduct a Value for Money Study into both the horticulture and landscaping services and into staffing and standards at passive amenities generally. The results of the study will be reported to the Council in due course.
MR. TONG (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, we have got some figures of planting here. Do they include those damaged by typhoons, re-planted elsewhere or destroyed by vandalism?
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, those damaged by vandalism or re-planted elsewhere are not included here.
8. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):- Does Urban Council have the provision to build a permanent exhibition hall to display the history, future planning, functions and organization of UC so that the public of Hong Kong may get a clear picture and it may help to promote a better image of UC?
DR. THE Honourable Kim Y. S. CHAM, CHAIRMAN OF THE ADMINISTRATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question asks whether the Urban Council has the provision to build a permanent exhibition hall to display the history, future planning, functions and organization of the Urban Council so that the public can get a clearer picture of the Council's activities, thereby promoting a better image for the Council.
No decision has been taken to build such a facility. However, the Department is looking at some existing buildings that might be suitable for the purpose, for example the City Hall Exhibition Hall, the Space Museum or Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Another possibility might be to set up an exhibition hall either in one of the existing multi-purpose complexes such as Aberdeen, or in one of the new generation of complexes now under construction such as, say, the Western Complex or the Ngau Chi Wan Complex.
These, of course, are possibilities which cannot be implemented instanta- neously; however, the Cultural Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui should be completed in 1989 and once it is opened, that should take much pressure off the heavily used facilities at the City Hall, possibly freeing some of the accommodation there. Also, nine multi-storey Urban Council complexes are currently under construction on either side of the harbour and so, in time, there will be a considerable amount of space coming on stream, with the possibility of converting one floor for such a purpose. While a purpose-built permanent exhibition seems, therefore, unlikely within the next year or so, it is our hope that it will be possible to provide one reasonably shortly.
To supplement this answer, the Administration Select Committee has given considerable thought not only to having a permanent Urban Council exhibition hall, but also a mobile exhibition which could travel from district to district to
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promote subjects of civic importance such as, say, food hygiene and safety, anti- pest drives and so on. It is hoped that such a mobile exhibition can be set up within the next eighteen months.
Mr. CHAN is partly correct when he surmises that the purpose of providing exhibitions of this nature is to promote a better image for the Council. Other reasons are to enhance civic education and to extend the Council's grass-roots communications with the people of urban Hong Kong.
Mr. Joseph Chan (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, on the setting up of such an exhibition hall, I think that this is something we should give priority. Recently, we have got some quiz on general knowledge for the young people, but it is rather difficult for them to try and get the relevant information to prepare for the quizes. During the Urban Council election, when people were interviewed, they were rather ignorant of the responsibilities of the Urban Council and therefore I really feel we should have such an exhibition hall. It is said that it is not really possible for us to have this built within the next year or so, I do not know the actual reasons and is it because of the financial reasons or the lack of premises?
DR. THE HONOurable Kim CHAM (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, we are most willing to furnish people with information on civic education and Mr. CHAN said recently we have already held quizes on civic education and so the Urban Council actually is working very hard in this respect. In my reply I also talked about a mobile exhibition van and in this way we can relay the information directly to the schools and also relevant local organizations and we can establish direct communication with the general public. This is something that we will do on our own initiative and keep close contact with the different districts. As to the permanent exhibition hall, it will be in permanent premises which will be different from the mobile exhibition vans. In a permanent premises, we cannot really take the information directly to the recipient. On the other hand, we do have some advantages to gain if we have permanent exhibition halls because they are permanent. At the moment, such premises are hard to find and in a year or two after detailed planning, then perhaps we can really build such an exhibition hall and I do not think it is too late but at the moment we are still looking at premises.
MR. SULKE (In English):—Mr. Chairman, isn't this Council Chamber a fixed exhibition area?
DR. THE HONOUrable Kim ChaM (in English):---I presume Mr. SULKE means this Chamber where everybody sitting right now. I think Mr. SULKE himself would be an exhibit. However, unless Mr. SULKE wants to vacate his seat for the exhibition purpose, we would not be able to oblige.
MR. SAMUEL WONG (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, have you considered the space in the lowest level of this building?
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