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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

breeding ground and therefore an environmental nuisance. Is it possible for the Council to turn this site into something more useful or pleasant for the benefit of the people in the vicinity before a permanent structure is built?

MR. PAO PING-WING, CHAIRMAN OF THE CAPITAL WORKS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):―The question asks whether it is a common phenomenon that land allocated to Urban Council for development often lies idle for a number of years and whether the vacant site for Chai Wan Civic Centre can be turned into something more useful or pleasant.

The reply to the first part of the question is that normally, land will not be formally allocated to the Urban Services Department for use by the Council until a project is ready to commence. The site will be handed over to the Urban Services Department only when a contractor is ready to move in to start work. Prior to that, the District Lands Office is at liberty to put the site to any temporary use after consulting the Department. So, the short answer is that it is not true that sites already allocated to the Department for development of Urban Council projects are lying idle for a number of years.

The site earmarked for the Chai Wan Civic Centre has not been put on permanent allocation to the Department. As regards the need for the Centre, the Council has decided that it should be reviewed on completion of the Civic Arts Centre in the Council's Sai Wan Ho Complex. Meanwhile, the District Lands Office has agreed to the Department's proposals to have part of the site developed into 2 basketball courts and a temporary sitting-out area. As for the remaining vacant area, there is the possibility that the Highways Department may require it as a temporary works area in the near future, although the present thinking of the Department is to develop it into a cycling park. If Council agrees with this proposal and if the land can be handed over to the Department for such development, construction work is expected to start in mid-June 1989. The Department has noted the overgrowths and the associated environmental nuisance on site. However, since it is not under the Department's control, we have requested the District Lands Office to clear the area.

MRS. CHOW CHEUNG WAI-PING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the misunderstanding is relatively small as far as I am concerned, but not so to the general public. If this is the case, could we not explain to the public that although a site is earmarked to us it will not be formally handed over to the department until the contractor is ready to move in. Could we make the public know the fact that the site is not under our control before the construction work can start so that they would not feel there is any negligence on our part.

MR. PAO PING-WING (in Cantonese):--Yes, Mrs. CHOW has posed a very constructive suggestion and I am sure our Committee would look into this so that people would not be mistaken for the fact that we hold a lot of vacant sites in our hands.

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5. MR. MARVIN K. T. CHEUNG asked the following question (in English):-- I understand we have now removed all barbecue pits at Repulse Bay and Deep Water Bay beaches. That there is a great demand for such barbecue facilities is shown by the fact that the youngsters are now barbecuing in unauthorized spaces next to the beach which are difficult to reach and therefore make it almost impossible for our staff to clean. May I ask:

(a) What steps are being taken to prevent barbecuing at places other than those authorized and properly fitted out?

(b) Whether we are substituting other areas for the use of barbecues to replace those we have closed, and if not, why not?

MR. SAMUEL P. W. WONG, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns barbecue facilities at Urban Council beaches and is in two parts: the first part asks what steps are being taken to prevent barbecuing at places other than those authorized and properly fitted out. The second part asks whether barbecue sites which have now been closed will be replaced in other areas.

There are a total of 298 barbecue pits in various Urban Council facilities throughout the urban area, of which 271 are at gazetted beaches (Annex I). Barbecuing at gazetted beaches is governed by By-law 5(c) under the Bathing Beach Urban Council By-laws 1982. This by-law designates barbecue areas and was enacted to prevent illegal barbecuing at gazetted beaches, with a view to minimising pollution and controlling the effect of barbecuers on nearby residents. The maximum penalty for illegal barbecuing is a fine of $500 and imprisonment of 14 days.

In 1986, 35 people were prosecuted for this offence. All defendants pleaded guilty and were fined between $100 and $200. 41 people have been prosecuted in 1987 but only 8 cases have so far reached court. All defendants pleaded guilty and were fined between $100 and $300.

The only barbecue pits which have been closed in the last two years are those at Deep Water Bay Beach. The 49 pits were closed on 19 October 1987 for a period of four months, to allow the Hong Kong Electric Group to lay electricity power cables as part of its power enhancement programme. Upon completion of the cable link, the barbecue area will be reinstated with a total of 54 barbecue pits provided. There is no provision for temporary replacement of these barbecue pits as the period of closure is so short.

MR. WALTER M. SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, could I ask since there are quite a few people barbecuing at the edge of the Deep Water Bay Beach now which is actually outside our own beach area, will the department be persuaded to also clean outside our beach area because of the great mess being made? Incidentally, I am not quite sure about the answer about no barbecue pits in Repulse Bay being closed there, because I can remember a great fuss when we did close them and I suppose this was about two years and one month ago.

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