1987 — Page 181

Page 181 of 185

350

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

The capital works programme involves a considerable part of the Council's budget but the results of this expenditure are highly worthwhile. They are there for everyone to see, and are becoming increasingly visible on either side of the harbour as a seemingly never-ending series of new Council venues and facilities comes on stream.

This important construction programme is closely monitored and reviewed annually, and takes into account available financial and land resources, public needs and the views of all 10 Urban District Boards. In meeting the rising expectations of urban dwellers, the Council's expenditure on capital works has, not surprisingly, continued to increase sharply over the years.

For instance, the total capital expenditure on the construction programme was $206 million for 1984–85, rising to $274 million for 1985-86. Then in the following year, 1986–87, it reached an all-time record of $347 million, or 27 per cent higher than any previous year.

For the current year, the Council originally budgeted an amount of $310 million for capital works. However, as Members are aware, payments for capital works for the first three quarters of the current financial year amount to $261 million, or about 84 per cent of the estimate of $310 million for the whole year. But we have many more projects in various stages of construction and the Architectural Services Department has advised that bills totalling at least $39.97 million will have to be settled for two of the remaining three months of the final quarter. Therefore, so that the big works programme continues at top speed, the Council has approved a supplementary provision of $22 million, taking the total capital works expenditure for this year to $332 million.

Finally, I can assure the public firstly that we will continue to scrutinize all projects and ensure that we get value for our money and secondly that this extra amount of $22 million will be money well spent.

Thank you.

4. MR. FAN KAM-PING, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE (in English):—Chairman, as part of its wide-ranging recreational facilities for the urban dwellers, the Urban Council runs 13 public swimming pool complexes in various urban districts. In the last swimming season, the Council introduced on a trial basis coin-return lockers and coin-operated turnstiles at Victoria Park, Lai Chi Kok Park and Kwun Tong swimming pools. The objectives were to see how improvements could be made to the admission system, to assess public response to the new system and to determine whether the new system could bring down the heavy operating costs at pool complexes by reducing the number of staff required to look after changing rooms, turnstiles and so on.

In the trial scheme, 6960 coin-return lockers were installed in the three swimming pool complexes. In addition, six coin-operated turnstiles were installed at Victoria Park and Lai Chi Kok Park pool complexes.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

351

Throughout the trial, the Urban Services Department took particular care to monitor the effects on staffing requirements and operating costs. As a result, I am happy to say, savings amounting to $1.9 million have been achieved, thanks to reduced staffing requirements in changing rooms. Further savings of $200,000 arose from not having to man the turnstiles. Thus, savings totalling $2.1 million have been achieved by the release of clerical assistants previously required for shroff and other duties.

Also, one unexpected benefit arising from the trial has been the quicker delivery and improved accuracy of attendance figures due to the central processing of entry information.

The Department considers this trial a success. It has proved that the introduction of turnstiles and lockers at Urban Council swimming pools can achieve savings in staff costs, improve the service provided to the public and enhance the operating efficiency of our swimming pools.

With the success of the trial, the Council has now decided to install coin-operated turnstiles and coin-return lockers at all of its swimming pool complexes. Furthermore, based on the experience gained, it is planned to make still more improvements including the provision of modified turnstiles to allow group admission.

It is estimated that a total of 72 coin-operated turnstiles and 22,000 coin-return lockers will be required for installation in the remaining 10 Council swimming pools.

Taking into account the time required for necessary tendering exercise and subsequent delivery and installation of equipment, it is expected that installation of the new equipment will be carried out when the pools are closed for annual maintenance after this year's swimming season, and that the new system will be fully operational next year.

... Now, if I may, Mr. Chairman, turning to passive recreational facilities, I am happy to say that two more park projects have just received the go-ahead from this Council. One is the $13.45 million Hoi Bun Road Park primarily intended for enjoyment by the large working population in the Kwun Tong industrial area, and which we expect will be well used by workmen at lunch-time and after knock-off time in the many factories there.

Hoi Bun Park will have a five-a-side football pitch and concrete table-tennis tables for the active people who will use it. However, equal consideration is being given to the less active and the park will also have pavilions and Chinese chess tables, plus wooden arbours with raised planters and concrete benches. Construction is expected to start in the latter part of this year and be completed a year later.

The other new project is the $27.9 million Lai Chi Kok Park stage 1 to be built on the Lai Chi Kok Bay Reclamation, just next to the Council's superb

Page 181 of 185

...