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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
time exceeds 12 months. I would like to ask why it takes 18 months lead time instead of 12 months?
was
DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU (in English).—Mr. Chairman, the first question is scarcely a question and we may say it is pie in the sky. I agree it has been pie in the sky. That is the answer given in the question. The location of Maple Street and Yu Chau Street is a playground. Yes, that has been considered; I think the answer, as far as I can recollect, it was that Mong Kok as well as Sham Shui Po is very short of open space and that was the reason why it wasn't used. About resuming private land, I have complained many times that as we resumed land in the same area for the MTR, I can't see any reason why we shouldn't resume land for markets. So, I think this should be pressed. I am sure there are plenty of old buildings there and perhaps the Town Planning Board and the Land Development Corporation would consider that possibility because they are dealing with that area. As regards the length of time taken to plan for a new market, I agree with everything Mr. FUNG has said. The situation is most unsatisfactory. It was raised by Mr. TONG Kam-biu in the last meeting of Markets and Street Traders Select Committee and we promised that we would press on this area. You raised the question again to prod us, and I think if there is sufficient prodding and the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee will keep raising this question at every meeting, maybe we shall get somewhere.
STATEMENT BY DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU, VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL
She said (in English):—Mr. Chairman, Fellow Councillors, this is just a very brief report on the recent Council visit to Stockholm and Copenhagen. A much fuller report to Members and various Select Committees giving greater details will be produced in due course along with various recommendations for Members to consider.
The visit took place between 28 October and 7 November 1988. It comprised eight Councillors and three members of staff.
The purpose of the visit was to see first-hand how other authorities deal with problems in large cities, to exchange information, and learn from them how they perform duties which the Urban Council is charged with in Hong Kong, and also to see how they organize the democratic processes in the two cities.
The City of Stockholm were most hospitable and provided us with transport, free of charge, and with the Secretary for Information to guide us. He certainly kept us busy throughout the whole of our visit and was a walking encyclopaedia on the City.
We were able to see their Museum of Technology and visit several of their recreational facilities. We discussed with them their refuse collection and recycling, which is managed by a private non-profit-making company owned by the City Council. We were able to see and discuss the management of recreational facilities and the method of allocating them to the public. We were able to view several museums. The City of Stockholm Cultural Centre was also on our programme, and we were shown through this downtown Cultural Centre, which is meant by the City planner to provide some kind of balance to the overwhelming commercial development in the surrounding area.
We also visited the only remaining public market. They are lucky, as they have only one left in central Stockholm, and we saw how they managed to keep a good, clean, and attractive market environment. During all our visits to the various districts, we were able to stop and walk through recreational areas, including facilities for the elderly. It was a most informative and fruitful visit, and I would like in public to thank the Swedish Consul General, Mr. Christer JACOBSON, in particular, for his assistance in arranging this visit.
The visit to Copenhagen covered a similar range of facilities. We were able to discuss the government of the City with the Lord Mayor and senior civic officials, and see many of their extensive recreational facilities, some of the larger ones having indoor facilities for 35 different kinds of sports. We were also able to visit a public computer facility which had a computerized catalogue and lending procedures which were relevant in many ways to our public libraries and also to the extension activities within our libraries.
Again, we were able to visit the refuse collection facilities, and in particular were able to go through the whole of the waste paper recovery plant and one of the major refuse recycling facilities within the refuse incinerator complex. We got thoroughly dirty too! We were able to examine the types of refuse collection vehicles they used, the methods of cleaning refuse bins, and were able to discuss in greater length the funding and the methods by which the private non-profit-making company operated. This could perhaps have some bearing on the future we are considering for our own refuse collection services.
We were also able to visit the Zoological Garden, in particular to see the way that the exhibits are individually sponsored by various corporations and individuals, and also to see how important signage is in such a facility. Whilst we had no formal visits on our final day in Denmark, we arranged a private trip to view two museums and saw how the various exhibits were housed in an old castle-type building. We were also able to view a modern museum built to accommodate Viking ships which had been excavated from the sea-bed in recent years.
I think that I speak for all members of the party when I say that the trip was most interesting and gave us a great deal of food for thought to help us in our future work for the people of Hong Kong.
STATEMENT BY MR. PAO PING-WING, CHAIRMAN OF THE CAPITAL WORKS SELECT COMMITTEE
He said (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, in common with other Councillors, I have been concerned about speculation in the press on the effects the current
Page 101 of 182
195
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
h
194
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
time exceeds 12 months. I would like to ask why it takes 18 months lead time
instead of 12 months?
was
DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU (in English).—Mr. Chairman, the first question scarcely a question and we may say it is pie in the sky. I agree it has been pie in the sky. That is the answer given in the question. The location of Maple Street and Yu Chau Street is a playground. Yes, that has been considered I think the answer as far as I can recollect it was that Mong Kok as well as Sham Shui Po is very short of open space and that was the reason why it wasn't used. About resuming private land, I have complained many times that as we resumed land in the same area for the MTR, I can't see any reason why we shouldn't resume land for markets. So, I think this should be pressed. I am sure there are planty of old buildings there and perhaps the Town Planning Board and the Land Development Corporation would consider that possibility because they are dealing with that area. As regards the length of time taken to plan for a new market, I agree with everything Mr. FUNG has said. The situation is most unsatisfactory. It was raised by Mr. TONG Kam-biu in the last meeting of Markets and Street Traders Select Committee and we promised that we would press on this area. You raised the question again to prod us, and I think if there is sufficient prodding and the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee will keep raising this question at every meeting, may be we shall get somewhere.
STATEMENT BY DR. THE HON. ELSIE TU, VICE-CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL
She said (in English):—Mr. Chairman, Fellow Councillors, this is just a very brief report on the recent Council visit to Stockholm and Copenhagen. A much fuller report to Members and various Select Committees giving greater details will be produced in due course along with various recommendations for Members to consider.
The visit took place between 28 October and 7 November 1988. It comprised eight Councillors and three members of staff.
The purpose of the visit was to see first hand how other authorities deal with problems in large cities, to exchange information, and learn from them how they perform duties which the Urban Council is charged with in Hong Kong, and also to see how they organize the democratic processes in the two cities.
The City of Stockholm were most hospitable and provided us with transport, free of charge, and with the Secretary for Information to guide us. He certainly kept us busy throughout the whole of our visit and was a walking encyclopaedia on the City.
We were able to see their Museum of Technology and visit several of their recreational facilities. We discussed with them their refuse collection and re- cycling, which is managed by a private non-profit-making company owned
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 101 of 182
195
by the City Council. We were able to see and discuss the management of recreational facilities and the method of allocating them to the public. We were able to view several museums. The City of Stockholm Cultural Centre was also on our programme and we were shown through this downtown Cultural Centre, which is meant by the City planner to provide some kind of balance to the overwhelming commercial development in the surrounding area.
We also visited the only remaining, public market. They are lucky, as they have only one left in central Stockholm and we saw how they managed to keep a good, clean and attractive market environment. During all our visits to the various districts we were able to stop and walk through recreational areas, including facilities for the elderly. It was a most informative and fruitful visit and I would like in public to thank the Swedish Consul General, Mr. Christer JACOBSON, in particular, for his assistance in arranging this visit.
The visit to Copenhagen covered a similar range of facilities. We were able to discuss the government of the City with the Lord Mayor and senior civic officials, and see many of their extensive recreational facilities, some of the larger ones having indoor facilities for 35 different kinds of sports. We were also able to visit a public computer facility which had a computerized catalogue and lending procedures which were relevant in many ways to our public libraries and also to the extension activities within our libraries.
Again, we were able to visit the refuse collection facilities, and in particular were able to go through the whole of the waste paper recovery plant and one of the major refuse re-cycling facilities within the refuse incinerator complex. We got thoroughly dirty too! We were able to examine the types of refuse collection vehicles they used, the methods of cleaning refuse bins and were able to discuss in greater length the funding and the methods by which the private non-profit-making company operated. This could perhaps have some bearing on the future we are considering for our own refuse collection services.
We were also able to visit the Zoological Garden in particular to see the way that the exhibits are individually sponsored by various corporations and individuals, and also to see how important signage is in such a facility. Whilst we had no formal visits on our final day in Denmark, we arranged a private trip to view two museums and saw how the various exhibits were housed in an old castle type of building. We were also able to view a modern museum built to accommodate Viking ships which had been excavated from the sea-bed in recent years.
I think that I speak for all members of the party when I say that the trip was most interesting and gave us a great deal of food for thought to help us in our future work for the people of Hong Kong.
STATEMENT BY MR. PAO PING-WING, CHAIRMAN OF THE CAPITAL WORKS SELECT COMMITTEE
He said (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, in common with other Councillors, have been concerned about speculation in the press on the effects the current
Page 101 of 182
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