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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question concerns the reprovisioning of the Chai Wan Temporary Market and the possibility of resiting stall-holders from both the Yue Wan Market and the Chai Wan Temporary Market to a new market.
The Department has examined the several sites visited by the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee and considers that the most suitable one for reprovisioning the Chai Wan Temporary Market is the site at Block 1, Chai Wan Estate. The site, which is about 2,000 m2 in area, has a wide frontage at the junction of Chai Wan Road and San Ha Street. The Department has made a bid for this site under the proposed redevelopment of Chai Wan Estate scheme. To optimize site potential, the Department plans to incorporate in the new market complex a district library of about 1,500 m2. The existing Chai Wan Public Library at Yue Wan Estate, which has an area of only 836 m2, is sub-standard. The District Planning Officer (Hong Kong) has now accepted the Department's proposal for the reservation of the site for a new market complex.
There are 434 and 221 stalls in Yue Wan Market and Chai Wan Temporary Market respectively. Occupation rate of the former market has all along been over 80% while the latter more than 95%. These two markets have co-existed, as both are viable because of their central location in Chai Wan. The Department intends to resite to the new market complex stall-holders from the Chai Wan Temporary Market but not stall holders from the Yue Wan Market, as the latter is a permanent market and there are no plans to demolish it. In any case, a two-storey market in the new complex is unable to accommodate the 600-odd stall-holders from both the Chai Wan Temporary Market and the permanent Yue Wan Market. Also, from past experience, a market with 600 stalls or more is unlikely to be viable.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—The proposed new site is a good site but I would dispute the figures of 80% and 95% because I have often been there in both markets at busy hours and have never seen anything like 80% or 95% open. So I would like to ask him a question. Do these figures 80% and 95% include storage? If so, does the Council know how many of these 80% and 95% are in fact kept merely as storage?
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese): Actually at the temporary market and permanent market, if the business is steady, not too many stalls are used for storage. According to the information supplied by the department, since the location of the two markets is good and because of the high patronage, I believe the numbers of stalls for storage are limited. Whether the percentage includes stalls for storage purposes, I believe that the USD has a record for this. But from information made available to us, the numbers of stalls for storage are not great. It is quite difficult for our staff to ascertain whether stalls are used merely for storage because some stalls are used for doing business in one or two hours and for the rest of the day they are used for storage.
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MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Thank you. I would ask Mr. LAM if he could ascertain from USD, because he says that the USD has figures if he could obtain them? According to his answer, the new market is too big to accommodate only the stall holders from the temporary market, so that he plans to put a library there. However, the library could be put in the old permanent Yue Wan Market and the stall holders of both could be put in the very good new site as a more convenient site if it turns out to be less than 600. What does he think of that proposal?
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese):—I would like to make a response. The most important point to set up a market is that it must provide good service to both stall operators and the general public. If the new market is to accommodate both stall holders from both markets, the Yue Wan residents may not be properly served. Also, if we put the district library at the site occupied by the Yue Wan Market, then the site may not be suitable for a district library. The population distribution is also an important factor in our consideration whether a district library should be put at a particular location. Besides, it will be difficult to manage a market with 600 stalls and also it is not likely to be viable. Apart from this factor, we should consider whether or not such a market is going to serve the general public in the neighbourhood well.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Does Mr. LAM realize that the site of the new market is only just across the road from Yue Wan Estate?
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese):—I am fully aware of that fact. Although the market is only just across the street, it doesn't mean that it is really that close because when people go to patronize a market, they don't like to go too far. If it is across the street, people may regard that as too far. Also, combining two markets into one new market may give rise to a situation that the Yue Wan area may become a breeding ground for illegal hawkers. I think it would not be a good idea to handle this question along this line. Besides, the department as well as the Select Committee have very carefully considered the question and we have decided that the present arrangement would be the best approach.
5. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):—I understand that the Government's project for the construction of the second Ap Lei Chau Bridge had been discussed by the Southern District Board. It appears the proposed landing site at the Aberdeen waterfront in respect of one of the options (Alignment No. 5) might affect the Council's recreational development in the same area. Therefore, I would like to ask whether the Council's recreational development project would be affected. If so, what area and facilities would be affected? Because of the possible disruption caused to the Council's project, has consideration been given to ask the Government to choose another site so that the disruption can be avoided?
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question asks whether the proposed...
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Page 17 of 95
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question concerns the reprovisioning of the Chai Wan Temporary Market and the possibility of resiting stall-holders from both the Yue Wan Market and the Chai Wan Temporary Market to a new market.
The Department has examined the several sites visited by the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee and considers that the most suitable one for reprovisioning the Chai Wan Temporary Market is the site at Block 1, Chai Wan Estate. The site, which is about 2 000 m2 in area, has a wide frontage at the junction of Chai Wan Road and San Ha Street. The Department has made a bid for this site under the proposed redevelopment of Chai Wan Estate scheme. To optimize site potential, the Department plans to incorporate in the new market complex a district library of about 1 500 m2. The existing Chai Wan Public Library at Yue Wan Estate, which has an area of only 836 m2, is sub-standard. The District Planning Officer (Hong Kong) has now accepted the Department's proposal for the reservation of the site for a new market complex.
There are 434 and 221 stalls in Yue Wan Market and Chai Wan Temporary Market respectively. Occupation rate of the former market has all along been over 80% while the latter more than 95%. These two markets have co- existed, as both are viable because of their central location in Chai Wan. The Department intends to resite to the new market complex stall-holders from the Chai Wan Temporary Market but not stall holders from the Yue Wan Market, as the latter is a permanent market and there are no plans to demolish it. In any case, a two-storey market in the new complex is unable to accommodate the 600-odd stall-holders from both the Chai Wan Temporary Market and the permanent Yue Wan Market. Also, from past experience, a market with 600 stalls or more is unlikely to be viable.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—The proposed new site is a good site but I would dispute the figures of 80% and 95% because I have often been there in both markets at busy hours and have never seen anything like 80% or 95% open. So I would like to ask him a question. Do these figures 80% and 95% include storage? If so, does the Council know how many of these 80% and 95% are in fact kept merely as storage?
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese): Actually at the temporary market and permanent market, if the business is steady, not too many stalls are used for storage. According to the information supplied by the department, since the location of the two markets are good and because of the high patronage, I believe the numbers of stalls for storage are limited. Whether the percentage includes stall for storage purposes, I believe that the USD has a record for this. But from information made available to us, the numbers of stalls for storage are not great. It is quite difficult for our staff to ascertain whether stalls are used merely for storage because some stalls are used for doing business in one or two hours and for the rest of the day they are used for storage.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Thank you. I would ask Mr. LAM if he could ascertain from USD, because he says that the USD has figures if he could obtain then? According to his answer, the new market is too big to accommodate only the stall holders from the temporary market, so that he plans to put a library there. However the library could be put in the old permanent Yue Wan Market and the stall holders of both could be put in the very good new site as a more convenient site if it turns out to be less than 600. What does he think of that
proposal?
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese):—I would like to make a response. The most important point to set up a market is that it must provide good service to both stall operators and the general public. If the new market is to accommodate both stall holders from both markets, the Yue Wan residents may not be properly served. Also, if we put the district library at the site occupied by the Yue Wan Market, then the site may not be suitable for a district library. The population distribution is also an important factor in our consideration whether a district library should be put at a particular location. Besides, it will be difficult to manage a market with 600 stalls and also it is not likely to be viable. Apart from this factor, we should consider whether or not such a market is going to serve the general public in the neighbourhood well.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Does Mr. LAM realize that the site of the new market is only just across the road from Yue Wan Estate?
MR. LAM CHAK-PIU (in Cantonese):-I am fully aware of that fact. Although the market is only just across the street, it doesn't mean that it is really that close because when people go to patronize market, they don't like to go too far. If it is across the street, people may regard that as too far. Also combining two markets into one new market may give rise to a situation that the Yue Wan area may become a breeding ground for illegal hawkers. I think it would not be a good idea to handle this question along this line. Besides, the department as well as the Select Committee have very carefully considered the question and we have decided that the present arrangement would be the best approach.
5. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN asked the following question (in Cantonese):—I understand that the Government's project for the construction of the second Ap Lei Chau Bridge had been discussed by the Southern District Board. It appears the proposed landing site at the Aberdeen waterfront in respect of one of the options (Alignment No. 5) might affect the Council's recreational development in the same area. Therefore, I would like to ask whether the Council's recreational development project would be affected. If so, what area and facilities would be affected? Because of the possible disruption caused to the Council's project, has consideration been given to ask the Government to choose another site so that the disruption can be avoided?
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): This question asks whether the proposed
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