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8. MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question (in English): Could be informed if the noise pollution caused by the MTR which is prevalent in the Chai Wan area is expected to adversely affect the users of the new Chai Wan Park and perhaps even damage their health?
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE replied as follows (in English):---Mr. Chairman, the Chai Wan Park measures 5.93 hectares and provides a mixture of active and passive recreational facilities. An overhanging MTR viaduct runs across part of the site. The design of the park, which was fully discussed at the meeting of the Recreation Select Committee in October 1988, has already taken into account the environmental factors, including the impact of the MTR viaduct. Passive recreational facilities (sitting-out areas) are located farther away from the overhanging MTR viaduct.
The Environmental Protection Department has been fully consulted on the suitability of the site (including the impact of the MTR viaduct) for recreational use and has been presented with a layout plan of the Park. EPD has advised that they do not see any environmental problem in using the Park as presently designed. EPD had been specifically consulted on the noise from the MTR viaduct and has advised that this does not present any problem. However, to secure a more enjoyable environment, as advised by EPD, dense screen planting and buffer/shielding elements in the form of earth mounds and landscape features have been incorporated in the design to provide additional protection against traffic noise.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, two supplementary questions. One: has Mr. CHAN's Committee any evidence as to the effectiveness of screening by dense planting?
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MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English): Mr. Chairman, I think we can only ask a government department to give advice but the MTR is not a government department. But the fact that you raised it through the press, the MTR knows that you are concerned, we are concerned and the public is concerned, but whether they will do anything or not, I don't know. However, we do ask the Environmental Protection Department to give advice and they did give the advice. If we accept their advice, that EPD feels that is all you can do, it will be safe. I think we did what we were advised to do. Actually, I am not to take all the credit. All this hard work was done in the Committee while it was presided over by my learned colleague, Mr. Samuel WONG. I was not the one to take credit for this.
MOTIONS
1.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:-
'RESOLVED that the Public Health and Municipal Services (Public Pleasure Grounds) (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) (No. 4) Order 1990 be made under section 106 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.’
He said (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Recreation Select Committee, I rise to move the motion standing in my name.
The purpose of the amendment is to include 7 new venues as public pleasure grounds and to delete one venue from the Fourth Schedule (Public Pleasure Grounds) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.
Sir, I so move.
MR. RONNIE M. C. WONG, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, seconded the motion (in English):--Mr. Chairman, I second the above motion.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, yes, I have done some homework to prepare for the supplementary, but available material is limited. The advice from the Environmental Protection Department is: 'I refer to your memo. Given that the children's playground, tennis court and mini-soccer pitch are all located at some 12 metres from the boundary of the MTR, there should be adequate dispersal buffer for traffic fumes under normal circumstances. However, dense screen planting at the boundary of the facilities is recommended to provide additional protection as well as visual amenities. It would also be advisable to provide sufficient buffer/shielding elements in the form of earth mounds, landscaped features, etc. to maintain a more enjoyable environment against the potential traffic noise from the road.'
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, thank you. The second question is: has the Urban Council through Mr. CHAN's Committee communicated with the MTR itself and if not, why not? I believe there is some form of covering the whole railway that almost makes the trains noiseless.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
2. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN, CHAIRMAN Of the Libraries Select Committee, moved the following motion:-
'RESOLVED that:
(a) the Library (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1990 be made under section 105L of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Chapter 132; and
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8. MR. B. A. BERNACCHI asked the following question (in English): Could be informed if the noise pollution caused by the MTR which is prevalent in the Chai Wan area is expected to adversely affect the users of the new Chai Wo Park and perhaps even damage their health?
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITT replied as follows (in English):---Mr. Chairman, the Chai Wan Park measure 5.93 hectares and provides a mixture of active and passive recreational facilities An overhanging MTR viaduct runs across part of the site. The design the park which was fully discussed at the meeting of the Recreation Selee Committee in October 1988, has already taken into account the environment factors, including the impact of the MTR viaduct. Passive recreational facilitie (sitting-out areas) are located farther away from the overhanging MT viaduct.
The Environmental Protection Department has been fully consulted on the suitability of the site (including the impact of the MTR viaduct) for recreationa use and has been presented a layout plan of the Park. EPD has advised the they do not see any environmental problem in using the Park as presently designed. EPD had been specifically consulted on the noise from the MT viaduct and has advised that this does not present any problem. However, t secure a more enjoyable environment, as advised by EPD, dense screen planting and buffer/shielding elements in the form of earth mound and landscape features have been incorporated in the design to provide additional protection against traffic noise.
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, two supplementary ques tions. One: has Mr. CHAN'S Committee any evidence as to the effectiveness q screening by dense planting?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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55
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English): Mr. Chairman, I think we can only ask a government department to give advice but the MTR is not a government department. But the fact that you raised it through the press, the MTR knows that you are concerned, we are concerned and the public is concerned, but whether they will do anything or not, I don't know. However, we do ask the Environmental Protection Department to give advice and they did give the advice. If we accept their advice, that EPD feel that is all you can do that, it will be safe. I think we did what we were advised to do. Actually I am not to take all the credit. All this hard work was done in the Committee while it was presided by my learned colleague, Mr. Samuel WONG. I was not the one to take credit for this.
MOTIONS
1.
MR. PETER C. K. CHẠN, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion:-
'RESOLVED that the Public Health and Municipal Services (Public Pleasure Grounds) (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) (No. 4) Order 1990 be made under section 106 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.’
He said (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Recreation Select Committee, I rise to move the motion standing in my name.
The purpose of the amendment is to include 7 new venues as public pleasure grounds and to delete one venue from the Fourth Schedule (Public Pleasure Grounds) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132.
Sir, I so move.
MR. RONNIE M. C. WONG, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT
motion.
MR. PETER C. K. CHAN (in English):—Mr. Chairman, yes, I have done som homework to prepare for the supplementary, but available material is limited The advice from the Environmental Protection Department is: 'I refer to you COMMITTEE, seconded the motion (in English):--Mr. Chairman, I second the above memo. Given that the children playground, tennis court and mini-socce pitch are all located at some 12 metres from the boundary of the IEC there should be adequate dispersal buffer for traffic fumes under norma circumstances. However, dense screen planting at the boundary of the The question was put. facilities is recommended to provide additional protection as well as visua
amenities. It would also be advisable to provide sufficient buffer/shielding The motion was carried unanimously.
elements in the form of earth mound, landscaped features etc. to maintain
more enjoyable environment against the potential traffic noise from the road. 2. MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN, CHAIRMAN Of the Libraries Select Committee, That is the advice we have got.
moved the following motion:-
MR. B. A. BERNACCHI (in English):—Mr. Chairman, thank you. The secon question is: has the Urban Council through Mr. CHAN's Committee communicate with the MTR itself and if not, why not? I believe there is some form of covering # the whole railway that almost makes the trains noiseless.
'RESOLVED that:
(a) the Library (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1990 be made under section 105L of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Chapter 132; and
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