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existing arrangement and designs of UC facilities for the disabled, we will look into this topic at the same time.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I have a follow-up question regarding the Science Museum. Mr. Poon has just mentioned that special attention has been paid to the needs of the disabled. I would like to know whether there are any loading and unloading bay in the Science Museum so that people can get on and off the vehicles?
MR. ALBERT POON SHUN-KWOK (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I think this question is only related to parking services for the disabled. Parking arrangement for the public is another question. Although this is not a relevant question, it has been discussed by the Capital Works Select Committee as well as by other Committees. I think the conclusions reached will be made known to other councillors in due course.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese): I am afraid Mr. Poon has mis-understood my question. I am not asking about a parking problem. I want to know whether there are facilities for members of public to get on and off vehicles outside the Science Museum. At present, I understand that there is no such facility for the museum goers.
CHAIRMAN (in English): This question asks for the facilities for handicapped people, not for ordinary people. So would you ask the question in another open meeting?
8. MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese): This question concerns the Urban Council Kimberley Street Market. In September 1986, the Council approved the construction of the Kimberley Street Market and Refuse Collection Point, which has been completed for nearly three months. However, both are still left unused by the Department. As a result, the temporary refuse collection point at Kimberley Street has to remain in use and District Board members and residents of Yau Tsim District expressed their concern and lodged complaints for this. I would like to ask:
(a) whether the construction of Kimberley Street Market and Refuse Collection Point has been completed;
(b) if yes, why are they still left unused by the Department so far?
MR. ALBERT POON SHUN-KWOK, CHAIRMAN OF THE CAPITAL WORKS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese): As Members know, the site has been granted to a private developer who is required under the conditions of grant, to provide market facilities and a refuse collection point. Construction and associated works were completed by the developer in June this year. However, the premises have not yet been assigned to the Department and, until hand-over has been effected, it is not possible to bring the market facilities and the refuse collection point into operation.
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This delay in the assignment is because the necessary formalities for the lease modifications and Deed of Mutual Covenant have yet to be finalized. Until then it will unfortunately be necessary to continue to use the nearby temporary refuse collection point.
The Department is equally concerned about the delay and is in close liaison with the developer and the relevant Government authorities over the issue, helping to expedite action to complete the necessary formalities.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have three supplementary questions. Firstly, can Mr. Poon tell me when the assignment will take place? Can he give me a rough date? Secondly, once the assignment procedures have been completed, I would like to know when the Kimberly Street Market can be commissioned? Thirdly, in Yau Tsim District there is a rumour that the UC will relinquish the management of Kimberly Street Market and as a result there is a delay in the handover. So I would like to ask Mr. Poon to clarify whether this rumour is related to the delay? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. ALBERT POON SHUN-KWOK (in Cantonese): Concerning when the assignment can be completed, as far as I know, this will be effected after the Deed of Mutual Covenant has been signed. We expect that we need 2-3 months to sign the Deed of Mutual Covenant and once the Deed is signed, 3 weeks are required for the assignment to be completed. In response to the first question, I can say that it will take 3-4 months time to complete all the procedures and then the market can be commissioned. As to the rumour that the Urban Council will abandon the management of the Kimberly Street Market, my understanding is that the developer has asked the Buildings and Lands Department on this question and the Urban Council does not have a clear stand in this matter for the time being. I can tell Mr. Ip that if the Urban Council receives an invitation to abandon the management of this market, the Urban Council will no doubt receive documents from the USD and the relevant Select Committee will decide whether to give up the management of the Market or not.
CHAIRMAN (in English): Now we move on to question No. 10, asked by Jason YUEN.
10. MR. JASON YUEN KING-YUK asked the following question (in English): The Mid-Autumn Festival as a Chinese heritage tradition is essentially a festival of the lanterns and the recent trend of burning only naked candles in lieu of lit lanterns is obviously a deviation of the custom. As the burning of naked candles, especially in larger quantities, will create not only greater fire hazards to cause personnel and property injuries, but also contaminate the general physical environment of all the parks, gardens, beaches, and sitting-out areas, as evidenced by the burnt trees and turfed areas, the blackened and waxed surfaces of rocks, sand-pits, benches, steps and paved areas, etc., immediately after the Festival. Surprisingly, this non-traditional practice seems to have been allowed to repeat for
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existing arrangement and designs of UC facilities for the disabled, we will look into this topic at the same time.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I have a follow up question regarding the Science Museum. Mr. Poon has just mentioned that special attention has been paid to the needs of the disabled. I would like to know whether there are any loading and unloading bay in the Science Museum so that people can get on and off the vehicles?
MR. ALBERT POON SHUN-KWOK (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I think this question is only related to parking services for the disabled. Parking arrangement for the public is another question. Although this is not a relevant question, it has been discussed by the Capital Works Select Committee as well as by other Committees. I think the conclusions reached will be made known to other councillors in due course.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):-I am afraid Mr. PooN has mis- understood my question. I am not asking about a parking problem. I want to know whether there are facilities for members of public to get on and off vehicles outside the Science Museum. At present, I understand that there is no such facility for the museum goers.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-This question asks for the facilities for handicapped people, not for ordinary people. So would you ask the question in another open meeting?
8. MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):--This question concerns the Urban Council Kimberley Street Market. In September 1986, the Council approved the construction of the Kimberley Street Market and Refuse Collection Point, which has been completed for nearly three months. However, both are still left unused by the Department. As a result, the temporary refuse collection point at Kimberley Street has to remain in use and District Board members and residents of Yau Tsim District expressed their concern and lodged complaints for this. I would like to ask:
(a) whether the construction of Kimberley Street Market and Refuse Collection
Point has been completed;
(b) if yes, why are they still left unused by the Department so far?
MR. ALBERT POON SHUN-KWOK, CHAIRMAN OF THE CAPITAL WORKS SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-As Members know, the site has been granted to a private developer who is required under the conditions of grant, to provide market facilities and a refuse collection point. Construction and associated works were completed by the developer in June this year. However, the premises have not yet been assigned to the Department and, until hand-over has been effected, it is not possible to bring the market facilities and the refuse collection point into operation.
Page 75 of 126
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133
This delay in the assignment is because the necessary formalities for the lease modifications and Deed of Mutual Covenant have yet to be finalized. Until then it will unfortunately be necessary to continue to use the nearby temporary refuse collection point.
The Department is equally concerned about the delay and is in close liaison with the developer and the relevant Government authorities over the issue, helping to expedite action to complete the necessary formalities.
MR. IP KWOK-CHUNG (in Cantonese):-Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have three supplementary questions. Firstly, can Mr. Poon tell me when the assignment will take place? Can he give me a rough date? Secondly, once the assignment procedures have been completed, I would like to know when the Kimberly Street Market can be commissioned? Thirdly, in Yau Tsim District there is a rumour that the UC will relinquish the management of Kimberly Street Market and as a result there is a delay in the handover. So I would like to ask Mr. Poon to clarify whether this rumour is related to the delay? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
MR. ALBERT POON SHUN-KWOK (in Cantonese):-Concerning when the assignment can be completed, as far as I know, this will be effected after the Deed of Mutual Covenant has been signed. We expect that we need 2-3 months to sign the Deed of Mutual Covenant and once the Deed is signed, 3 weeks are required for the assignment to be completed. In response to the first question, I can say that it will take 3-4 months time to complete all the procedures and then the market can be commissioned. As to the rumour that the Urban Council will abandon the management of the Kimberly Street Market, my understanding is that the developer has asked the Buildings and Lands Department on this question and the Urban Council does not have a clear stand in this matter for the time being. I can tell Mr. Ip that if the Urban Council receives an invitation to abandon the management of this market, the Urban Council will no doubt receive documents from the USD and the relevant Select Committee will decide whether to give up the management of the Market
or not.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Now we move on to question No. 10, asked by Jason YUEN.
10. MR. JASON YUEN KING-YUK asked the following question (in English):- The Mid-Autumn Festival as a Chinese heritage tradition is essentially a festival of the lanterns and the recent trend of burning only naked candles in lieu of lit lanterns is obviously a deviation of the custom. As the burning of naked candles, especially in larger quantities, will create not only greater fire hazards to cause personnel and property injuries, but also contaminate the general physical environment of all the parks, gardens, beaches, and sitting-out areas, as evidenced by the burnt trees and turfed areas, the blackened and waxed surfaces of rocks, sand-pits, benches, steps and paved areas, etc., immediately after the Festival. Surprisingly, this non-traditional practice seems to have been allowed to repeat for
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