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new stadium will continue to be managed by this Council. According to some sources, the Sports Development Board will take over its management. If this is the case, then it is nothing shocked of seizing our venue. According to section 4.7 of the Memorandum of Administrative Arrangements reached between the Government and Urban Council in 1973, the Government is responsible for financing and construction of the following types of facilities while the responsibility of management will be vested in the Council. The 5 types are:
(1) Abattoirs.
(2) Crematoria and Cemeteries.
(3) Civic Centres.
(4) Museum and Art Galleries
(5) Stadia.
Thus, the Government will be violating the law if the re-developed Stadium is not handed over to the Urban Council for management.
If the Government is bent on having its own way and stubbornly refuses to respect public opinion and the Urban Council, Mr. Chairman, I will on another occasion move another motion in order to uphold public interest and to discharge our duty of serving the public. This Council should apply for an injunction from the court prohibiting anybody or any organization from carrying out re-development and maintenance works in venues legitimately managed by the Urban Council without the Council's prior approval.
Mr. Chairman, this Council has served Hong Kong people for 108 years. In the past, we have maintained a good relationship with the Central Government. We generally want to preserve this good partnership. We don't want anything causing embarrassment between the Urban Council and the Government to happen. Yet, in Hong Kong where we practise rule by laws, everybody must abide by the laws and respect the laws.
Mr. Chairman, in view of the lack of information and papers, it is difficult to express views on the entire re-development project. Thus, I now move the motion standing under my name: 'Resolved that the Council's serious concern regarding the lack of consultation with this Council and other relevant organizations on the re-development proposal for the Hong Kong Stadium which excludes the re-provisioning of existing running track, but includes proposed new facilities be conveyed to the Government and that the Government be urged to enter into prompt discussion with this Council on the project particularly regarding the provision of the running track and management of the proposed new facilities.'
Mr. Chairman, I move the motion.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—As the proposer, you have the right of reply at the end of the motion debate. So, may I ask the seconder of this motion to second the motion. Mr. CHAN Kwok-ming.
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MR. CHAN KWOK-MING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I support the motion. Mr. Chairman, the Hong Kong Stadium has been called the Stadium of Hong Kong people. It already has a history of 34 years and has contributed much to the development of athletic sports among our young people. Now the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club would like to use 850 million dollars to redevelop Hong Kong Stadium without the retention of the athletic track. This has stimulated a lot of criticism and objection from all the primary, secondary schools and many sports athletic associations. They are afraid that without the track, they would have to cancel their athletic meets annually. And this will adversely affect the athletic development of our schools in Hong Kong. I think they have valid grounds to fight for the retention of the athletic track. First of all, they believe that they really need the track. Actually, on Hong Kong Island, 160,000 school children rely on the Hong Kong Stadium to hold their athletic meets or inter-schools competitions. We can say the main user of the stadium is schools. If they cannot use the Stadium, then one-third of the schools on Hong Kong Island have to cancel their athletic meets altogether. I think this will be a severe blow to the development of athletic sport in Hong Kong. Some people say that we still have the Wan Chai Sports Ground and Aberdeen Sports Ground. But we have to understand that the Wan Chai Sports Ground only allows Grade 1 and 2 schools to use and primary schools are not allowed to use the Wan Chai Sports Grounds which only has around 3,000 seats and it is not adequate to accommodate schools for holding inter-school competitions. Besides, its utilization rate is already very high for schools. As regards the Aberdeen Sports Ground, it only has around 300 to 400 seats. The Education Department announced last year that over 40 schools had applied for use of the Aberdeen Sports Ground. The days in use amounted to around 80 days. Except days closed for maintenance, public holidays and school holidays, the Aberdeen Sports Ground has been used for athletic meets for around five months. Even if more seats are provided in the Aberdeen Sports Ground, I don't think it can meet the needs of all schools on Hong Kong Island. The Jockey Club has announced that with the deletion of the athletic track from the Hong Kong Stadium, they can save 100 million dollars. But I think the cost of 100 million dollars to retain the running track is worthy because all schools on Hong Kong Island really need this athletic track. I am sure that the sum of 100 million dollars is only a minimal sum to the Jockey Club. If the field track is deleted, it would be very difficult to explain to school children and parents why we allow the Rugby Seven which only uses 2 days of the Hong Kong Stadium to be held there every year. After redevelopment, the Hong Kong Stadium would be very luxurious as it has a lot of luxurious boxes and other luxurious facilities. I believe in future only big corporations or private companies would be able to make use of the Hong Kong Stadium and schools would not be able to afford it. I am afraid that after redevelopment, the Hong Kong Stadium would become a private club. If the Jockey Club doesn't want to turn it into a private club, I don't understand why the athletic track is deleted. We do not have a lot of big entertainment venues in Hong Kong. We only have the Hong Kong Coliseum and Q.E. Stadium and I believe that indoor stadia are better than
Page 84 of 126
Page 84 of 126
146
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
new stadium will continue to be managed by this Council. According to some sources, the Sports Development Board will take over its management. If this is the case, then it is nothing shocked of seizing our venue. According to section 4.7 of the Memorandum of Administrative Arrangements reached between the Government and Urban Council in 1973, the Government is responsible for financing and construction of the following types of facilities while the responsibility of management will be vested in the Council. The 5 types are:
(1) Abattoirs.
(2) Crematoria and Cemeteries.
(3) Civic Centres.
(4) Museum and Art Galleries
(5) Stadia.
Thus, the Government will be violating the law if the re-developed Stadium is not handed over to the Urban Council for management.
If the Government is bent on having its own way and stubbornly refuses to respect public opinion and the Urban Council, Mr. Chairman, I will on another occasion move another motion in order to uphold public interest and to discharge our duty of serving the public. This Council should apply for an injunction from the court prohibiting anybody or any organization from carrying out re-development and maintenance works in venues legitimately managed by the Urban Council without the Council's prior approval.
Mr. Chairman, this Council has served Hong Kong people for 108 years. In the past, we have maintained a good relationship with the Central Government. We generally want to preserve this good partnership. We don't want anything causing embarrasment between the Urban Council and the Government to happen. Yet, in Hong Kong where we practise rule by laws, everybody must abide by the laws and respect the laws.
Mr. Chairman, in view of the lack of information and papers, it is difficult to express views on the entire re-development project. Thus, I now move the motion standing under my name: 'Resolved that the Council's serious concern regarding the lack of consultation with this Council and other relevant organizations on the re-development proposal for the Hong Kong Stadium which excludes the re-provisioning of existing running track, but includes proposed new facilities be conveyed to the Government and that the Government be urged to enter into prompt discussion with this Council on the project particularly regarding the provision of the running track and management of the proposed new facilities.'
Mr. Chairman, I move the motion.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—As the proposer, you have the right of reply at the end of the motion debate. So, may I ask the seconder of this motion to second the motion. Mr. CHAN Kwok-ming.
Page 84 of 126
!
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 84 of 126
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MR. CHAN KWOK-MING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I support the motion. Mr. Chairman, the Hong Kong Stadium has been called the Stadium of Hong Kong people. It already has a history of 34 years and has contributed much to the development of athletic sports among our young people. Now the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club would like to use 850 million dollars to redevelop Hong Kong Stadium without the retention of the athletic track. This has stimulated a lot of criticism and objection from all the primary, secondary schools and many sports athletic associations. They are afraid that without the track, they would have to cancel their athletic meets annually. And this will adversely affect the athletic dévelopment of our schools in Hong Kong. I think they have valid grounds to fight for the retention of the athletic track. First of all, they believe that they really need the track. Actually, on Hong Kong Island, 160 000 school children rely on the Hong Kong Stadium to hold their athletic meets or inter-schools competitions. We can say the main user of the stadium is schools. If they cannot use the Stadium, then one-third of the schools on Hong Kong Island have to cancel their athletic meets altogether. I think this will be a severe blow to the development of athletic sport in Hong Kong. Some people say that we still have the Wan Chai Sports Ground and Aberdeen Sports Ground. But we have to understand that the Wan Chai Sports Ground only allows Grade 1 and 2 schools to use and primary schools are not allowed to use the Wan Chai Sports Grounds which only has around 3 000 seats and it is not adequate to accomodiate schools for holding inter-school competitions. Besides, its utilization rate is already very high for schools. As regards the Aberdeen Sports Ground, it only has around 300 to 400 seats. The Education Department announced last year that over 40 schools had applied for use of the Aberdeen Sports Ground. The days in use amounted to around 80 days. Except days closed for maintenance, public holidays and school holidays, the Aberdeen Sports Ground has been used for athletic meets for around five months. Even if more seats are provided in the Aberdeen Sports Ground, I don't think it can meet the needs of all schools on Hong Kong Island. The Jockey Club has announced that with the deletion of the athletic track from the Hong Kong Stadium, they can save 100 million dollars. But I think the cost of 100 million dollars to retain the running track is worthy because all schools on Hong Kong Island really need this athletic track. I am sure that the sum of 100 million dollars is only a minimal sum to the Jockey Club. If the field track is deleted, it would be very difficult to explain to school children and parents why we allow the Rugby Seven which only uses 2 days of the Hong Kong Stadium to be held there every year. After redevelopment, the Hong Kong Stadium would be very luxurious as it has a lot of luxurious boxes and other luxurious facilities. I believe in future only big corporations or private companies would be able to make use of the Hong Kong Stadium and schools would not be able to afford it. I am afraid that after redevelopment, the Hong Kong Stadium would become a private club. If the Jockey Club doesn't want to turn it into a private club, I don't understand why the athletic track is deleted. We do not have a lot of big entertainment venues in Hong Kong. We only have the Hong Kong Coliseum and Q.E. Stadium and I believe that indoor stadia are better than
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