Page 525 of 654
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
Hong Kong SAR Government has never looked at town planning from this angle. The Urban Council does not have such a perspective either, nor has it tried to exercise its influence by lobbying the Government in this respect. Let me cite an example. If we have such a perspective, we can actually request the Government to allocate a prime site for the construction of a museum of contemporary arts. However, we have not done so but just identified Kowloon Park as the only possible siting option. It is in fact undesirable to have a museum of contemporary arts in a park which will reduce the park's open space and green area.
The same problems are found in the development of sports facilities. In respect of central facilities, we have not fought for a designated area with the provision of arenas and complementary supporting services for holding international games so that Hong Kong will have a better chance to host international events. Hong Kong needs a full-sized swimming complex and a tennis centre. Is Victoria Park the only site available for this purpose? If more major facilities are to be provided in Victoria Park which is the lung of the city, it will only reduce our green areas further. In the light of this, the Council should take the initiative in town planning. As regards our public building projects, most of the planning and construction works are still entrusted to the Architectural Services Department. While we do not have a good knowledge of the qualities of public buildings, the use of public space and the importance of architectural art to urban development as well as its social functions, we are not willing to openly accept the involvement of the architectural profession and the public. We keep on allowing, under the existing bureaucratic system, stereotyped buildings to be built one after another at huge costs that even exceed those of private buildings. From the Hong Kong Museum of History to the Central Library and even the recent Victoria Park Redevelopment Plan, I am terribly sorry to find that proposals for open design competitions have been aborted one after another. We do not see that public buildings can indeed reflect the cultural standard of a city and upgrade its international image. It is also an asset that will be passed to our next generation. In France, a special government organisation has been set up to monitor the quality and quantity of public building projects and to hold open design competitions regularly. In Japan, the architectural design of a museum by Mr. PEI Ioh-ming is highly applauded by the Times Magazine regardless of its small size. In the light of the above, I believe that the Council should have a macroscopic perspective in the planning and construction of cultural facilities.
On monitoring the operation of the Urban Services Department, I suppose I do not need to elaborate on the various incidents that brought changes to the relationship between the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department last year and triggered distrust in each other, leading to communication problems in the discharge of our duties. The crux of the problem lies in the actual relationship between the Council and the Department. On the face of it, the Council is the decision-maker playing the role of the board of directors
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520
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
Hong Kong SAR Government has never looked at town planning from this angle. The Urban Council does not have such a perspective either, nor has it tried to exercise its influence by lobbying the Government in this respect. Let me cite an example. If we have such a perspective, we can actually request the Government to allocate a prime site for the construction of a museum of contemporary arts. However, we have not done so but just identified Kowloon Park as the only possible siting option. It is in fact undesirable to have a muscum of contemporary arts in a park which will reduce the park's open space and green area.
The same problems are found in the development of sports facilities. In respect of central facilities, we have not fought for a designated area with the provision of arenas and complementary supporting services for holding international games so that Hong Kong will have a better chance to host international events. Hong Kong needs a full-sized swimming complex and a tennis centre. Is Victoria Park the only site available for this purpose? If more major facilities are to be provided in Victoria Park which is the lung of the city, it will only reduce our green areas further. In the light of this, the Council should take the initiative in town planning. As regards our public building projects, most of the planning and construction works are still entrusted to the Architectural Services Department. While we do not have a good knowledge of the qualities of public buildings, the use of public space and the importance of architectural art to urban development as well as its social functions, we are not willing to openly accept the involvement of the architectural profession and the public. We keep on allowing, under the existing bureaucratic system, stereotyped buildings to be built one after another at huge costs that even exceed those of private buildings. From the Hong Kong Museum of History to the Central Library and even the recent Victoria Park Redevelopment Plan, I am terribly sorry to find that proposals for open design competitions have been aborted one after another. We do not see that public buildings can indeed reflect the cultural standard of a city and upgrade its international image. It is also an asset that will be passed to our next generation. In France, a special government organisation has been set up to monitor the quality and quantity of public building projects and to hold open design competitions regularly. In Japan, the architectural design of a museum by Mr. PEI leoh-ming is highly applauded by the Times Magazine regardless of its small size. In the light of the above, I believe that the Council should have a macroscopic perspective in the planning and construction of cultural facilities.
On monitoring the operation of the Urban Services Department, I suppose I do not need to elaborate on the various incidents that brought changes to the relationship between the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department last year and triggered distrust in each other, leading to communication problems in the discharge of our duties. The crux of the problem lies in the actual relationship between the Council and the Department. On the face of it, the Council is the decision-maker playing the role of the board of directors
Page 525 of 654.
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Page 526 of 654
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