HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
(2) MR. ALBERT LAI WING-LIN asked (in Cantonese):-
(a) What conditions and criteria are adopted in working out the schedule of opening and closing hours of the Council's public toilets?
(b) During the cleaning sessions of public toilets, what arrangements are made to meet the urgent needs of users?
(c) Are public toilets in some beaches closed during non-swimming seasons? What are the reasons?'
Dr. Ronald Leung Ding-bong, Chairman of the Working Group on Public Toilets, replied (in Cantonese):—As the Chairman of the Working Group on Public Toilets, I would reply as follows:
This three-part question concerns the opening and closing hours of the Council's public toilets.
The Provisional Urban Council provides 161 public toilets in the urban area. They are open 24 hours a day throughout the year. The Council also provides toilets in public pleasure grounds, bathing beaches, public markets and cooked food centres. Toilets at these venues usually have fixed opening hours, which are related to the opening hours of the venues themselves.
Whenever practical, the toilets remain open to users during the cleansing process. However, where the toilets are cleansed by the opposite sex, they will be closed temporarily for a very short period during the cleansing process, with appropriate notices/signages provided at the entrances to notify the public. Cleaners are always reminded to re-open the toilets for public use immediately after the completion of the cleansing work to minimize any inconvenience caused to the public. In case of urgent needs during the cleansing sessions, users may use the disabled toilets when available. Alternatively, they may approach the cleansing staff to try to accommodate their urgent needs.
As regards normal free standing public toilets provided at bathing beaches, they are open for public use throughout the year. However, most toilets at bathing beaches are located inside the changing blocks which will be closed during the non-swimming season. For practical and security reasons, the toilets are also closed when the bathing blocks are closed.
Mr. Albert Lai Wing-Lin (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I have a follow-up question. Are cleaning sessions of the toilets on the beaches managed by the Council scheduled to tie in with the peak utilization periods? Take the Repulse Bay for instance. The utilization rate is often higher in certain periods, but it is during these periods that the toilets are closed for cleaning. I have heard of a joke about a cleansing worker shouting 'fei lai' (indecent assault) in a closed toilet. Such a joke arose from the pressing need to answer the call of nature, as Mr. Chairman mentioned just now. Can cleaning sessions be scheduled outside the peak utilization periods?
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578
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
(2) MR. ALBERT LAI WING-LIN asked (in Cantonese):-
(a) What conditions and criteria are adopted in working out the schedule of
opening and closing hours of the Council's public toilets?
(b) During the cleaning sessions of public toilets, what arrangements are
made to meet the urgent needs of users?
(c) Are public toilets in some beaches closed during non-swimming seasons?
What are the reasons?'
Dr. Ronald Leung Ding-bong, Chairman of the Working Group oN PUBLIC TOILETS, replied (in Cantonese):—As the Chairman of the Working Group on Public Toilets, I would reply as follows:
This three-part question concerns the opening and closing hours of the Council's public toilets.
The Provisional Urban Council provides 161 public toilets in the urban area. They are open 24 hours a day throughout the year. The Council also provides toilets in public pleasure grounds, bathing beaches, public markets and cooked food centres. Toilets at these venues usually have fixed opening hours, which are related to the opening hours of the venues themselves.
Whenever practical, the toilets remain open to users during the cleansing process. However, where the toilets are cleansed by the opposite sex, they will be closed temporarily for a very short period during the cleansing process, with appropriate notices/signages provided at the entrances to notify the public. Cleaners are always reminded to re-open the toilets for public use immediately after the completion of the cleansing work to minimize any inconvenience caused to the public. In case of urgent needs during the cleansing sessions, users may use the disabled toilets when available. Alternatively, they may approach the cleansing staff to try to accommodate their urgent needs.
As regards normal free standing public toilets provided at bathing beaches, they are open for public use throughout the year. However, most toilets at bathing beaches are located inside the changing blocks which will be closed during the non-swimming season. For practical and security reasons, the toilets are also closed when the bathing blocks are closed.
Mr. Albert Lai Wing-Lin (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I have a follow-up question. Are cleaning sessions of the toilets on the beaches managed by the Council scheduled to tie in with the peak utilization periods? Take the Repulse Bay for instance. The utilization rate is often higher in certain periods, but it is during these periods that the toilets are closed for cleaning. I have heard of a joke about a cleansing worker shouting 'fei lai' (indecent assault) in a closed toilet. Such a joke arose from the pressing need to answer the call of nature, as Mr. Chairman mentioned just now. Can cleaning sessions be scheduled outside the peak utilization periods?
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