Summary of Notes of the 9th Meeting of the
Central & Western District Council (C&W DC)
On 14 May 2009
(1) Meeting the Under Secretary for Home Affairs
The Under Secretary for Home Affairs briefed members on the work of the Home
Affairs Bureau, which included communicating with the Legislative Council and district
organizations, promoting cultural developments, providing policy support to the
development of cultural software, and promoting social enterprises.
Members were
concerned about the accommodation of the traders affected by the redevelopment of Bridges
Street Market. They suggested allocating more resources to support property owners and
educate them about their legal responsibilities. A member suggested bringing in business
expertise to increase the commercial elements of social enterprises and supporting
elderly-oriented uniform groups. Another member suggested giving local famous artists a
chance to promote the West Kowloon Arts and Cultural District and filming local customs
and cultural practices for documentation.
The Under Secretary for Home Affairs
responded to all the questions and suggestions raised by members with appreciations.
(2) Meeting the Director of Civil Engineering and Development
The Director of Civil Engineering and Development introduced the organisation
structure and four main work areas of the Civil Engineering and Development Department
(CEDD).
He listed out the land, infrastructure, port and marine projects undertaken by
CEDD and pointed out that the department’s geotechnical services targeted at reinforcing all
the high-risk man-made slopes, which endangered trunk road and existing developments,
before the end of 2010. Next year, the target would be shifted to the reinforcement of
medium-risk man-made slopes and risk assessment of natural slopes. The Director said
106734990
1
that CEDD operated a mechanism with the Hong Kong Observatory, which made landslip
forecast in times of bad weather and issued warnings accordingly. CEDD’s environmental
and sustainability services aimed at developing comprehensive greening master plans and
identifying proper greening locations, theme and species for continuous and consistent
greening effect. CEDD was also responsible for the management of construction waste,
which included stockpiling of re-usable waste and public fill. The representative of CEDD
introduced the five major projects undertaking in the Central & Western District, which
included landslide preventive works, demolition and decontamination works at Kennedy
Town incineration plant and abattoir, and the engineering, drainage and land protection
works related to Central Reclamation Phase III. He also reported the greening progress of
the Central & Western District.
Several members praised the department for its consultation for greening projects,
greening effect and the demolition and decontamination works at Kennedy Town
incineration plant and abattoir.
Members suggested increasing tree species, growing
accent plants, greening the walls underneath flyovers and inviting local artists to beautify
the soil nails on slopes.
Members were also concerned about the final design, work
schedule and maintenance liabilities of the Western District greening project.
A member
suggested sending SMS to owners’ corporations or district councilors of the affected areas
after issuing landslip warnings and notifying district councilors and residents before
conducting annoying works. A member suggested that assistance and advisory services
related to private slopes should be provided for owners’ corporations. A member was
concerned whether piling works of the new developments in Mid-levels would endanger
nearby slopes. The Director addressed all the concerns in detail and thanked members for
their views and proposals.
(3) Progress of the MTR West Island Line (WIL) Project
The representative of MTR reported that WIL project would commence in the
middle of this year at the earliest and schedule for completion in 2014. He also updated
members on the tendering process, expected commencement and completion dates of each
engineering project.
106734990
Another representative of MTR said that three community liaison
2
groups would be set up according to the boundary of the three WIL stations to provide a
direct communication channel between the residents and MTR and to address residents’
concerns over the construction works.
Then she explained the composition of the
community liaison groups and MTR’s plan to launch a public arts project for the decoration
of the stations in the themes of “Passion for the Island West” and “Impression of the
Western District”.
The art project aimed at reflecting local characteristics and encouraging
public participation.
Members were concerned about when exactly MTR’s funding application would
be approved by the Legislative Council and the work schedule of WIL. A member was
concerned about the time table of MTR’s occupation and return of local open space.
Several members supported the proposal to promote local culture and arts and engaging the
public in the decoration of MTR stations.
Members also exchanged views on whether they
had liberty to join and attend any meetings of community liaison groups. A member was
worried that major works were scheduled to be implemented by MTR, Water Supplies
Department and Drainage Services Department during the same period, if not well
coordinated, would disturb the life of residents.
The representative of the Transport and Housing Bureau said that MTR’s funding
application was expected to be submitted to the Legislative Council for approval before the
summer recess of the current legislative session. The representative of MTR welcomed all
members to attend the meetings of the three community liaison groups. She also agreed to
increase the representation of local dignitaries based on the advice of the District Officer
(Central & Western).
The Chairman requested MTR to inform residents and the Leisure
and Cultural Services Department (LSCD) when LCSD’s facilities would be closed as soon
as possible to reduce complaints.
After discussion, the meeting adopted the following
motion:
Motion: C&WDC strongly requests MTR to keep its promise to commence the construction
of the West Island Line in mid-June and complete the works in 2014.
(4) Police’s concern about the non-ethnic Chinese
106734990
3
District Commander (Central) said that the incident on which a Nepalese male was
shot dead would be investigated in a fair, open and impartial manner.
She said that
building a trustful and cooperative relationship with the non-ethnic Chinese community had
always received high attention from the Police. An ad-hoc working group had been set up
to review the policies and work procedures related to non-ethnic Chinese. Besides, social
integration programmes had been launched for non-ethnic Chinese teenagers in the Central
and Western police districts. She reiterated that all non-ethnic Chinese cases would be
dealt with in a fair and impartial manner.
The Police would also keep in touch with the
non-ethnic Chinese community to maintain a cooperative relationship.
Members praised the Police for taking the initiatives in briefing C&WDC on the
policies and maintaining communication with the non-ethnic Chinese communities.
A
member suggested recruiting non-Chinese nationalities to facilitate communication with the
non-ethnic Chinese communities.
Several members advised the Police to utilize the
support of C&WDC to organize social activities for the non-ethnic Chinese and to involve
local leaders and DC members in social integrating activities. The representative of the
Police pointed out that recruitment was subject to the basic entry requirements of the civil
service.
Instead, non-ethnic Chinese would be involved in crowd control and
communication services on a voluntary basis. District Officer (Central & Western) said
that the district office would keep up its efforts in integrating the non-ethnic Chinese into
the local community.
(5) Strong request for integrating “elderly-friendly” factors into the internal guidelines of
government departments to ensure that public facilities will be more elderly-friendly in
the future
Several members pointed out that in view of the aging population, the government
should take elderly-friendly factors into consideration and consult local residents and
organizations in designing public facilities.
A member suggested installing toilets inside
MTR stations to cater for the elderly and increasing the ratio and space of female toilets.
After the representatives of government departments responded to members’ questions, the
Chairman asked the Architectural Services Department to provide information about the 17
106734990
4
government buildings selected for improvement works.
He said that C&WDC would
follow up the matters related to providing toilets in MTR stations through the community
liaison groups.
(6) Proposal on the transformation and revitalisation of the Western Wholesale Food
Market
Government departments responded to member’s supplementary questions related
to the proposal.
The representative of the Development Bureau (DB) said that the Harbour
Unit set up on 1st April 2009 was dedicated to coordinate harbour planning and development
matters.
According to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD),
the proposal to allow public access to Fung Mai Road was feasible if railings were installed
in the piers for public safety and non-occupied facilities repaired.
Several members
opposed to the decision to let the non-occupied facilities to the Hong Kong Post to set up a
delivery office without consulting the C&W DC. The representative of AFCD explained
that the decision was made after seeking other government departments’ views on their
requirement for the non-occupied facilities through the Government Property Agency.
AFCD was willing to re-consider the use of the non-occupied facilities.
The Chairman and several members were dissatisfied that AFCD did not consult
C&WDC for the let.
The representative of the Western Wholesale Food Market
Association also expressed dissatisfaction that neither the association nor the tenants was
consulted for the let.
He supported putting the non-occupied facilities to good use and
allowing public access to some of the piers, provided that the safety of tenants’ properties
would not be jeopardized.
Generally in support of revitalising and transforming the
wholesale market, members suggested turning it into a fruit or seafood distribution centre.
They also suggested replacing the closed-door management approach by allowing public
access, which could link up a waterfront promenade from the Central to the Western district.
Members also advised AFCD to discuss the stall integration matters with the tenants.
The representative of DB said that revitalising the wholesale market and utilizing
non-occupied piers would be one of the priority work areas of the Harbour Unit next year.
106734990
5
C&WDC would be consulted at the preliminary stage.
The Chairman concluded that
C&WDC supported revitalizing the harbour-front and linking up the waterfront promenade
from the Central to the Western district.
He also reiterated that C&WDC opposed to
letting the non-occupied facilities of the wholesale market to the Hong Kong Post.
(7) Concern over the grading of the historic buildings in the Central & Western District
The Chairman said that five C&WDC members would attend the consultative
meeting held by the Antiquities Board on 8 June 2009 to further discuss the proposed
grading of 1 444 historic buildings.
The meeting then went on to discuss the following
programme proposals: (1) & (2) Photo competition and exhibition of the historic buildings
in the Central & Western District; (3) Election of My Favourite Historic Building; (4)
Guided tours of Graded Historic Buildings; and (5) Historic Heritage Workshops.
It was
resolved that proposals (1), (2) and (4) would be organised by the Conservancy Association
Heritage Centre with Hong Kong Jockey Club funding and co-organised by C&WDC and
the Central & Western District Office (C&WDO).
While Proposal (3) was rejected, its
funding would be allocated to organizing workshops on “50 private historic buildings newly
short-listed for grading”. The workshops aimed at introducing the grading procedures and
collecting public views.
(8) Pak Tsz Lane revitalisation scheme by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA)
The representative of URA submitted the above proposal to seek government
departments’ agreement to share the responsibilities in coordination/ approval/ repair/
maintenance related to the Pak Tsz Lane public space. It was proposed that C&WDO or
LCSD would coordinate the repair and maintenance of the entire public space.
pointed out that the retaining walls in the public space needed to be repaired.
He also
While URA
agreed to bear the cost for repair and maintenance of public retaining walls, it might have to
use different materials for reinforcement.
The private property owners would be held
responsible for the private retaining walls in the revitalization area.
In support of the revitalization scheme, District Officer (Central & Western) said
106734990
6
that C&WDO neither had the resources nor expertise to coordinate the management of the
entire public space.
Instead, LCSD had agreed to take over the maintenance responsibility
of the entire public space. It would consider sharing the reparation cost while seeking
URA’s agreement to share the recurrent expenditure.
In conclusion, URA would be
responsible for the coordination, design, financial commitments and construction of the Pat
Tsz Lane public space while LCSD the future management, maintenance and repair.
Several members expressed their support to the revitalization scheme, as well as to
the proposals to re-build historical stone walls and reinforce retaining walls.
Worried that
dilapidated private retaining walls would hinder the overall revitalization progress, a
member asked how private property owners would be assisted to repair their retaining walls
within the revitalizing area.
The representative of URA replied that all private retaining
walls located at Sam Ka Lane and therefore would not hinder the works in the Pak Tsz Lane
public space.
The Vice Chairman concluded that hopefully the project could be
commenced on schedule in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Revolution.
Secretariat of the Central & Western District Council
August 2009
106734990
7