Minutes of the 3rd Meeting of
District Facilities Management Committee (2014-15)
Central and Western District Council
Date: 12 June 2014 (Thursday)
Time: 2:30 pm
Venue: Conference Room
14/F., Harbour Building
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
Present:
Chairman:
Mr CHAN Choi-hi*
Vice-chairman:
Mr CHAN Ho-lim, Joseph*
Members:
Mr CHAN Chit-kwai, BBS, JP*Mr CHAN Hok-fung*
Ms CHENG Lai-king*
Mr CHEUNG Kwok-kwan / (2:55 pm – end of the meeting)
Mr CHEUNG Yick-hung, Jackie*
Mr HUI Chi-fung / (2:50 pm – end of the meeting)
Mr IP Kwok-him, GBS, JP / (4:07 pm – end of the meeting)
Mr KAM Nai-wai, MH*
Dr Malcolm LAM*
Miss LO Yee-hang / (3:39 pm – 4:00pm)
Mr MAN Chi-wah, MH*
Mr NG Siu-keung, Thomas, MH, JP / (beginning of meeting – 4:00pm)
Miss SIU Ka-yi*
Mr WONG Kin-shing*
Mr YIP Wing-shing, BBS, MH, JP*
Remarks: * Members who attended the whole meeting
( ) Time of attendance of Members
Item 4:Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Daphne
Mr LOK Chun-chung, Francis / Senior Librarian (Central and Western),
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Engineer (Central & Western 1), Transport Department
Item 5:
Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Daphne
Ms LI Ting, Jacqueline / Senior Librarian (Central and Western),
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Librarian (Shek Tong Tsui Public Library),
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Items 6-8:
Mr NGAN Siu-ming, George
Ms CHOW Pui-shan, Cindy / District Leisure Manager (Central and Western),
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) Central and Western, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Item 9:
Ms LAI Yuen-ping, Rita
Mr NG Man-to, Nuffield
Mr HUI Yat-yiu / District Secretary, Central and Western District Office
Engineer/Transport, Security & Central Services 4/3,
Electrical & Mechanical Services Department
Assistant Electronics Inspector/Transport,
Security & Central Services 4/25,
Electrical & Mechanical Services Department
Items 10-11:
Mr CHAN Yat-kin, Kaiser / Liaison Officer i/c (District Facilities and Community
Involvement), Central and Western District Office
Item 12:
Mr NGAN Siu-ming, George
Ms CHOW Pui-shan, Cindy / District Leisure Manager (Central and Western),
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) Central and Western, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Item 13:
Ms YEUNG Lai-ching, Regent
Mr HO Man-lung, Clark
Mr NGAN Siu-ming, George
Ms CHOW Pui-shan, Cindy / Senior Executive Officer (District Management),
Central and Western District Office
Executive Officer (District Management),
Central and Western District Office
District Leisure Manager (Central and Western),
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support), Central and Western, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Item 14:
Ms CHOW Pui-shan, Cindy
Mr HO Man-lung, Clark / Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) Central and Western, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Executive Officer (District Management),
Central and Western District Office
In Attendance:
Miss CHOW Ho-kiu, Cheryl,
JP / District Officer (Central and Western)
Mr CHAN Yun-man, Winston / Assistant District Officer (Central and Western)
Ms WONG Ming-wai / Senior Executive Officer (District Council),
Central and Western District Office
Ms YEUNG Lai-ching, Regent / Senior Executive Officer (District Management),
Central and Western District Office
Mr HO Man-lung, Clark / Executive Officer (District Management),
Central and Western District Office
Mr CHAN Yat-kin, Kaiser / Liaison Officer i/c (District Facilities and Community
Involvement), Central and Western District Office
Ms CHAN Shuk-hing, Daphne / Senior Librarian (Central and Western),
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Mr CHAU Ngai-kwong, Alee / Principal Estate Officer/LEU (Hong Kong), Lands Department
Mr LIU King-tong / Chairman, Chung Wan and Mid-levels Area Committee
Mr LAM Chun-fung / Chairman, Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui Area Committee
Secretary:
Miss KWOK Ka-man, Kaman / Executive Officer (District Council) 4,
Central and Western District Office
Absent with Apologies:
Mr LEE Chi-hang, Sidney
Opening Remarks
1. The Chairman welcomed Members and representatives from government departments to the 3rd meeting of the District Facilities Management Committee (DFMC) (2014-15).
Item 1: Adoption of the Agenda
(2:31 pm)
2. The Committee adopted the revised agenda.
Item 2: Confirmation of the Minutes of the 2nd DFMC Meeting of the Central and Western District Held on 3 April 2014
(2:33 pm)
3. The minutes of the 2nd meeting were confirmed.
Item 3: Chairman’s Report
(2:33 – 2:34 pm)
4. The Chairman had nothing particular to highlight.
Item 4: Action Checklist on Matters Arising from the 2nd DFMC Meeting of the Central and Western District
(C&W DFMC Paper No. 38/2014)
(2:34 pm – 2:49 pm)
5. The Committee noted the paper.
6. The Chairman asked Members to raise questions on the written response of the Transport Department (TD) concerning the plan to strengthen mobile library service in the Central &Western (C&W) District.
7. Mr MAN Chi-wah enquired of the TD whether it would seek legal advice on and publish in gazette the provision of signs for time-specific parking spaces at Sheung Wan Cultural Square. If the proposal was feasible, the improvement works to Sheung Wan Cultural Square could be designed to match with the proposal.
8. Mr Francis LOK, Engineer (Central & Western 1) of the TD said that the internal advice of the TD had been sought earlier. He pointed out that the parking sign for the space to be used by the mobile library van had to be implemented on a whole-day basis as the restriction denoted could not be time-specific.
9. Ms Daphne CHAN, Senior Librarian (Central and Western) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) said that mobile library vans only provided service for two days every month. The adoption of the parking sign currently used by the TD meant that other vehicles could no longer use that parking space on the remaining days. This would affect other road users and the LCSD had great reservation on this approach. She said that the department had considered a number of factors in suggesting the mobile library van be parked at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park.
10. Mr CHAN Chit-kwai hoped that the TD could reserve a parking space at Sheung Wan Cultural Square for the LCSD on days where the mobile library van provided service.
11. Miss SIU Ka-yi enquired whether the TD had the manpower to assist in the reservation work.
12. Mr MAN Chi-wah said that time-specific traffic signs had been provisioned on Hillier Street and Caine Road respectively. He questioned for the reasons why the TD could not provide signs with specified parking periods.
13. Mr KAM Nai-wai said that the pedestrian flow of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park was low. Inconvenient for the public, the park was not a desirable location for providing mobile library service. He said that the TD had been using signs with specific implementation period, e.g. signs for pedestrian precincts and enquired about the reasons why such signs could not be provisioned at Sheung Wan Cultural Square.
14. Mr Francis LOK of the TD said that the department had no mechanism for the reservation of roadside parking spaces which were available to users on a first-come-first-served basis. He further said that if Members requested for the provision of signs with specified implementation periods for the parking space of the mobile library van, the views of relevant sections of the department had to be sought first. He supplemented that departments like the Environmental Protection Department and the Independent Commission Against Corruption had previously parked publicity vans at Sheung Wan Cultural Square. These departments would submit temporary traffic arrangement proposals to the TD and the Hong Kong Police Force for consideration.
15. The Chairman requested Mr Francis LOK of the TD to reconsider the provision of time-specific parking space for mobile library van at Sheung Wan Cultural Square. He also suggested the LCSD apply to the TD for the implementation of temporary traffic arrangements on the days the mobile library van provided service.
16. Ms Daphne CHAN of the LCSD said that even if the TD approved the temporary use of parking space at that location, it only meant that they noted that a mobile library van would be parked there for a long time on some days. The parking space was still available to all users on a first-come-first-served basis. If the parking space was occupied by another vehicle, the mobile library van would have to cancel service on that day.
Item 5: Fund Application of District Minor Works Projects - Enhancement of the Projector System in the Extension Activities Room of the City Hall Public Library
(C&W DFMC Paper No. 42/2014)
(2:49 – 2:52 pm)
17. Ms Daphne CHAN of the LCSD presented the paper to the Committee and proposed to enhance the projector system in the extension activities room of the City Hall Public Library.
18. Mr CHAN Chit-kwai said that he supported the project. However, the DFMC could, according to its terms of reference, only allocate funding for facility enhancement but not for replacement of facility of the same type. He thus opined that the proposal should aim for facility enhancement.
19. Mr MAN Chi-wah supported the project.
20. After discussion, the Committee endorsed an allocation of $31,000 to the LCSD for the implementation of the above project.
Item 6: Fund Application of District Minor Works Projects - Landscaping (Central District)
(C&W DFMC Paper No. 43/2014)
(2:52 – 2:58 pm)
21. Ms Cindy CHOW, Deputy District Leisure Manager (District Support) Central and Western of the LCSD, presented the paper to the Committee.
22. Mr Joseph CHAN enquired for the details of the landscaping works of the Victoria Peak Garden.
23. Ms CHENG Lai-king suggested the LCSD choose festive plants with bright colours and fragrance to beautify the community.
24. The Chairman enquired for the display period of these plants.
25. Ms Cindy CHOW of the LCSD said that the works were scheduled for commencement during Christmas and the Lunar New Year. The landscaping works for the Victoria Peak Garden would be carried out at the entrance adjacent to Mount Austin Road. The display period was around three weeks, with colourful shrubs and festive plants being displayed for the purpose of beautification. Moreover, to stay in line with the Government’s waste reduction policy, the number of annual plants would be smaller than that of last year.
26. After discussion, the Committee endorsed an allocation of $260,000 to the LCSD for the implementation of the above project.
Item 7: Fund Application of District Minor Works Projects - Landscaping (Western District)
(C&W DFMC Paper No. 44/2014)
(2:58 – 3:00 pm)
27. Ms Cindy CHOW of the LCSD presented the paper to the Committee.
28. After discussion, the Committee endorsed an allocation of $250,000 to the LCSD for the implementation of the above project.
Item 8: Fund Application of District Minor Works Projects - Additional Provision of Wash Basins and Drinking Fountains in the Third Street Playground
(C&W DFMC Paper No. 45/2014)
(3:00 – 3:05 pm)
29. Ms Cindy CHOW of the LCSD presented the paper to the Committee. She said that the aim of the project was to provide drinking fountains and wash basins for users of basketball courts and elderly fitness facilities.
30. Mr CHAN Hok-fung enquired for the location of the facilities and suggested providing them at the lowest level of the playground.
31. Mr WONG Kin-shing supported the proposal and agreed that the facilities should be provided at the lowest level of the playground. He suggested that the wash basins be provided near some plants.
32. Ms Cindy CHOW of the LCSD said that the proposed wash basins and drinking fountains would be provided adjacent to the elderly fitness facilities at the middle level of the playground, which was also closer to the basketball courts at the upper level.
33. The Chairman proposed to endorse the allocation first and asked the LCSD to study in consultation with the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) the feasibility of providing wash basins and drinking fountains at the lowest level of the playground.
34. After discussion, the Committee endorsed an allocation of $120,000 to the LCSD for the implementation of the above project.
Item 9: Fund Application of District Minor Works Projects - Installation of Visual Information Display in Sai Ying Pun Community Complex and Kennedy Town Community Complex
(C&W DFMC Paper No. 48/2014)
(3:05 – 3:27 pm)
35. Ms Rita LAI, District Secretary of the Central and Western District Office (C&W DO) presented the paper to the Committee.
36. Mr CHAN Chit-kwai enquired for the uses of the preparatory and contingency expenditure.
37. Mr HUI Chi-fung enquired about the information to be displayed by and the purposes, the target groups and the effectiveness of the visual information display.
38. Mr CHAN Hok-fung stated that he hoped the project could be implemented as soon as possible. He said that the visual information display was mainly used for promoting programmes of the community hall and announcing notices of meetings.
39. Ms Rita LAI of the C&W DO explained that preparatory and contingency expenditure was used to meet the small amount of additional expenditure arising from future price fluctuations. The unspent balance, including the balance under the preparatory and contingency expenditure item, would certainly be returned to the DC in full. She further said that the visual information display was mainly used for promoting same-day activities of the community hall and broadcasting Government’s Announcements in the Public Interest.
40. Ms CHENG Lai-king and Mr HUI Chi-fung enquired for the data input methods and the manpower problem.
41. Ms Rita LAI of the C&W DO said that the visual information display would accord priority to the display of information of venue users. New columns would be added in the venue application forms later for venue users to choose whether to display the information of activities on the visual information display and the contents involved. As for manpower, staff currently working at the hall would take up the data input duties as well.
42. Mr CHAN Chit-kwai supported the proposal.
43. Mr HUI Chi-fung enquired whether the allocation included future maintenance expenses.
44. Mr Nuffield NG, Engineer/Transport, Security & Central Services 4/3 of the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), said that the allocation included the maintenance expenses of the first year.