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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and New World Development Company Limited (NWD) will enhance public engagement and deepen public understanding of the detailed design and future operational arrangements of the Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Revitalisation Plan (the Plan), a spokesman for LCSD said today (September 14).
The Plan aims to increase the vibrancy of the facilities and public space on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront for enjoyment by the local community and visitors. NWD has since 2013 conducted extensive consultation through formal and informal meetings with Yau Tsim Mong (YTM) District Council, the district community and relevant stakeholders, with a view to formulating detailed plans.
To further enhance public engagement (PE) and deepen public understanding of the Plan, the LCSD and NWD will launch a series of PE programmes in two phases. Community views on the updated design of the facilities will be gauged during Phase One (September to November 2015), while the future operational arrangements of the revitalised promenade will be focused on during Phase Two (January to June 2016).
During Phase One, roving exhibitions on the updated design will be staged in places including Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, Hong Kong Cultural Centre and other LCSD venues. Views will be collected from the public and stakeholders through the roving exhibitions, workshops and focus group discussions. A website will also be launched by NWD to provide more details on the Revitalisation Plan.
The LCSD and NWD consulted the Harbourfront Commission's Task Force on Harbourfront Developments in Kowloon, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing (Task Force) three times on the Revitalisation Plan in January 2013, January and September 2015. The PE plan was also submitted to the Task Force today. NWD, which is currently refining the design of the Plan having regard to the conditions and advice of the Town Planning Board's Metro Planning Committee, will further revise the design as appropriate following the completion of the Phase One PE exercise. NWD will consult the Task Force again before commencement of revitalisation works in the first half of 2016.
As for Phase Two, the LCSD will set up an Advisory Committee in early 2016 to serve as a platform to steer the implementation of the Phase 2 PE Plan and to gather public views regarding the operational arrangements of the revitalised promenade. The Advisory Committee will comprise experts, district personalities and representatives of the art, film and tourism industries, as well as members of the YTM District Council and Harbourfront Commission.
Meanwhile, the Avenue of Stars (AoS), which is currently under NWD management, will be closed for major repair and improvement works from October 8. The spokesman pointed out that as the AoS bridge structure was built more than 30 years ago in 1982, and because of years of natural wear and tear and the ageing facilities of the bridge deck, it is necessary to carry out repair and improvement works to meet the needs of visitors and operational requirements. The works are expected to be completed around the end of 2018.
Pending the completion of the works, the statues currently erected on the AoS including the Hong Kong Film Awards sculpture and the bronze statues of Bruce Lee, Anita Mui and McDull will be temporarily relocated to the adjacent Tsim Sha Tsui East Waterfront Podium Garden for public viewing from November 15. The venue will tentatively be named "Garden of Stars" (GoS). Handprint plaques of movie stars currently at the AoS will also be displayed at the GoS, with 10 to 20 handprints from November 15 and the full set of 107 plaques by the first quarter in 2016. All statues and handprints of movie stars will be reinstated on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront upon the completion of works.
Ends/Monday, September 14, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:01
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