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Following is a question by the Hon Tony Tse and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, in the Legislative Council today (February 17):
Question:
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has installed television (TV) screens at some of its sports and recreation venues, such as swimming pool complexes and sports centres, for broadcasting Announcements in the Public Interest and live broadcast of the events being held at these venues. It has been reported that LCSD installed 23 46-inch TV screens in the Victoria Park Swimming Pool Complex at a cost of $170,000 in 2013. Nevertheless, 15 of the aforesaid TV screens malfunctioned suspectedly due to the humid environment and were removed in the end. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) how LCSD has disposed of the aforesaid 15 TV screens removed from the Victoria Park Swimming Pool Complex; whether LCSD will install new TV screens at the original locations; if so, of the details (including the date of installation and the expenditure involved); if not, the reasons for that;
(2) of the considerations and criteria based on which LCSD determines whether it is necessary to install TV screens at individual sports and recreation venues as well as the number of TV screens to be installed; whether such considerations include the anticipated utilisation of such TV screens at the venues concerned; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether LCSD compiled statistics on the utilisation (including the frequency, duration and usage) of such TV screens in the past three years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) of the respective expenditures of LCSD on the installation and maintenance of such TV screens in the past three years;
(5) whether LCSD has formulated guidelines on matters relating to the use as well as repair and maintenance of such TV screens; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(6) whether LCSD has implemented measures to protect such TV screens from accelerated wear and tear due to the venue environment; if so, of the details of such measures and the expenditure involved; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The television (TV) screens installed at the leisure venues of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) can be broadly divided into two types. The first type are large electronic display screens and large TV screens, connected to audio-visual or scoring systems, installed at venues suitable for hosting major events for live broadcast and disseminating events information. The second type are the TV screens provided at some locations of leisure venues where there are more pedestrian traffic for broadcasting Announcements in the Public Interest (APIs) and disseminating information about recreation and sports. My reply to the six parts of the question is as follows:
(1) The Victoria Park Swimming Pool provides all-weather indoor heated swimming facilities suitable for staging local and international events. In the original design of the complex, apart from two large electronic display screens, one at each of the ends of the complex, a total of 23 TV screens were installed at spectator stands on the two sides of the swimming pool for broadcasting to the audience and disseminating events information. However, general utilisation pattern shows that event organisers mainly used the large electronic display screens for broadcasting event footage and other related information. Given the relatively low utilisation, the wear and tear in a humid environment in the complex and hence the comparatively high maintenance costs, the LCSD removed the 23 TV screens mentioned above and re-allocated eight of them to other leisure venues, including the tennis courts in Victoria Park. The other six TV screens installed in the control room, press room, marshalling room, TV room, official room and entrance lobby of the pool complex are retained.
(2) When considering the needs to install large electronic display screens or TV screens at a leisure venue, the LCSD will carefully assess the needs of users, the competitions or events to be held, and the operational needs of the venue. For example, at Victoria Park Swimming Pool and Kowloon Park Swimming Pool, where major international events are hosted, large electronic display screens are installed at the main pools for broadcasting to the audience and disseminating events information. TV screens are also provided at appropriate locations in the control rooms, press rooms and marshalling rooms of both pool complexes for broadcasting event footage and related information by event organisers as required. In addition, TV screens are provided at some locations of leisure venues, such as the entrance halls of sports centres and swimming pools where there are more pedestrian traffic, and in fitness rooms, for broadcasting APIs and disseminating information about recreation and sports.
(3) The LCSD does not have statistics on the utilisation of TV screens. Generally speaking, stand-alone TV screens are used to broadcast APIs and disseminate information about recreation and sports during venue opening hours whereas large electronic display screens are used to meet the needs of venue hirers during competitions or events.
(4) As the installation, repair and maintenance of facilities in swimming pools and sports centres are integral parts of venue management, there is no breakdown of costs of individual systems. Therefore, details of the expenditures on the repair and maintenance of TV screens are not available.
(5) The repair and maintenance of the large electronic display screens and TV screens connected to audio-visual or scoring systems are carried out by contractors according to the guidelines provided by manufacturers. Stand-alone TV screens are normally covered by warranty periods for small electrical appliances, during which the suppliers are responsible for their repair. Arrangements for their repair and maintenance after the expiry of warranty periods will be made as required according to the procurement procedures of the Government.
(6) Protective devices such as protective frames are normally fitted as appropriate when large electronic display screens or TV screens which may be reached by the public are installed by the works departments. Engineering staff carry out regular inspections and maintenance works to ensure the proper operation of the screens. Stand-alone TV screens are usually placed inside a TV cabinet or mounted high on the wall to prevent impact damage. As the installation of most of these protective devices is included in the overall venue construction works, a breakdown of the costs is not available.
Ends/Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Issued at HKT 12:25
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