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Following is a question by the Dr Hon Helena Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, in the Legislative Council today (July 17):
Question:
Mong Kok Stadium is a major base for staging high-level local soccer matches and other events. The Stadium was re-opened in October 2011 after 24 months of improvement works. However, quite a number of members of the public and soccer fans have complained to me about the failure of the covers of the Stadium to serve the required functions, including their inability to block sunlight and rainwater effectively, and rainwater dripping from the covers to the spectator stands. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the actual expenditure of the improvement works for Mong Kok Stadium; whether, when vetting and approving the works design for the reconstruction of spectator stands and the provision of covers at the Stadium, the authorities had assessed if the aforesaid problems would occur; if they had, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(b) whether the authorities have received complaints or enquiries from members of the public regarding the aforesaid problems; if they have, of the details of the replies made by the authorities to the complainants, and how they will follow up and remedy such situation; if no remedies will be made, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) Mong Kok Stadium was closed for a period of 24 months from September 2009 for improvement works. The project scope included reconstruction of spectator stands with individual seats and provision of covers of an open design for the spectator stands on the North and South sides; reprovisioning of the kiosk, offices, storerooms, players' changing rooms, toilets and other ancillary facilities under the spectator stands; reprovisioning of the VIP stand, VIP room, public address systems and entrance plaza; reconstruction of boundary fence; and relocation of car parking spaces etc. The cost of the redevelopment project was about $275.5 million. The Stadium was re-opened in October 2011 upon completion of the works.
Before the improvement works, no cover was provided for the spectator stand on any of the four sides of the venue. The Stadium is an outdoor facility located in a densely populated town centre. When planning for the covers for the Stadium, we had to take into account not only the protection to be offered but also the environment of the Flower Market Road nearby as well as the scale and limitation of the structure in order to minimise the visual impact on the residential developments in the vicinity. Having considered various factors, the proposal of installing cable-stayed canopies on the North and South stands was finally adopted. Such design can not only offer appropriate protection to the spectators, but also facilitate ventilation of the Stadium. With a relatively lightweight appearance, the covers cause less visual obstruction and impact to the neighbouring residential developments. Apart from practicability, it can also blend in with the surrounding environment.
During the design process, the designers extended the canopies towards the pitch as far as possible to increase the area to be covered. As the covers are not enclosing structures, it would not be possible to keep out all rainwater during windy and rainy weather. Other outdoor soccer pitches with covers of similar design also face the same situation.
(b) Since the reopening of the Stadium in October 2011, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has received one complaint in 2012 about the backflow of rainwater at the spectator stand. The LCSD has discussed with the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) on the possible improvements. Last year, the ArchSD first installed several additional rainwater collection devices on the cover of the South stand, which has a higher seating capacity, to reduce the risk of backflow of rainwater to the stand. Since then, the problem has been alleviated. Based on such experience, the LCSD and ArchSD are now considering possible improvements to the North stand.
Ends/Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:56
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