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 (November 27):

Question:

     The Chief Executive has indicated in this year's Policy Address that the Government "plan(s) to modify more than 170 public play spaces managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) over the next five years. To make the facilities more innovative and fun, while meeting the needs of residents, LCSD will encourage and promote community participation and public engagement in the process of modifying these facilities". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the locations and areas of the aforesaid public play spaces, as well as the timetable and estimated expenditure for the relevant modification works;

(2) whether it will consider organising an open design competition for the modification works for public play spaces in order to make the relevant facilities more innovative and fun through engaging the participation of the relevant professionals; and

(3) whether it will make special arrangements for the modification works at the policy or tender level to encourage more small and medium enterprises, start-up companies and less experienced professionals to participate in the relevant works?

Reply:

President,

     The reply to the question raised by Hon Tony Tse is as follows:

(1) The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) plans to transform more than 170 of its public play spaces (PPS) across the territory over the next five years. It is initially expected that 17 transformation projects will be launched in the first year of the programme. Details of the projects have yet to be worked out. The total estimated expenditure for the five-year programme is about $686 million.

(2) In the process of transforming PPS, the LCSD will encourage and promote community participation and engagement by adopting different means, for example, workshops and opinion surveys to engage different stakeholders, such as students and parents of nearby schools, members of District Councils and relevant organisations, and invite them to offer opinions. Meanwhile, the LCSD will keep an open mind in organising open design competitions for the transformation works of some suitable PPS in order to collect the professionals' views and bring about innovation. The LCSD will look into the feasibility of the views with the works department. The LCSD will also take note of and consolidate the opinions collected, and incorporate feasible and suitable designs and facilities into the play spaces in an effort to provide more innovative, challenging and interesting play spaces.

(3) The LCSD and the works department will arrange tender exercises for the works fairly, openly and impartially. In vetting the tenders, special emphasis will be given to the innovativeness of the proposal and the potential of the proposed facilities in bringing benefits to local residents. Given that small and medium-sized enterprises and start-up companies can be rather innovative, eligible small and medium-sized enterprises, start-up companies and individuals or companies with less experience are welcome to participate in the transformation works for PPS.

Ends/Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Issued at HKT 12:00

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