Reclamation proposal

Two mainland academics have suggested to reclaim the water between Lamma, Cheung Chau, Peng Chau and two other small island. Buy so doing, approximately a small Hong Kong island will be created. How does one feel about this proposal? Impressive because it sounds like a mega project or ridiculous because it is out of proportion? I bet you know the answer.

The key question is do we have a land shortage problem? It is our Chief Executive who committed to resolving land shortage problem in order to enable the new six economic pillars to proceed. I do not believe that we are facing land shortage problem. For any city, there is natural saturation point. Once the point is reached, meaning that the city cannot be expanded horizontally anymore, it will stabilize naturally. The population will maintain itself at certain range. Obviously if a city reach such a point, it is possible to create more land by reclamation, but at the same time, the city will become unpleasant for habitation with the natural scenery destroyed.

Do we need to endlessly expand Hong Kong? You know the answer.

Ryan at Home…leisurely…

  

  

Leisure time for ryan in the weekend….

Kitty Camera…(2)

In the shop…

Kylie: Papa…this is the kitty camera I want!!! (excitedly!)

Papa:…ok ok…I know you want this kitty camera…are you happy now?

Kylie: Papa….where is the Melody camera??

Papa:……………..

Star Ferry Bus Terminus

The government has gazetted for the transformation of the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Bus Terminus into a piazza to better link up Tsim Sha Tsui and Tsim Sha Tsui East area, through the creation of an open piazza. The bus terminus will be relocated away. This instantly has raised objection for the keeping of the bus terminus. Some have argued that it is an important part of the city and should be retained. For months to come, we can anticipate society debate on the issue of urban development and preservation. The question is: what’s the merit of keeping the bus terminus? The terminus is nothing more than a series of shelter and there is no architectural merit to keep. The argument for keeping is a sentimental one, meaning most people do not want to see the city losing its historical trail. Is this right? Should we follow the majority when developing our urban plan? What’s the right approach?

I would argue that the whole issue of relocation should be one for better urban design. If the bus terminus has to be relocated, the star ferry might need to follow so, for the sake of continuity of transport linkages. Do we really need a piazza there? How would it help the pedestrian movement in that area? Study in the likes of space syntax should be conducted to identify movement and spatial configuration. Indeed the piazza might become another open shopping arcade, and I would say that this is the eventual goal of the government.

The government would have thought that they should get it right this time by creating an open piazza, waterfront park and open spaces are the citizen most eagerly awaited urban elements. What they might have failed to take into account is the citizen’s sentiment. This shows that the government has still unable to gauge public opinion, especially the differences between new development and urban transformation. They do not seem to learn much from their experience in the handling of Wedding Card Street (historical tenements for urban preservation) and Tamar Development (open site for watefront park).

Disney Phase 1 – “The Show Simply Must Go On”

The Legislative Council has just approved the financial package for the expansion of Disney. Albeit with numerous criticism over the government’s handling of the issue and the lack of transparency in the negotiation process, most of the LegCo members simply have no choice. They do not dare to veto down the expansion plan. The Disney expansion is a project that simply has to move ahead. “The show must go on.” Indeed from day one, everyone know that the project is not subject to probation, meaning it will not be shut down should it fails to achieve the projected visitor numbers. Indeed Hong Kong Disneyland has been criticized for the lack of attraction and being the smallest. Most of the LegCo members have missed an important point: What is the overall time frame for the whole of Disneyland Phase 1 completion?

I was amazed when I read that the latest expansion plan will only make the attraction to 27.5 hectares while the total land set aside for phase 1 is 125.4 hectares. Why is there no time frame and an overall masterplan for the whole project? If phase 1 is completed to 125.4 hectares, I would say it will become a truly competitive theme park. The LegCo should push the government for a detail project plan for the entire phase 1. The current approved expansion means we are far behind and still have lots of work to do to develop Hong Kong Disneyland.

Besides, I agree with Audrey Yu’s comment that it will be almost like committing a crime to leave the set aside land for 20 years vacancy. It could have been developed into a park  for leisure purpose. Again the whole handling of the project show the lack of continuity within the government and lack of committment and determination to get things done properly and professionally.

Kitty Camera….(1)

 

Kylie: Papa buy me a Kitty camera….

Papa: Ok, ok…you can go and buy kitty camera tomorrow…

Kylie: No, I cannot! I have no money….

Papa:……..

500 Blog Entry!!

This is blog entry no. 500, in 22 months time! SCMP posting has reached 145 recently also. I wander how many words have been written…..

I will keep this up!

Cross Harbour Pedestrian Tunnel

There is a proposal about connecting the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island with a cross harbour tunnel dedicated for pedestrian use. Exciting about this brand new idea? It is reported that the tunnel will be approximately 1.3 km long and if you are wandering what to do inside this tunnel, the designer has already proposed some great idea to easy your concern. No, you don’t get to see the underwater scenery, Victoria Harbour is probably too polluted and we should not scare away enthusiastic visitors. The pedestrian is indeed a long linkage between two shopping malls! The proposed design is to create three storey underground shopping mall below the newly formed Tsim Tsa Tsui Piazza. So the ideal solution is to construct more and more shopping space for Tsim Tsa Tsui and even to extend it to IFC.

Some of the media has hailed this proposal as iconic and also made the prediction that it will become the hottest attraction for Hong Kong. I beg to differ completely. It is impractical and not cost effective. I would beg the media not to hard sell and promote bad design. Indeed it is a totally ridiculous idea.

Shoeshiners

It has been revealed that shoeshiners, most frequently found in Central and Western District will be given hawker licence  to practice their trade. Such move should be welcomed by the community at large.  The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has often cited “obstructing public roads” as the main reason to evict them. They also want to evict all these unlicensed hawkers in order to keep our street more hygienic. If the FEHD has been applying the principle consistently, we should have very clean streets. But we do not. Clearly the shoeshiners should not be mixed up with food hawkers as shoe shining trade does not really mess up the street. In fact, they will become extinct one day. Shoe shining is a distinct feature of our city and should be protected.

I would urge our government to look at our community with humane sense.

Little Ryan Two Months Old!

 

Today Ryan is two months old today. Little celebration with delicious cake…and Kylie is so happy.