4 September

Making TST more walkable? Here is how! 如何提高尖沙咀的可行度?

Kowloon Park

Government has proposed to build a shopping mall and car parks underneath Kowloon Park to pay for tunnels which divert pedestrians away from overcrowded pavements along Haiphong Road.

We propose a simpler solution: Re-open pedestrian crossings at Peking Road, Middle Road, and Salisbury Road so that is easier for people to get from Canton Road to the MTR Station.

We have studied the three junctions in detail. The drawings below show how pedestrians can cross Kowloon Park Drive with little impact on traffic flow.

Do you support these new pedestrian crossings? Go to Facebook and give us a like.

Want to find out more, click here for the video link.

Some 3,000 people signed letters to save Kowloon Park. Click here to see our newsletter.

 

政府計劃在九龍公園地底發展商場和地下停車場,從而資助興建一條新的行人隧道貫穿廣東道及尖沙咀港鐵站,用以分流海防道擠擁的人流。

我們建議簡單的替代方法: 只要重新開放北京道和中間道的行人過路處,以及開放梳士巴利道的交通許可,行人便更容易從廣東道走到於彌敦道的港鐵站。

我們已經詳細研究了三個方案,分別在北京道、中間道和梳士巴利道行人如何在對交通流量影響不大的情況下, 穿過九龍公園徑,走到於彌敦道的港鐵站。

你支持我們建議的三個方案嗎?支持的話可到我們的Facebook專頁讚好。

想要了解詳情,請點擊此處查看視頻鏈接。

目前已有超過3000人簽署保衛九龍公園聯署,詳情可參閲上一期創建香港通訊

 

Peking Road

Proposed zebra crossing at the junction of Kowloon Park Drive and Peking Road 建議在北京道增設的斑馬線

Middle Road

Proposed zebra crossing at the junction of Kowloon Park Drive and Middle Road 建議在中間道增設的斑馬線

Salisbury Road

Proposed zebra crossing and new tunnel connections at the junction of Kowloon Park Drive and Salisbury Road 建議在梳士巴利道增設的斑馬線及新的隧道出入口

 

 

27 May

VOTING RESULTS: The Future of Our Payphone Locations 投票結果:電話亭的未來

On 4 February, we invited you to give us ideas for making better use of our payphone locations.

Next, we published the 34 proposals and asked people to vote here.

Today we announce the voting results so far. The three most and the three least liked ideas, as well as the full results, are below.

We urge the Government to replace our payphones with multi-purpose communications panels, reverse vending machines where you can drop off plastic bottles, and hydra-chills where you can fill up chilled water.

Feel free to leave us your comments on our facebook/ the comment section below.

 

在2月4日,我們邀請了大家就如何改善原有電話亭的用途提供意見

之後,我們公佈了34個提議,並邀請大家在此投票。

今天,我們在此宣布最新的投票結果。最受歡迎、最不受歡迎的頭三名和完整結果如下。

我們促請政府應以「多功能服務站」、「膠樽回收機」和「二合一水機」取代電話亭。

歡迎在我們的facebook或下面的留言格留言。

1

2

The full voting results to-date.

最新的投票結果。

12 September

「民間土地資源專家組」成立 Formation of a Citizens Task Force on Land Resources

 

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「民間土地資源專家組」成立

新成立的「民間土地資源專家組」由27位來自不同界別的人士組成,小組內有來自商界的人士,民間土地關注組等。
行政長官於上星期委任了「土地供應專責小組」的成員,關注香港土地事宜的民間專家組亦隨之成立,並於九月七日舉行了第一次準備會議。

在行政長官林鄭月娥女士的競選政綱中,她曾承諾會集合社會的智慧和作出讓步,成立一個能代表社會各界的土地專責小組。很可惜的是,在政府成立的「土地供應專責小組」內,很多組別的人士都不在名單上,例如一些社區關注組和年青民間研究者。

民間專家組將會每月進行會議,有需要時更會加開會議。如場地許可,會議過程更可向廣大市民公開。

「民間土地資源專家組」除了集中研究香港土地供應來源,更希望擴闊和促進於長遠可持續發展的策略,妥善土地使用和資源保護上具爭議性事項的討論。

在民間專家組下將有三個獨立的工作小組:可持續發展策略及指標小組、現時及未來土地使用小組和土地供應小組。所有小組將會全面地檢視和根據人口、移民、經濟發展、就業、土地使用、房屋和土地供應制定相應政策和向政府提交建議。

民間專家組亦會根據公開資料守則向政府索取與「土地供應專責小組」相同和即時的會議文件和資料。

民間專家組的成立是希望能在理性討論香港土地使用和供應選擇時,帶出具建設性的想法和有效率地增加社區大眾的參與。

附件: 「民間土地資源專家組」小組成員名單

組織/專業 姓名
1. 建築師 蔡宏興
2. CoVision 16, 建築師 關兆倫
3. 中西區關注組 羅雅寧
4. 創建香港 司馬文
5. 工程師 Ronald Taylor
6. 工程師 李智明
7. 經濟/金融 David Webb
8. 香港浸會大學地理系 鄧永成教授
9. 香港鄉郊基金 林超英
10. 大學教授 方志恒博士
11. 香港大學 侯智恒教授
12. 香港中文大學 未來城市研究所 伍美琴教授
13. 香港中文大學 梁啟智
14. 土地監察 李永達
15. 東大嶼都會關注組 任憲邦
16. 律師 Azan Marwah
17. 律師 Ruy Barretto
18. 土地正義聯盟, 立法會議員 朱凱迪
19. 香港房屋委員會, 立法會議員 尹兆堅
20. 本土研究社 陳劍青
21. 本土研究社, 城市規劃師 林芷筠
22. 城市規劃師 Ian Brownlee
23. 公共專業聯盟 黎廣德
24. 公共專業聯盟 George Cautherley
25. 測量師 姚松炎
26. 測量師 Roger Nissim
27. 土地正義聯盟 梁德明

P9072992

P90729171

P90729401

Formation of a Citizens Task Force on Land Resources

A “Citizens Task Force on Land Resources” has been formed with 27 members bringing together a wide range of interests from business to land justice groups.

Plans to form a Citizens Task Force followed the announcement of the membership of the government’s Task Force on Land Supply last week. A preparatory meeting was held on 7 September.

The Chief Executive in her manifesto promised to “draw on the collective wisdom of society and recognise the need for compromises” and to “establish a dedicated task force representing various sectors… ”. However, the government Task Force appears to omit many sectors.  Absent, for example, are concern and research groups including younger talent.

The Citizens Task Force will meet monthly or as needed. The meetings will be public subject to available venues.

The Citizens Task Force on Land Resources seeks to broaden and facilitate the debate to some critical issues including sustainable development, the optimal uses of land, and the conservation of resources.

Three working groups will be formed for evidence based discussions on Sustainability Principles and Indicators; Current and Future Land Use; and Land Supply. They will consider all available evidence on population, immigration, economic development, employment, land use, housing and land supply.

Under the Code of Access to Information the Citizens Task Force will request Government for equal and timely access to all relevant information available to Government and its Task Force.

The Citizens Task Force seeks to generate constructive ideas and effectively engage the community in rational discussions over Hong Kong’s land use and land supply options.

Annex: Participants in the Citizen Task Force on Land Resources

Organization / Profession Name
1. Architect Donald Choi
2. CoVision 16 Kwan Siu Lun
3. Central and Western District Concern Group Katty Law
4. Designing Hong Kong Paul Zimmerman
5. Engineer Ronald Taylor
6. Engineer C M Lee
7. Finance/Economy David Webb
8. HKBU (Department of Geography) Tang Wing Shing
9. HK Countryside Foundation Lam Chiu Ying
10. University professor Dr. Brian Fong
11. HKU Billy Hau
12. Institute of Future Cities, CUHK Mee Kam Ng
13. CUHK Leung Kai Chi
14. Land Watch Lee Wing Tat
15. East Lantau Metropolis Concern Group Tom Yam
16. Legal Azan Marwah
17. Legal Ruy Barretto
18. Legislator, Land Justice League Chu Hoi Dick
19. Legislator, Housing Authority Andrew Wan Siu Kin
20. Liber Research Chan Kim Ching
21. Liber Research Camille Lam
22. Town Planner Ian Brownlee
23. ProCommons Albert Lai
24. ProCommons George Cautherley
25. Surveyor Edward Yiu
26. Surveyor Roger Nissim
27. Land Justice League Leung Tak Ming
29 June

Support a footbridge at Waterfall Bay 支持於瀑布灣興建行人橋

Posted by in Walkability | No Comments

waterfall_20bay_20dhk_20500

 

> Petition Link: http://supporthk.org/en/node/4412/ <

On 17 June 2017, a 38-year-old father slipped and fell down the at Waterfall Bay. At least three people had a fatal accident here since 2006. We asked government for a pedestrian footbridge in 2010 but progress has been slow.

We need a guarantee that government will provide a safe link for residents who walk between Wah Fu Estate and Cyberport and for those who would like to enjoy the spectacular views of the Waterfall.

Sign Now to urge the government to speed up a safe footbridge at Waterfall Bay!

AM730 column on the same: Link

News report of accident (Chinese): Link

 

> 聯署連結:http://supporthk.org/zh-hant/node/4416/ <


2017年6月17日,一名年輕爸爸於瀑布灣瀑布頂懷疑跣腳失足墮崖死亡。自2006年起,共有最少三位市民懷疑失足墮崖而喪失生命。我們早於2010年便向政府建議在瀑布頂設置安全的行人橋,但進展緩慢。

我們需要政府承諾會於瀑布頂提供安全的行人路連接數碼港及華富邨,同時令更多市民能欣賞瀑布灣的景色。

馬上簽署網上請願信,要求政府加快興建瀑布灣行人橋! 

AM730專欄:連結

新聞報導:連結

16 May

Queen’s Pier to City Hall?? or Pier 9 and 10?? 大會堂重置皇后碼頭?還是選址在9號10號碼頭?

Vote on-line - Click here!

Queen’s Pier was demolished in 2007 as part of the Central reclamation. It has since been in a government storage facility on Lantau Island.  

The Development Bureau proposes re-assembly of Queen’s Pier between piers 9 and 10. The cost is around HK$300 million. It includes expensive marine works, reconstructing the seawall and provision of landing steps.

立即按此支持聯署!

皇后碼頭在2007年因中環填海計劃而遭到清拆。拆卸組件存放在大嶼山政府倉庫。

發展局建議將皇后碼頭重置在9號和10號碼頭,預計涉及3億公帑支出,當中包括海事工程、重建海堤和提供登岸梯級。

At the same time, the Development Bureau proposes to build a covered piazza near the original site of Queen’s Pier at City Hall. The piazza will “through paving and landscape design … commemorate the historical significance of Queen’s Pier.” The estimated cost is 55 million. (C&W DC Paper No. 44/2016).

與此同時,發展局建議在大會堂對出(皇后碼頭原址)興建有簷篷的廣場。這個新廣場將會加入歷史元素「透過地面鋪裝及園景設計紀念皇后碼頭的歷史重要性。」(中西區區議會文件第44/2016號)預計的建築費用約5千5百萬。

Our proposal is to re-assemble Queen’s Pier at City Hall (as close as possible to its original location):

1. Save HK$200million (No need for marine works at Pier 9/10, no need for a new covered piazza at City Hall);

2. Re-instate Edinburgh Place as a place of ceremony, including City Hall, the dias, Queen’s Pier and the Memorial Garden;

3. Queen’s Pier near its original location will remind hongkongers and visitors of one of Victoria Harbour’s former coastlines;

4. The Queen’s Pier roof will provide shelter from sun and rain for those visiting Edinburgh Place, and seating for those waiting for transport along Lung Wu Road.

Where should Queen’s Pier return? Vote -Click here!

我們建議在大會堂附近重置皇后碼頭(選址在最接近原址的位置) :

1. 節省最少2億公帑(除了省卻在9號與10號碼頭之間的海事工程,亦不需要在大會堂建設一個新的有蓋廣場)

2. 修復愛丁堡廣場的整體格局,包括大會堂、愛丁堡廣場、檢閱台和皇后碼頭

3. 原址重建的皇后碼頭有助香港人和旅客回顧舊有的海岸線

4. 皇后碼頭的新簷可以為愛丁堡廣場遊人或龍和道等車乘客提供坐椅和遮蔭

皇后碼頭應當何去何從立即按此支持聯署!

 

18 April
2 March

Online Survey: Electronic Road Pricing
意見調查:電子道路收費

 

dhk-ERP-Pic-v3

Online Survey Findings 網上意見調查報告

調查日期 Survey period
2/3/2016 – 15/3/2016

We have received 375 responses to our survey. 期間共收到375份回覆。

dhk erp survey 1

 

 

dhk erp survey 2

Detailed report, please click the link below. 請按以下連結瀏覽全份意見調查報告。

DHK ERP survey report 16 March 2016

 

 

 

 

17/3/2016

 

 

 

————————————-
The government is consulting the public on its proposed pilot scheme for electronic road pricing in Central. (Click here for the public engagement document).

The deadline for comments is 18 March 2016.

Do you support the proposal? Object? Any views on the details? You can write to Government directly, or take part in our online survey (link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VZ5DQ9S). Our office will consolidate and report the responses to the government.

In the meantime, please find below our CEO Paul Zimmerman’s personal view as published in Southside magazine – in short Paul proposes there is no charging for the use of Connaught/Gloucester Road Corridor, but for the use of the inner areas only.

Let us know your views.

政府正就中環電子道路收費先導計劃進行公眾諮詢。公眾諮詢截止日期為2016年3月18日。
諮詢文件:連結

你支持或反對道路收費計劃?你可直接向政府發表意見,或參與我們的網上意見調查(連結:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VZ5DQ9S)。我們會整合意見並向政府反映大家的睇法。

我們的行政總裁司馬文早前於Southside雜誌的專欄發表了他的個人意見。簡單而言,他建議干諾道及告士打道不設收費,收費區應設於中環的內街。

歡迎大家發表意見。

 

Southside Magazine – March 2016

2016-03-SS issuu

25 February

Play in the Tak 玩德節

玩德節

打開桌面遊戲的版圖,骰子一聲擲下,五顏六色的棋子東奔西走、躍然紙上。現實中,我們腳踏的街道,能否化成一場充滿空間玩味、繽紛有趣的遊樂場?

由2月27日開始,一場有趣的遊樂空間實驗將在德輔道中發生,街角的巨型層層疊競技場、邊聽故事邊鬥智的街上圖版遊戲,還有隱藏街頭巷尾的藏寶關卡,誠邀你與陌生人接觸、對話,一齊「玩」轉「德」輔道中,讓街道變回人與人溝通、互動的空間。你亦可以參加一系列的工作坊、展覽、講座和其他活動。

「玩德節」由德輔道中聯盟舉辦,希望公眾關注和支持改善德輔道中的行人友善環境。

詳情按此:

德輔道中聯盟網站

德輔道中聯盟Facebook 活動專頁

 

Play in the Tak 

Join and connect with friends – come and play along Tak 玩德節- the original name for “Des Voeux Road Central”.

The Tak festival starts 27th February and runs till end of March. 

Sections of the street will be transformed into experimental playgrounds. You are invited to play Jenga on the street corner, join a sidewalk gaming tour, and discover hidden gems in alleys and lanes to start an interesting conversation with strangers. You can join workshops, exhibitions, talks and events.

The festival is presented by the Des Voeux Road Central Initiative. The aim is to raise awareness and support for improving the pedestrian environment along Des Voeux Road Central.

For more information: 

DVRC Initiative Website 

DVRC Initiative Facebook Event Page

6 January

Official barriers to improving life for pedestrians in crowded Mong Kok

The upcoming sale of a government building in Mong Kok is a valuable chance to improve walkability in the area, but officials are shirking their responsibility. An edited version of the article below appeared in the South China Morning Post on 2 January 2016.

Paul Zimmerman, Pok Fu Lam district councillor and CEO of Designing Hong Kong.

I like the Ombudsman’s recent public announcements that tai chi is healthy, but not in public administration. Tai chi, in local slang, means to shirk responsibility. The Ombudsman, Connie Lau Yin-hing, is already so busy clearing obvious cases of maladministration that I wonder whether she will have time for the well-practised, evasive language bureaucrats dish out when they reply to proposals and questions.

In our campaign to improve walkability, our latest encounter with tai chi is over the sale of the Trade and Industry Department (TID) Tower, formerly known as Argyle Centre Tower II, on Nathan Road in Mong Kok. It is a 1980s building owned by the government. The tender for its sale closes on January 8. We have asked for it to include terms which oblige the buyer to internalise the links to Mong Kok MTR station and the Mong Kok Road footbridge. These stairs and escalators currently obstruct pavements and roads surrounding the building. Mongkok MTR station exits B1, B2 and B3 occupy the south and east pavements. Staircases of the Mongkok Road footbridge built by Sun Hung Kei occupy the pavement and two lanes of Mong Kok Road north of the building.

Removing these structures from the adjacent pavements and roads would improve pedestrian and vehicular circulation at street level. Moreover, linking the footbridge with a new Argyle Street footbridge via the Argyle Centre Towers is a critical piece of the puzzle the government has been struggling with: the creation of a comprehensive elevated pedestrian network desperately needed to alleviate the overcrowding of Mong Kok’s streets.

The sale of the building is a one-off opportunity to improve walkability. If we fail to spell out these requirements in the tender, it will be hard to convince the buyer to give up gross floor area and to invest in the works later.

The Government Property Agency’s first move to shirk responsibility was outrageous. It said: “Having consulted the Transport Department, we note that it would cause inconvenience to the pedestrians. It would require pedestrians to pass through the internal area of the building before reaching the footbridge and Nathan Road. The route, which will not be open at all times, will be indirect and is not desirable from the perspectives of property management and cost-effectiveness.”

We pointed out that there are many buildings in Hong Kong where this happens all the time, including 100 Queen’s Road Central and the Central-Mid-Levels escalator.

The second tai chi move was claiming that our proposal for amending the tender would cause undue delay to the disposal of the building. The government decided to proceed as scheduled so that “the office space in the TID Tower can be released to the market in a timely manner in accordance with our announced plan to increase the supply of commercial space in prime locations to meet keen market demand”.

This is not the first time we have encountered a misplaced focus on expediency over walkability.

When it became clear in 2009 that the Tamar footbridge would stop 10cm short of Admiralty Centre, we wrote to the government and pointed out the importance of a direct link into the elevated system of Queensway Plaza, Pacific Place and the connected buildings. Officials replied that it would require too much time to negotiate with the owners of Admiralty Centre. So instead, we now all have to go down to street level and back up again to continue on our way.

The government’s third tai chi move talked of how they would “encourage the successful bidder to consider ways of enhancing the connection between the TID Tower and the existing footbridge system and adjoining commercial buildings to improve the surrounding environment”.

From the failures to link Kowloon Bay Station and MegaBox, the Sheraton Hotel and the Middle Road Tunnel, and the Nexxus Building and the Central footbridge, we know that encouragement means little in the Government’s dictionary.

Which department will be responsible for such “encouraging” once the building has been sold? Would this include links to the MTR? Who would pay for the removal of the structures on the pavements and road? Will a bonus plot ratio be offered to compensate for the public passages through the property? Will the land premium be waived for the links over and under government land? These questions go on. 

All this would be so much easier to resolve before selling the building. Instead, we will have to wait and see whether this encouragement is real or simply a wimpy tai chi move, another one for the Ombudsman’s tray.

13 November

一次難能可貴的機會:讓旺角變得更好 One-off opportunity to make Mongkok a better place

難能可貴的機會:讓旺角變得更好 

政府公佈將出售工業貿易大樓旺角舊址。

這正是個難得的機會重新安置連接大樓、旺角行人天橋和港鐵站的電梯和樓梯。

旺角港鐵站B1、B2和B3出口佔據附近的行人路。為設置連接天橋樓梯和電梯旺角道減至兩條行車道。

環繞工業貿易大樓的車道和行人路非常狹窄。重新安置樓梯和電梯便能擴闊現有的道路和行人路。

要求發展商提供連接港鐵站的公共通道和天橋在香港十分常見。本地的建築師和發展商很熟悉怎樣在私人物業內提供讓公眾使用的通道、電梯和樓梯,並了解有關的設計、工程和管理方法。

發展商義務將電梯和樓梯納人大廈不會影響銷售。政府可以在標書內列明建築物需設24小時開放的公共通道,以及通道的闊度下限和容量等。買家會在投標時考慮有關條款。

無論買家計劃重建或翻新大廈,他們會自行考量條款所需的成本和空間,才決定落標。

出售工業貿易大樓是個難得的機會去改善當地環境。當有關地段已出售,便難以改善該區的環境,想回購土地亦不可行。

政府改動標書雖然會延後工業貿易大樓的銷售期,但有關改善能顯著提升該區的行人路環境和交通流量,使旺角成為更好的地方。

One-off opportunity to improve Mongkok

The Government has announced the sale of the vacant Trade and Industry Department Tower (TID Tower) in Mongkok to the private sector.

This provides an one-off opportunity to relocate the lifts and staircases connecting the Mongkok Road Footbridge System and the Mongkok MTR station into the TID Tower. 

Exits B1, B2 and B3 of the Mongkok MTR station occupy adjacent pavements, and the adjacent section of Mongkok Road was reduced by two lanes for staircases and lifts to the footbridge.

Roads and pavements around the TID Tower are narrow. Relocating the staircases and lifts would allow widening of the footway, the carriageway, or both.

It is common in Hong Kong to ask property owners to create public access to footbridges and MTR stations. Architects and developers understand the design, engineering and management challenges of internalizing public lifts and staircases, and allowing pedestrians to pass through private buildings.

The obligation to incorporate the staircases and lifts would not be detrimental to a sale. By specifying 24 hour access, minimum width and capacity in the tender, potential buyers can consider the implications prior to making their bid for this government property.

Whether buyers plan to redevelop the site or re-use the building as is, they will simply consider the cost and the space needed, and adjust the amount they bid accordingly.

The sale of the TID Tower provides a ‘once and for all’ opportunity. Once the site is sold it will be difficult to improve the area as future resumption is unpractical.

Making changes to the tender will cause a slight delay in the sale of the TID Tower. It is worth the effort as it would improve the pedestrian environment and traffic flow, and make Mongkok a better place for all.