Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung, Chairman,
Consultation Panel of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) has been a topic of much discussion and debate in Hong Kong for over a decade. And yet, for various reasons, the project remains in a preparatory stage. Many people are perplexed by the WKCD Authority's (the Authority) decision to carry out a new round of "consultation". Some even suspect that the Authority is going to start the project all over again. The answer to this question is a resounding "no".
Why another consultation?
We have already drawn a clear conclusion on "whether or not to build a WKCD" during the previous consultations. The Consultative Committee on the Core Arts and Cultural Facilities (CACF) of the WKCD set up by the Government has submitted its recommendation report in June 2007 and the Legislative Council has also approved 21.6 billion dollar for the construction of the WKCD. This new round of consultation exercise will be different from the previous ones. The Authority has since been officially established and is charged with the mission to turn the vision of the WKCD into reality. The coming consultation, therefore, will not go back to square one by discussing the need for a WKCD. Instead, it will focus on exploring how the WKCD should be built.
Then why does the Authority choose to start the first stage of public engagement (PE) exercise this summer? The reason is simple: The WKCD is the only waterfront site in the territory that provides 20-odd hectares of open space and commands a panoramic view of the Victoria Harbour, making it an important asset to the Hong Kong people. A well-planned WKCD will be a place of great significance to our life, and will bring considerable economic value.
The main objective of the impending consultation is to investigate the proper arrangement and planning of these open space and arts and cultural venues, so that the WKCD will genuinely become a new icon of Hong Kong and a premier destination for locals and tourists alike. When it opens to the public, I hope that Hong Kong people will be drawn to and enjoy visiting the WKCD, not only for a wide varieties of arts and cultural performances but also for other leisure and entertaining activities, even something as trivial as strolling leisurely along the promenade. The WKCD should be developed into a new icon that all Hong Kong people would cherish as well as a premier asset that would benefit generations to come. The future WKCD should be the pride of Hong Kong people, and more importantly, it should make our children feel proud of it
Three-stage consultation
Specifically, the consultation exercise will be divided into three stages. All stages require extensive public participation. In Stage 1, the Authority will gauge the community's expectations on the planning of the WKCD as a whole, as well as the views of the stakeholders in the arts and cultural sector on the facilities of the arts and cultural venues. In addition to the hardware of arts and cultural facilities, the Authority will also seek public's input on future programming approach. Since the users of arts and cultural facilities include both artists and audience, the Authority will listen to both parties in order to understand how the facilities can complement the artists' performances and enhance audience's experience. Their views will form the basis of public opinions for the reference of the arts professionals to be recruited by the Authority during this stage. Stage 1 PE exercise is slated to start this summer.
In Stage 2, the Conceptual Plan Consultants commissioned by the Authority will prepare three Conceptual Plan Options for the WKCD. The Authority will present all three options to the public during the PE exercise and seek public's views on these Options, including which one is most acceptable and can serve as the foundation of the Development Plan (DP). The Consultant responsible for the selected Option will also incorporate features of the other two Options preferred by the stakeholders for the Authority's consideration and decision. Meanwhile, the Authority will continue to fine-tune the facility planning of the arts and culture venues by consulting stakeholders of the arts and cultural sector with a view to providing high quality facilities and meeting the needs of the stakeholders. Stage 2 PE exercise is expected to start early next year.
In Stage 3, the Project Consultant commissioned by the Authority will, based on the modifications put forward by different sectors of the community during the PE exercise, develop the selected Conceptual Plan Option into a detailed DP, prepare the Schedules of Accommodation, and conduct related technical feasibility studies, including engineering, traffic, safety system and environmental impact assessments. Throughout the process, the Project Consultant will keep close contact with the stakeholders in the arts and cultural and other relevant sectors, and seek views from the public and stakeholders on the detailed DP. This is to ensure that the final DP serves the widest public interest, satisfies the need for optimized facilities, enjoys the highest practicality and operability and makes room for sustainable development. Stage 3 PE exercise is expected to start by the end of next year.
My hope - Our WKCD
The WKCD project belongs to all Hong Kong people. It is built for different sectors, different professions, and people from all walks of life. To put it simply, it belongs to you. As the Chairman of the Consultation Panel of the WKCDA, I hope that the public can take active participation in all consultation exercises and discussions at different stages of the development. I also welcome feedback and suggestions from different sectors of the community regarding the planning, construction and development of the WKCD. All the views collected will help ensure that the project lives up to the expectations of the citizens and fulfills their requirements, translates a marvelous vision into exciting reality, and provides a sustainable impetus to Hong Kong's long-term economic and social development.
At the same time, I also look forward to enhanced collaboration between the Authority and various government departments in order to get an early start on the implementation of the WKCD, thereby creating more employment opportunities and jump-starting economic recovery in the face of the current downturn. We cannot afford to continue wasting valuable resources over endless political squabbles, blunder away another precious opportunity and have the project delayed once again.