Luo Zhiguang: Reset of the original area of Kwun Tong Exhibition Centre
The Policy Address proposes the establishment of the Civil Service College in Kwun Tong. The location is the existing Exhibition Skills Development Centre providing training for the disabled. It has once caused a “killing school” controversy. The Director of the Labour and Welfare Bureau, Mr Lui Chi-kwong, announced that the exhibition will be re-provisioned in Kwun Tong Estate. During the demolition and redevelopment period, the exhibition will be moved to a vacant school premises in Oxford Road, Kowloon Tong to continue its operation. It is expected that it will only be heavy in 2025. Return to Guantang.
The Government has earlier proposed to recoup the exhibition site at the junction of Kwun Tong Road and Tsui Ping Road in 2021. It did not explain the specific resettlement plan. Luo Zhiguang said with the media tea yesterday that the area of Tsui Ping Road, including the Dutch hostel, the minibus next to Kwun Tong Station and the bus terminus, will be converted into a new building with high and low seats. The new exhibition center will be located in the lower seat, about the location of the original exhibition activity center, with an area of about 4,000 square meters; the Civil Service Academy is located in the high seat, which is the current location of the exhibition center and close to Tsui Ping Road.
Moved to the Oxford Road School during the project
Luo Zhiguang revealed that the government temporarily selected the Oxford Road School Building, formerly known as Caritas Xu Chengbin College, as the mid-way address for the exhibition during the redevelopment period. The specific implementation remains to be consulted and depending on the traffic arrangements, he is confident that it can be seamlessly handed over. He stressed that the site of the Exhibition Centre has been over 50 years old. The VTC has considered redevelopment since early last year. The Government is planning to provide an “enhanced version” of comprehensive rehabilitation and exhibition services, including the occupation of people with disabilities. Training and employment support, the new building will also practice the concept of communion. Whether the Zhanliang Center will continue to be the operator of the VTC will remain to be discussed further.
The Staff Training Centre of the Vocational Training Council Skills Training Centre and a number of Pan-Members have launched a “Hand in Hand, Defend the Exhibition” gathering last month. Nearly 800 people attended the opposition exhibition and were “embarked”. When asked when it was time to rehearse the original district, Luo Zhiguang said that there were different opinions within the government. He would not disclose the discussion process. However, if the details were finalized before the plan was announced, it might be necessary to go to the next policy. The report was published and the reconstruction plan was launched later.
Member of Parliament advocates the transition of vocational training
Legislative Council member Zhang Chaoxiong initially welcomed the decision to reset the original district, because convenient transportation is very important for students with disabilities. However, he questioned that the current site of the Sheung Sing Centre covers an area of about 5200 square metres. If the Government expects to provide “enhanced” services and increase the number of students after the redevelopment, why is the proposed new site area less than 1000 square metres? He criticized the Government for being too “top-down” from the brewing to the announcement. It is very disrespectful to all stakeholders, including the disabled, parents and all staff. If the authorities have the intention to reset the exhibition, they should have the above stakeholders in the morning. There is a quantity of business.
Mr Cheung pointed out that the location of the mid-rise school premises in Oxford Road is old and the traffic is inconvenient. It is recommended to consider the use of the Vocational Training Centre of the Christian Service Centre, which is also vacant for more than 5 years, at Tsui Ping Road, for the purpose of transition to reduce the impact on students.