To inspire the business community to act, invest in and learn about Sustainability, by presenting issues and
solutions from entrepreneurs and businesses, who are directly addressing sustainability today.
We strongly believe that Entrepreneurs are the driving force for change. Sustasia is the platform where
entrepreneurs come together to educate themselves and discuss the current business issues, challenges and
solutions surrounding sustainability today. This forum endeavors to inspire efforts and encourage thoughtful
analysis on the status quo of business today, and its impact on the global environment.
Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group
Activist fights uphill battle on walking trails
December 15th, 2010 by adminWritten by Chloe Lai, SCMP
Vivian Leung Tai Yuet-kam was celebrating last week.
The chairwoman of the Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group, dedicated to stopping the government and a district council from installing railings along walking trails, was jubilant that her group’s campaign against building a wall in Old Peak Road appeared to be bearing fruit.
Then she got a letter that indicated she had taken on a never-ending task.
Central and Western District Council wrote seeking the group’s views on a proposal to build railings on another popular walking route in the area.
The council’s minor works committee wants to go ahead with earlier plans to install three sections of railing along Hatton Road – already opposed by walkers in a survey by the group.
“As long as the budget for minor works is there, they will not stop coming up with ideas on building railings here and there,” Leung said, preparing for a fresh round of campaigning.
Ironically, the news came shortly after a survey of the council’s transport committee found the Old Peak Road railings were opposed 16-8 by members, which one councillor said spelled the end of the project.
“I was thrilled to know our effort had killed the Old Peak Road project. The district councillors are listening,” said Leung, a walker turned activist.
“But suddenly the district council is telling me they want to go ahead with the Hatton Road project. I think I have taken up a never-ending task. But we are not going to give up.” Read the rest of this entry »
Department is ignoring public opposition to proposed walls
November 10th, 2010 by adminWritten by Vivian Leung, chairman, Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group
Over the past few years, the Transport Department has shown its determination to build retaining structures along Old Peak Road and Hatton Road hiking trails, which connect The Peak and Mid-Levels. This is despite the fact that it will have a negative impact on a relatively pristine urban environment and is an obvious waste of public funds.
When, most recently, the department proposed a plan for dwarf stone walls 75cm high on Old Peak Road, it asked for public comment and received an overwhelmingly (95 per cent) negative response. In apparent disregard of public sentiment, it has submitted its proposal to the Central and Western District Council for support in a meeting scheduled for tomorrow in order that “the project can be carried out and finished as soon as possible”.
The department’s presentation to the district council says that the stone walls are to be built “at some potential hazard locations to protect the pedestrians falling into the slope, and avoid incidents similar to that of September 5 when an old lady fell over three metres down the slope at Lion Rock”.
However, in the case of Old Peak Road path next to the slope, there are existing concrete kerbs 26cm high at the four locations where the width is from 2.6 to 4.6 metres. Moreover, the department and police confirm that no accidents have ever been reported on the Old Peak Road path.
In early 2009, in response to a single complaint, transport officials leapt into action and proposed to erect 317 metres of railings along this 930-metre-long hiking path. The Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group heard about the project and collected the on-site opinions of hikers using the trail; 102 out of 108 hikers were opposed to the department’s proposal. They confirmed the path is safe and complained that the railings would be unsightly and spoil the natural habitat of the area. Read the rest of this entry »
Critics turn sights onminor council works; Projects ugly or unnecessary, some locals say
November 23rd, 2009 by adminWritten by Daniel Sin
Some think they are ugly and underused; some feel they have helped make their neighbourhoods a better place to live in.
But however you view them, the roadside stone benches, concrete culs-de-sac, sitting-out areas, rain shelters and an assortment of district minor works have provided timely cash and jobs for smaller contractors and construction workers as they await long-promised major infrastructure projects.
Between April last year and August this year, the government committed itself to spending $800HK million – enough to build a public library and a sport centre – on 1,327 minor projects aimed at providing an economic boost during the financial crisis and improving neighbourhoods.
Ideas for the Home Affairs Department-funded projects came mostly from local residents, who channelled their requests through district councillors.
But now much of the work has been done, not everyone is happy with the results. “They do not blend in with the environment,” said Jeremy Sargent, a resident since 1978 who travels frequently between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. “Sitting-out areas and the like are fine if the public need them, but why not make them look more attractive?”
He said architects should learn from Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Vivian Leung Tai Yuet-kam, a resident of Central and Western District, said many projects were seldom used and quite unnecessary. “Like the pavilion that was built on Hatton Road,” she said. “There is already a similar facility just opposite the path.” Read the rest of this entry »
Drop the railing proposal and leave Old Peak Road alone
November 8th, 2009 by adminWritten by William Swigart
It seems odd that, once again, I must spend my time having to defend our natural environment, not from vandals, but from our own government.
Hong Kong is such a small place that every piece of land is precious, which makes me furious to see the narrow-minded approach that some government departments have.
It is very strange when you consider how advanced Hong Kong is in many other ways.
I once again say ‘no’ to stone walls and railings on the hiking trail on Old Peak Road. The railings or stone walls are eyesores and detract from the public’s right to enjoy the natural environment.
Fencing proposals on Old Peak Road are an irresponsible waste of public money. I walk on this trail and find it perfectly safe. I also believe that I, and other users, can be responsible for our own safety.
Drop these fencing proposals and leave Old Peak Road alone. Public resources should instead be channelled into projects that will actually help real people, not those that simply irritate them.
[This is for reference only.]
Stone walls on hiking trail will do irreparable environmental damage
October 11th, 2009 by adminWritten by Vivian Leung
I refer to the report “97pc opposed railings plan but it’s still not died“, (September 27).
The government continues its efforts to fence in our hiking trails. The proposal to erect railings on Old Peak Road has switched to one of building stone walls.
When will our officials understand that all we want is that they leave the hiking trail alone?
Railings and stone walls will change the landscape in a negative way and do irreparable damage to the environment.
Officials cite public safety, but say that is why they need to ignore public opinion.
However, there are no records of accidents on the hiking trail part of Old Peak Road for the last 20 years.
Who are they protecting, themselves or the public?
Central and Western district councillor Man Chi-wah is quoted as saying: “The fact that there has been no accident in the past does not guarantee there will not be one in the future. If someone gets hurt, and if it is found out from records that the council decided not to take safety precautions, no one can take responsibility”. So they are protecting themselves. Read the rest of this entry »
97pc oppose railings plan but it’s still not died
September 27th, 2009 by adminWritten by Daniel Sin, SCMP
Despite overwhelming opposition to railings proposed for Old Peak Road, the Central and Western District Council and the Transport Department are not willing to abandon the project.
A poll taken among district council members, area committees and local organisations including the Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group between April and May found that 97 per cent of those asked objected to railings being installed along Old Peak Road and “at critical points where there [were] serious potential pedestrian safety hazards”.
The poll, conducted by the Home Affairs Department’s Central and Western district office, was in the form of a questionnaire sent to nine local groups. Of the 314 responses, 304 objected to the proposal. The environmental concern group, a local organisation of hikers in Central and Western district, also voiced its objections to members of the district council.
But rather than kill off the project, the district council’s traffic and transport committee decided at a meeting early this month to take a look at the path before committing to a decision.
The Transport Department, which is responsible for making the final decision, said it would take the council’s views into consideration.
“During the site visit, the Central and Western District Council members suggested using stone walls instead of railings, and offered views on sections of road where protective measures should be provided,” a spokeswoman said. “It was also suggested to add some warning signs to advise pedestrians of the danger of the steep roadside slope.”
The environmental concern group is upset by the positions of the district council and the department. The group says that such works are unnecessary, an eyesore and would spoil the natural landscape.
“Let’s leave the trail alone,” group chairwoman Vivian Leung Tai Yuet-kam said. “People come to embrace the natural environment. The railings would only do irreparable damage to the environment.” Read the rest of this entry »
Resounding ‘no’ to path railings
September 21st, 2009 by adminWritten by Steve Chamberlain
Members of the traffic and transport committee of Central and Western District Council continue to discuss plans to erect railings on the hiking trail on Old Peak Road.
Such railings would be an eyesore and detract from the public’s right to enjoy the natural environment as a peaceful respite from the urban concrete jungle.
Erecting railings is an irresponsible waste of public money. I have walked this trail and find it perfectly safe. I also believe that I and other users can be responsible for our own safety. Furthermore, I understand that there is no record of any accident on this trail for many years.
I am not alone in this. In the last public consultation, done by the district office, 96 per cent of respondents said no to railings. In addition, on January 18 the Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group polled people walking on the trail and found that 94.4 per cent of people also said no to railings. We do not want another walking trail to be fenced unnecessarily and I urge the district council to drop the proposal.
[This is for reference only.]
Environmentalists upset with concrete pavilion atop tree roots
June 14th, 2009 by adminWritten by Daniel Sin
Pavilions and rain shelters are among the favourite minor works that district councils carry out for their constituents. But not all residents who frequent Lung Fu Shan Country Park are thankful for a concrete pavilion in Hatton Road, as they say such amenities are putting the natural environment and local vegetation at risk.
Vivian Leung Tai Yuet-kam, chairwoman of the Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group, said the materials used in the pavilion were too artificial and the structure was visually intrusive. She said the government had totally disregarded the environment building it.
Oren Tetcher, an architect who often hikes in the park, said there were successful examples where natural materials such as wood and stone tiles had been used in place of concrete for building shelters. These materials were equally durable, he said.
“We need to be sensitive to the environment, as the natural environment is very fragile, and it can be easily destroyed,” Mr Tetcher said. Read the rest of this entry »
Railings work being revived, greens warn
June 14th, 2009 by adminWritten by Daniel Sin
The Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group, which succeeded in stalling the erection of railings in Hatton Road, Mid-Levels, has discovered the project will soon be revived.
The Central and Western District Council says that the project’s revival was in response to requests from elderly residents.
Last week, the Sunday Morning Post (SEHK: 0583, announcements, news) reported that the concern group had pointed out a growing number of railings alongside roads and trails in the city that it considered to be unnecessary eyesores.
A Transport Department spokeswoman said the railings along Hatton Road cost about HK$80,000, and were installed in response to a district council request to safeguard pedestrians’ safety.
A Home Affairs Department spokesman said some elderly residents had asked district council members for the railings at a meeting in 2007.
A submission to the council’s traffic and transport committee suggested that handrails should be installed along the footpath in Lung Fu Shan Country Park because it was steep.
When about a third of the work was completed, in December, the concern group surveyed 141 walkers along Hatton Road and found that 120 opposed the new railings. A similar number called for a halt to work on the railings. Read the rest of this entry »
Obsession with fences a barrier to beauty, say hikersGroup claims railings in Mid-Levels are an eyesore
June 7th, 2009 by adminWritten by Daniel Sin
Hikers trying to find respite from the hustle and bustle of urban living say they are frustrated by the mass of iron railings lining the city’s footpaths and concrete poured over former green areas.
Vivian Leung Tai Yuet-kam, chairwoman of the Lung Fu Shan Environmental Concern Group, a local organisation of hikers in Central and Western District, said that the growing number of railings built alongside roads and trails were not only an eyesore, but served no practical purpose other than to provide work for contractors.
Mrs Leung showed the Sunday Morning Post a few examples of railings installed by the government in the Mid-Levels. In one example, an iron fence was put up in front of a solid stone barrier built to redirect floodwater on Old Peak Road.
Elsewhere, a tiny patch of grass on a safety island at the junction of Kotewall Road and Robinson Road was enclosed by heavy green iron railings.
Railings were also installed in a section of Robinson Road, not separating pedestrians from vehicular traffic, but keeping walkers off curbside shrubs and plants. Read the rest of this entry »