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Written by: Commentary Editing Room
2020-09-08 07:00
Last update date: 2020-09-08 07:00
It has been ten years since the former Mong Kok Market Building was closed in 2010. After ten years of delay, the government finally decided to abandon the sale of land and renovate it by the URA, and put it into service as a transitional "District Health Station" as early as 2021. In 2024 Officially became a "District Health Center" for short to medium term use.
The Mong Kok Market Building lives in a busy city, and neighboring residents have a huge demand for health services, but it will be closed for ten years before it can be developed for the benefit of the people. Its efficiency is also questioned by the public.
(Picture of Food and Health Bureau)
Ten years of idle in the downtown area waste land resources
According to the 2016 mid-term population statistics, the total population of Mong Tsim Mong District reached 340,000, of which the population density of Mong Kok District was as high as 130,000 per kilometer.
The population density of Mong Kok is so high that residents in the district have great demand for community facilities or land space. In this downtown area, a market building has been idle for ten years, which is a waste of resources.
Today there is a shortage of health facilities in the district and the demand for elderly health services has greatly increased. If the building can be successfully transformed ten years ago, I believe it will become a convenient facility.
The government spent ten years in vain before abandoning the land sale plan. Not only did the original land sale plan fail, but the land was left unused for many years, making it impossible to rebuild the land as soon as possible to benefit the people.
In 2018, the Food and Health Bureau originally proposed to build district health centers, maternal and child health centers, and elderly health centers on the old market sites, and then eliminated the maternal and child health centers.
At the same time, in 2019-20, the land has been included in the land sale plan. It is estimated that a private developer will build a commercial building. The land value is between 1.2 billion and 1.7 billion yuan, but the government overturned the original plan a year later.
On March 23 this year, a fire broke out in the former Mong Kok market, which affected the development of foam boxes and other debris. The external walls were blackened and the meter room was burnt down.
(Information picture)
Responding to elderly service needs
The government's development plans have been "slingshot" one after another, and it is hard to say that it is ideal in terms of land development or administrative efficiency.
According to a representative of the Food and Health Bureau, the transitional short-term "District Health Station" of the former Mong Kok Market Building is expected to meet with the neighbourhood in 2021, and after the reconstruction and renovation works, it is also expected to be completed in 2024. The middle stage of the center.
If the bureau can select the lanes ten years ago, the entire development plan may be able to be pushed back ten years ago.
The time that has passed will not return. The government has taken into account the local health service needs in the new plan, and the measures still have merits.
The district is densely populated. As the overall population of Hong Kong ages, the demand for health centers in the district will become more urgent.
The government should study the provision of more diversified services in future health centers, such as providing dental services for the elderly and even elderly care services.
With regard to the long-term planning of the Health and Wellness Center, the plan must also be drawn up earlier, and the city planning cannot be hesitated.
The Development Bureau should explain to the society the health center of the Yau Mong District and the blueprint for the future development of the Yau Mong District as soon as possible so that residents can see the future of the district.
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Community-Food and Health Bureau, Mong Kok Market Development Bureau 01 Viewpoint
