Involving theInvolving the in Building in Building

The Case of Western DistrictThe Case of Western District

Mee Kam NGMee Kam NG

The University of The University of Hong KongHong Kong

Background of the DistrictBackground of the District District Council: little knowledge about District Council: little knowledge about

sustainable developmentsustainable development Partnership is not a popular conceptPartnership is not a popular concept Residents have little knowledge about Residents have little knowledge about

urban planningurban planning Government’s district planning has been Government’s district planning has been

top-downtop-down Staff and students: have little knowledge Staff and students: have little knowledge

about the districtabout the district

MethodologyMethodology Community Planning WorkshopsCommunity Planning Workshops

Workshop OneWorkshop One Understanding Understanding

Western DistrictWestern District Raising Raising

Community Community Awareness & Awareness & Encouraging Encouraging InputsInputs

Interviewing Interviewing Community Community MembersMembers

Key Community ConcernsKey Community Concerns Reclamation: reducing the scale of reclamation to Reclamation: reducing the scale of reclamation to

improve the environmentimprove the environment linking the old with the newlinking the old with the new MTR extensionMTR extension Urban renewal: in-situ rehousingUrban renewal: in-situ rehousing Housing mix: public & private housingHousing mix: public & private housing Steep streets: build escalators to improve accessSteep streets: build escalators to improve access Routes 7 & 10: submerged Route 7 and abandon Routes 7 & 10: submerged Route 7 and abandon

road reserve for route 10road reserve for route 10 Extend the tram to the new reclamationExtend the tram to the new reclamation Open spaceOpen space Waterfront promenadeWaterfront promenade HeritageHeritage Hygiene: old areasHygiene: old areas

MethodologyMethodology Community Planning WorkshopsCommunity Planning Workshops

Workshop TwoWorkshop Two Generating Generating

planning planning ideasideas

Sustainability Sustainability Impact Impact AssessmentAssessment

Feedback on Feedback on Planning Planning IdeasIdeas

MethodologyMethodology Community Planning WorkshopsCommunity Planning Workshops

Workshop Three: Preparing a concept planWorkshop Three: Preparing a concept plan

MethodologyMethodology Community Planning WorkshopsCommunity Planning Workshops

Workshop ThreeWorkshop Three Evaluating the sustainability of the planEvaluating the sustainability of the plan

ResidentsResidents ElderlyElderly BusinessBusiness YouthYouth

Social: Social: relocationrelocation

Economic: Economic: employmentemployment

Environ-Environ-mental: mental: QoLQoL

OverallOverall

11 。。 Sai Ying Sai Ying PunPun

22 。。 Shek Tong Tsui & Shek Tong Tsui & UniversityUniversity

33 。。 Kennedy Town Kennedy Town & Mt. Davis& Mt. Davis

44 。。 ReclamatioReclamation Westn West

55 。。 ReclamatioReclamation Eastn East

MethodologyMethodology Community Planning WorkshopsCommunity Planning Workshops

Workshop Three: Action PlanWorkshop Three: Action Plan

MethodologyMethodology Phase II: Community Planning WorkshopsPhase II: Community Planning Workshops

Workshop Three: Bringing the Plan to the Workshop Three: Bringing the Plan to the CommunityCommunity

Students’ Concept PlanStudents’ Concept Plan

Conclusion: Macro-levelConclusion: Macro-level Difficulties of building sustainable communities Difficulties of building sustainable communities

in Hong Kong:in Hong Kong: Absence of local authoritiesAbsence of local authorities Lack of a territory-wide sustainable Lack of a territory-wide sustainable

development strategydevelopment strategy Hong Kong needs a sustainable development Hong Kong needs a sustainable development

strategy that integrate macro and micro strategy that integrate macro and micro concerns to serve the needs of the publicconcerns to serve the needs of the public

District Council should be provided with more District Council should be provided with more professional planning resources to build up local professional planning resources to build up local partnership programmes to map out a local partnership programmes to map out a local sustainable development blueprintsustainable development blueprint

Conclusion: Micro-levelConclusion: Micro-level Sustainability of Western District:Sustainability of Western District:

Rich social and cultural capitalRich social and cultural capital Needs more work on economic and Needs more work on economic and

environmental capitalenvironmental capital District Council: more knowledgeable about District Council: more knowledgeable about

the concept of sustainable developmentthe concept of sustainable development Partnership is realizedPartnership is realized Residents empoweredResidents empowered Students and staff members learned more Students and staff members learned more

about the Districtabout the District

ConclusionConclusion The exercise proved that community inputs (DCs, The exercise proved that community inputs (DCs,

social workers, NGOs, residents, businessmen, social workers, NGOs, residents, businessmen, university) is indispensable in formulating a local university) is indispensable in formulating a local development blueprintdevelopment blueprint

Community involvement ignites a sense of ownership Community involvement ignites a sense of ownership and an urge for implementationand an urge for implementation

The Central and Western District has set up a Working The Central and Western District has set up a Working Group on Sustainable Development to pursue the Group on Sustainable Development to pursue the students’ recommended concept planstudents’ recommended concept plan

Building sustainable communities is a learning process: Building sustainable communities is a learning process: it is fun!it is fun!

The learning process has to build upon trust, mutual The learning process has to build upon trust, mutual respect and dialogue… Social capital is the lubricant…respect and dialogue… Social capital is the lubricant…