(English Version is in the following)
各位,
距離一個月的諮詢期完結只有不足二星期時間, 附上英文版本, 希望大家繼續廣傳及發動更多人關心大澳的發展情況. 謝謝.
Dear all,
The government consultation will finish very soon, please go to sign and express your opinions to save Tai O. thanks.
反對「破壞大澳景貌」工程
網上聯署
「翻新」為名，「破壞」為實
2004 年11月，政府推出大嶼山發展概念計劃，建議保存大澳古老漁村的文化遺產和天然資源，同時進行一些工程以提高大澳的吸引力。2007年9月23日，土木工程拓展署聯同規劃署及邁進基建環保工程顧問有限公司在大澳舉辦名為「翻新大澳景貌」的諮詢會，並公佈將動用六億二仟萬元來進行有關的建造工程，諮詢期只得一個月。大澳文化工作室認為這些建造工程，以「翻新」為名，卻做成「破壞」之效；而且整過規劃以舊思維、由上而下、以地標式的規劃硬生生地強加在一個傳統漁村的環境，將大澳打造成另類的主題公園，與維護社區居民的生活文化、可持續發展及公共參與的原則背道而馳。大澳文化工作室對有關規劃表示極度遺憾及強烈反對。
擬動用六億二仟萬的工程項目包括：
1.大澳道入口廣場、主題噴水池、雕塑、石雕刻、海濱木板走廊及公共交通轉駁處；
2.龍田邨以北的河畔公園、海濱長廊、跨涌大橋；
3.大澳河南岸的海濱長廊、跨涌行人橋、遊客設施；
4.石仔埗海濱長廊、海濱廣場、中式公園、荷花池；
5.以棚屋外型設計的民俗博物館；
6.佛教筏可紀念中學以南平整濕地；
7.為遊客而設的自然徑、商業徑及文物指示牌；
8.直昇機坪。
大澳會變成一個人工化的旅遊景點區
政府落實發展大澳，根本不是秉持以人為本的精神，配合社區的實際需要，以及按著可持續發展的概念來建設大澳。須知大澳有過千年的歷史，大澳人從生活中孕育出獨特的水鄉文化，是碩果僅存的。大澳水鄉的風土人情、美麗的自然生態環境，正好擔當發揚本土地區文化的好地方。就是這份傳統及文化與自然生態環境的特色，大澳已成為各級學生們走出課堂作另類學習與通識教育的好地方，亦吸引不少香港市民及海外遊客到訪，進行文化生態旅遊。但現今大澳卻要被「無知的」、「舊思維的」、「行政霸權的」政府官員及政策，將會變成一個人工化的、商業化的平凡社區與主題公園，大澳的社區文化特色及美麗的自然生態環境，將徹底被摧毀，大澳將不再是大澳，只會變成一個人工化的旅遊景點區。
不尊重社區居民的生活文化的規劃
政府耗資六億二仟萬的「翻新大澳景貌」工程，是個既不尊重社區居民的生活文化，又沒有為「文化保存」及「生態保育」方面作出絲毫貢獻。相反，是嚴重地破壞了大澳社區文化的特色與美麗的自然生態環境。以大澳文化工作室的接觸，吸引香港與海外遊客到訪大澳，並非甚麼地標式廣場或主題公園式的旅遊，而是源於生活而產生的文化特色、人情味及自然生態景色，所以政府擬耗資六億二仟萬「翻新大澳景貌」的工程根本不能促進社區經濟發展及提高訪客的吸引力。
破壞大澳工程，重蹈覆徹
事實上，政府過去在大澳推行一些大型的發展工程，是既浪費金錢又破壞大澳自然環境，這些不可逆轉的破壞亦進一步削弱大澳可持續發展的元素。例如政府在 1995年動用二億元興建龍田邨第二期公屋，落成至今仍十室九空；2003年動用二億八仟萬興建漁船碇泊區，結果並沒有任何經濟效益及船隻回流大澳碇泊，相反，這項工程不但破壞大澳美麗的日落景色和自然生態環境，而且龐大的挖泥工程，嚴重影響附近一帶棚屋的地基，棚屋居民的生命財產之安全亦受威脅。可惜政府沒有檢討有關規劃的失誤與浪費，卻要重蹈覆徹，進行破壞大澳工程。
假諮詢
「翻新大澳景貌」的規劃，政府只透過9月23日的公開論壇上作簡佈，並沒有任何諮詢文件供公眾參閱，而且諮詢期只得一個月，令我們感到政府欲運用「行政霸權」硬上馬，所謂諮詢是毫無誠意的「假諮詢」。
我們要求:
基於上述原因，大澳文化工作室對有關規劃表示極度遺憾及強烈反對，並要求政府：
1.規劃必須乎合維護社區居民的生活文化、可持續發展及公共參與的原則；
2.規劃必須達致保育和保護大澳文化遺產及自然生態環境；
3.公開所有諮詢文件及廣開公共參與的溝道；
4.延長諮詢期
2007年10月4日
大澳文化工作室負責人
黃惠琼
聯絡電話：9626-9671
Objection to the Tai O 'renovation' project
Signature Campaign
Damages under the name of ‘renovation’
In November 2004, the local government launched Concept Plan for the Development of Lantau Island with an objective to preserve the cultural heritage and natural resources of Tai O’s old fishing villages. The Concept Plan also suggested carrying out certain construction projects with a view to enhancing the local attractions of Tai O. On September 23, 2007, the Civil Engineering and Development Department held a consultation meeting titled Tai O Renovation, jointly with the Planning Department and an environmental engineering consulting company (邁進基建環保工程顧問有限公司), and announced a budget of 620 million dollars for the required construction works. However, the consultation period was no more than one month.
The Tai O Culture Workshop finds that those construction works are damages under the name of ‘renovation’. The whole planning was built on old mindsets, trying to implant an iconic theme park on a traditional fishing village abruptly through top-down policy implementation. This is totally going against the conservation of community lifestyles as well as the principles of sustainability and public participation. The Tai O Culture Workshop wishes to express its deep regret and strong opposition against the project.
The construction works covered by the 620-milllion budget include:
1. Tai O Road entrance square; a theme fountain; sculptures; stone carving; shorefront wooden walk-way and a public transport transit area.
2. A riverfront park to the north of Lung Tin Estate; a shorefront walk; Tung Chung River bridge
3. A shorefront walk along Tai O River’s south bank; a pedestrian bridge over Tung Chung River; tourist facilities;
4.Shek Tsai Po shorefront walk; a shorefront plaza; a Chinese-style park; a water lily pond;
5.An ethnic museum in stilt-house style;
6. A flat wetland to the south of Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial School;
7. A nature’s walk, a shopping walk and cultural relic signage designed for tourists;
8. A helicopter landing pad.
Tai O to be turned into a synthetic tourist spot
In developing Tai O, the government is not taking a people-oriented approach, nor trying to meet the actual needs of the community. Neither does it abide by the principle of sustainable development. Tai O has a history of over a thousand years. The water village culture precipitated from the everyday lives of Tai O people is among the few left in the world. The customs and moods of Tai O water village, together with the picturesque natural economy, are the best manifestation of the local culture. The unique tradition and stylish natural environment of Tai O tell exactly the reasons why the village has become an alternative learning place and general education site for school students, as well as a cultural eco-tourism spot for Hong Kong people and tourists alike. Unluckily, Tai O will soon be turned into a synthetic, commercialized and ordinary community integrated with a theme park, in the hands of some naïve, conservative and bureaucratic government officials. The local characteristics and the beautiful natural environment will soon be totally destroyed. Tai O will never be Tai O any more, but will only become a synthetic tourist spot.
A urban planning ignoring the cultural lifestyle of local communities
The government’s Tai O Renovation project costing a huge investment of 620 million dollars pays no respect to local lifestyle, and does not contribute at all to cultural preservation or ecological conservation. On the other hand, it is gravely damaging the local cultural characteristics and ecological environment. As far as the interactions the Tai O Culture Workshop has made with the visitors tell, local and overseas visitors are not attracted to Tai O by any iconic plaza or theme park, but rather by the original lifestyle, culture, people and natural scenery. Therefore the 620-million Tai O Renovation project will definitely not be able to promote community economy or enhance the attraction towards tourists.
Damaging works carried out repeatedly
In fact, a number of big development works carried out at Tai O already by the government have been proven to cause irreversible damages further reducing the sustainability of Tai O. For example, the government spent 200 million dollars in 1995 to build the second-phase public housing units at Lung Tin Estate, which has been scarcely populated ever since its completion. In 2003, the government spent another 280 million dollars to build a fishing boat berthing area, yielding no economic benefit as the boats have chosen to return to Tai O. On the other hand, the new berthing area ruins not only the beautiful sunset scenery but also the surrounding ecological environment. The large-scale excavating works as part of the construction project have adversely affected the foundations of the surrounding stilt houses, posing risks to the lives, properties and safety of the residents. However, the government has not learnt any lesson from the wrong planning and spending, and even repeated its mistakes by implementing the Tai O ‘renovation’ project.
Fake consultation
The government only briefly announced its Tai O Renovation plan on the public forum held at September 23, without providing the general public with any consultation paper. Moreover, the consultation period lasted for as short as one month. All these seem to be a means of administrative domination, and the so-called consultation seems to be a fake one without sincerity.
What We petition for:
On the grounds stated above, the Tai O Culture Workshop wishes to express its deep regret and strong opposition, and it requests the government to:
1. safeguard the community lifestyle and follow the principles of sustainability and public participation in its planning;
2. serve the purpose of protecting and conserving the cultural heritage and natural ecological environment of Tai O;
3. disclose all consultation papers to the public and substantially open more public participation channels;
4. extend the consultation period.
Wong Wai King
Tai O Culture Workshop
October 4, 2007
Contact telephone number: 9626-9671