公園煙囪？
Smoke stack in public space?
早在2004年，熱心維護維港的活躍分子已要求政府為有關水泵站、通風機樓及其他設施覓地另建，至今不果。不久將來，六線行車之中環灣仔繞道機樓一旦在擬建地址建成，香港居民以及遊人旅客恐怕就要避無可避，日日望著這棟機樓，觀其形、吸其氣、聽其聲！
Since 2004 harbour activists have asked Government to reconsider the location of pump houses, ventilation shafts, and other infrastructure. But to no avail. Hong Kong residents and tourists will be forced to look at, smell and hear the air ventilation of the six lane Central Wanchai Bypass tunnel.
其實幾年前國際金融中心興建時，大樓高度破例超出山脊線，發展商須在國金提供公眾平台花園作為交換條件。如今路政署計劃在此公眾平台正前方豎起一道”排氣大牆”，市民以昂貴代價換取的休憩空間豈不是付諸流水？
Highways Department will place the air vents right in front of the public rooftop on IFC, a public space the community has paid dearly for. The rooftop was created by the developer in return for being allowed to break the rules protecting the view of Hong Kong’s ridgeline!
政府在2009年施政報告中宣佈( http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr09-10/chinese/panels/dev/dev_hfp/papers/dev_hf... ) ，將取消在國金前方興建酒店和辦公大樓、豁免補地價、改變土地用途以便“興建大型園景平台，把商業中心區與新海濱連接起來，並提供約 1.7公頃公眾休憩用地，包括可用來舉行節日活動的中央廣場” ，一個“朝氣 蓬勃、富吸引力、方便暢達的文娛樞紐，主要作為公眾享用的海濱休憩用地” 。
Following the 2009 policy address, government announced its decision to forego land premiums and delete the planned hotel and office developments in front of IFC and to change the land use to a “large landscaped deck connecting the Central Business District to the new harbourfront and providing about 1.7 hectares of public open space including a central plaza for festive events”, “a vibrant, attractive and accessible civic node primarily for public enjoyment of the harbourfront.”
路政署現在却要在此珍貴地段旁安置其隧道機樓排放廢氣，豈不是大煞風景，白費心機？有聞路政署早有計劃，將會在機樓屋頂鋪上幾條稱為“節日草皮” (http://www.hyd.gov.hk/chi/public/press/2010/270710.htm)的綠草，以減輕通風機樓影響。如此“妙計”實在令人不敢恭維！
All this flexibility is wasted with the Highways Department placing the airvent right next to it. Oh almost forgot, they will mitigate the impact by putting some ‘festive’ grass on the roof of the airvents.
另覓地點
Move the airvent
曾有工程師提議，把通風大樓向西面稍移，在高架天橋之間，人流稀少之處建造，以免影響市容，奈何路政署聲稱改址將拖慢工程進展云云。
A site just a little to the west has been identified by engineers where the airvent will be between fly-overs and out of everyone’s way.
路政署如此言論實在難脫毫無誠意，敷衍了事之嫌。首先，若果路政署早在市民先前提出意見時就坐言起行，根本就不會有什麽拖慢工程之事。再者，就算工程稍微延後，代價也遠比選錯地點起錯樓小。因為一旦機樓起好，就算發現不妥，想要再搬簡直就是天方夜譚。
Highways Department's claims that such move will lead to delays rings hollow. Had Highways Department acted when people first commented there would be no risk of delay. In any case, the cost of a short delay is always much less than the cost of having a smoke stack in the wrong place forever.
聯署登入：http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/say_no_to_smoke_stack_in_public_space...