Blending of old and new is what most of us want
As Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen recognised last week, there is a strong desire among Hong Kong people to preserve our city's heritage. This newspaper's survey of leading opinion-makers clearly shows the depth of that feeling.
Before the controversy over the plans to demolish the Star Ferry and adjoining Queen's piers, the sense that heritage preservation was an issue close to the hearts of people other than conservationists and historians was not so apparent. The protests for a reversal of the decision were led by younger members of the community and caught the administration off guard. But it should not be surprised that the issue quickly became not just about ferry piers but how Hong Kong treats its past and its traditions.
Our fast-disappearing past, whether buildings, ways of life or memories, are ample proof that existing protection measures are insufficient. The realisation that all was being swept away in the name of progress - in the case of the Star Ferry pier, by a road and yet another shopping mall - may well prove to be a turning point.
Our survey quantifies those feelings among some of the city's more influential people, showing they believe that having a well-defined approach towards heritage is good for Hong Kong. A majority found the government's efforts in this regard wanting.
Mr Tsang has recognised some of the administration's failings, making a promise to redouble efforts to preserve heritage part of his election campaign. In the wake of the Star Ferry protests, he announced the resumption of the stalled consultation process on ways to strengthen and broaden the preservation system.
In launching his platform last week, he admitted that the consultation process in the past had not been representative of Hong Kong people and pledged that 'while proceeding with development, we will strive to maintain the historical character of our beautiful city'. That is an important caveat, one which he has voiced on a number of occasions recently: to strike a balance between development and preservation.
There is no doubting the necessity for such a balance to be struck, given that Hong Kong's regional competitive edge must be maintained. Simply because a building is old should not mean that a developer's proposal that it be demolished to make way for a commercial complex, for example, must be rejected.
Hundreds of thousands of jobs depend on the construction industry and a development freeze would cause unemployment and hit the economy. As cities like New York, London and Sydney show, though, it is possible to preserve heritage without affecting development.
Many of the people who took part in our survey are members of the business community. It is interesting that they do not wholeheartedly back the development-at-all-costs philosophy that has driven Hong Kong's economy in past decades at the expense of historic and cultural places. Respondents observed the need to respect collective memory, as in the case of Queen's Pier, where many newly-weds have been photographed, as well as maintain old buildings, dai pai dong and street markets.
This is understandable in light of our city's development. Economically, great heights have been scaled over the past half century, but there is more to lifestyle than money. Hong Kong people now also crave a pleasant environment. As other cities have learned, that does not merely mean replacing the old with the new; it requires blending what the past has offered that is good with modern developments.
A process is needed to ensure the right balance is struck. The consultation on heritage preservation should lead to a better system being put in place. Its findings will be published in the middle of the year and Mr Tsang has promised that if re-elected there will be no half-measures in formulating a better policy.
As our survey shows, there is a strong community desire to move away from the imbalances of the past.
