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SCMP Reporter

The Urban Council's Tuen Mun regional office is building public toilets on the open space opposite Tuen Mun Ferry Pier.

 This space has an area of about 8,000 to 10,000 square feet and the toilets occupy about 30 per cent of the area.

 On both sides of the open space are a number of restaurants.

 Each day, hundreds of people walk past this place.

 And every evening hundreds of foreign workers, housemaids, and residents young and old gather to meet friends, relax and enjoy the beautiful sight of the sea.

 The ideal use of this open space would be to turn it into a small, beautiful garden with trees, grass, flowers and a sitting-out area like Chater Garden, Lambeth Walk Rest Garden and Admiralty Garden. The residents would be most happy, grateful, and see it as a blessing from the Urban Council.

 Unfortunately, public toilets are being built and once brought into use, this garden spot will be totally spoiled.

 No matter how well the toilets are maintained, the air over this area will carry their stink.

 What is worse, the area will become an environmental problem in years to come.

 The residents around Tuen Mun pier will be forced to accept such an undesirable sight.

 Can there be any measures to change the situation?  Here are two alternatives for Urban Council consideration:   The toilets in Tuen Mun Ferry Pier, which has more than enough room for expansion, should be made open to the public; or   Build the toilets on the open space west of the residential block of Richland Garden, which is about three to five minutes' walk from Tuen Mun Ferry Pier.

 A sign can be erected giving directions to the toilets.

 I hope the Urban Council will give serious consideration to these views.

 Most importantly, the construction of the toilets should be stopped at once and they should demolish to make way for a beautiful garden on the site.

 Please care for the long-term well-being of the residents.

 Make them love the Urban Council and not the opposite.

SIMON WONG New Territories 



Knock down new public toilets to make garden