Viewpoints
Lai Wai-lun, who organised the Shek Kip Mei Government Primary School party, said: 'I miss the old days because people in the new estate aren't as warm, open and friendly as before. People close their doors and hardly talk to others. People are not interested in knowing their neighbours.'
Bernard Lim Wan-fung, president of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects and a professor of architecture at Chinese University, said: '[Another] impressive idea was to turn part of the Shek Kip Mei estate into an artists' village and outdoor food bazaar.'
Historian Ho Tim-keung said: 'For many people, living in Shek Kip Mei Estate in the 1950s is the most unforgettable period of their lives. It was shortly after the baby boom of the post-war era and Hong Kong had undergone drastic changes. The quality of public housing then was ridiculous.'
Lee Cert-quinn, Assistant Director of Housing (Estate Management), said: 'All of the 1,640 households affected by the current clearance exercise have accepted Domestic Removal Allowance ranging from HK$2,600 for one-person households to HK$7,520 for households of six or above. Over 99 per cent of the households have been rehoused in nearby estates in the same district. About 10 remaining households agreeing to move out have been given a two-week grace period, and must vacate their units by November 1.'
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