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Raymond Ma

Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, one of Hong Kong's most popular parks,  will go completely smoke-free from January 1, when new curbs on smoking take effect.

The revised law allows smoking zones in big parks, but limits them to 1 per cent of a park's area.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department had proposed designating three smoking areas - at open-air pavilions at the northern and southern ends, and at an open space bordering on Victoria Park Road.

The three areas listed in the department's proposal for the 186,860-square-metre Victoria Park cover just 676 square metres, or 0.36 per cent,  of the park's area.

But Eastern District Council has rejected the proposal, making the district the first to commit itself to a  ban on smoking in all parks and gardens.

There are 94 parks in the district.

'We feel that unless we create a level playing field for all the parks, there would be a lot of disputes in the future,' Eastern District councillor Kong Tza-wing said.

'Also, people go to parks because they want fresh air and to relax. If we allowed smoking there, then the non-smoking majority may have to breathe secondhand smoke.'

Hong Kong Park and Chater Garden in Central, and Kowloon Park in Tsim Sha Tsui, are also  expected to become smoke-free  when the   district councils that run them meet   this month to discuss smoking bans.

Stephen Chan Chit-kwai,  chairman of Central and Western District Council's culture, leisure and social affairs committee, said: 'Whenever you have a park, there are most likely children playing there and of course that's why we want the air to be cleaner.'

But while  major parks will be smoke-free when the  law takes effect,  smoking may  still be allowed in most others.

In Wan Chai, only 32  of   83 parks will be smoke-free, and  in Kwun Tong  just 11  of 100.

At Southorn Playground in Wan Chai, 88 square metres, or exactly  1 per cent of the 8,800-square-metre park, will be set aside for smokers' enjoyment.

Under the bill passed by the Legislative Council in October 19, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department  director can, in consultation with  councils, designate   parks where smoking is allowed.

The law bans  smoking   in parks and gardens with 'active facilities', such as sporting or children's play areas  and with an area smaller than 2,000 square metres.

But  the department can    recommend that  smaller parks without such 'active facilities'  be exempt from the ban.

Departmental officials said they were unable to  say how many of the 1,500 parks and gardens  fall into each category.



Smoking ban in Victoria Park,  but not at some smaller ones