Typhoon Mangkhut damage should not keep Hong Kong Island joggers off the track for months

I was dismayed to read in the news that the sports ground in Siu Sai Wan, Chai Wan, will be closed for up to six months due to damage wrought by Mangkhut (“Give city leader power to give workers post-typhoon day off, lawmakers urge”, October 4).

A government spokesman said that the facilities of the venue were not safe after the typhoon. He might be correct if he was referring to facilities outside the venue, such as benches, broken tiles along the promenade, damaged lawns, fallen lamp posts and debris from collapsed trees. These facilities would take time to restore.

Critics of Hong Kong’s response to Typhoon Mangkhut have a point

My flat overlooks the venue from a high floor in Island Resort and I keep an eye on its condition every day. From my observations, the venue’s internal facilities were largely unscathed. The turf in the football field has since returned to its original green appearance and the surrounding tracks are damage free, though traces of spilled-over sand and mud are visible which can be cleaned up by workers in a matter of days.

The tracks of the venue are a favourite facility for residents in the Siu Sai Wan community. Every day scores of people would flock to the tracks to jog or exercise, or simply to have a taste of fresh air. Where can folks go for exercise if the only decent venue in Siu Sai Wan is going to be closed for so long?

Sam Wong, Chai Wan