EduHK welcomes move to relocate sports centre

The Education University of Hong Kong (EduHK) has welcomed the government's decision to move its sports centre from Pak Shek Kok to a site adjacent to its main campus in Tai Po, as part of plans to build the new Pak Shek Kok MTR station.

The school expects the new centre in Tung Tsz will be completed in 2031.

It said that the structure will feature modern facilities to support sports, leisure, health and student development activities to better enrich their campus life.

Reprovisioning works for the centre will begin in the second half of 2028, according to the government, upon resumption and clearance of private land.

Railway operator MTR, meanwhile, said it will "strike a balance between railway operations and project progress", and address the complexities involved through rigorous planning.

"We are advancing into the detailed planning and design proposals of the project, with a view to providing more convenient transport services for the community and in support of the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong," its chief executive officer Jeny Yeung said in a statement.

Tai Po district councillor Lo Hiu-fung told RTHK that he welcomed the government plan, adding that many residents believe it will make travelling more convenient.

He also supports the "station first, residential development later" approach in carrying out the project.

"I think it is the right direction because the station should not be delayed by housing development or financial issues," he said.

"Residents have been waiting for better transport for many years, so their needs should come first."

DAB lawmaker Holden Chow said the approach could help save taxpayers' money.

"Residential development has always been a common approach for MTR to raise money and finance its own construction work for railway systems. I would agree with this approach," he said.

"For the time being, this approach would allow us to save taxpayers' money, and given that the government has obligations to keep or to secure a robust financial position, I would agree with this approach for using residential development to finance the MTR's construction work."

Edited by Edmond Fong ...