Heritage Preservation
ELC 292 ENGLISH FOR UNIVERSITY STUDIES
ASSESSMENT 2
Academic essay 2
Heritage Preservation
NAME: Kong Yat Long Oswald
STUDENT ID: 11029392D
DATE: 12/11/2011
Heritage conservation has become a major concern in the society since the last decade, with the innovation project in Lee Tung Street and the demolition of Star Ferry Pier. By definition, heritage is a collective noun representing both tangible and intangible assets inherited from the past. It is worth preserving for retaining collective memories of the public, creating a national identity and educating our future generation. Although the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance is responsible to conversation and promotion work of the heritage in Hong Kong, its work faces certain degree of difficulties due to several reasons. This essay first starts with the causes of the difficult situation faced in preserving heritages, then concludes by solutions in which the authorities can expedite their actions.
According to information provided by the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (AMO) [1], there are 99 declared monuments and 1,114 historical buildings in Hong Kong. Monuments and historical buildings are both heritages declared by AMO, but historical buildings are not protected by the Basic Law. Moreover, in the selection of heritages, clear criteria and guidelines are absent, especially in the three-tier grading system of historical buildings. Under the above circumstances, the government or other parties may not have the right to preserve the historical buildings, as they have no legal state. Finally, some of them may be demolished in the coming years. Besides, the grading system may lead to misconception in public, which become an obstacle on heritage preservation.
Added to the above, the cooperation between different parties is weak. For example, in the case study in Kam Tin, Li and Lo [2] state that Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) only take part in promoting tourism industry but not conserving
ASSESSMENT 2
Academic essay 2
Heritage Preservation
NAME: Kong Yat Long Oswald
STUDENT ID: 11029392D
DATE: 12/11/2011
Heritage conservation has become a major concern in the society since the last decade, with the innovation project in Lee Tung Street and the demolition of Star Ferry Pier. By definition, heritage is a collective noun representing both tangible and intangible assets inherited from the past. It is worth preserving for retaining collective memories of the public, creating a national identity and educating our future generation. Although the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance is responsible to conversation and promotion work of the heritage in Hong Kong, its work faces certain degree of difficulties due to several reasons. This essay first starts with the causes of the difficult situation faced in preserving heritages, then concludes by solutions in which the authorities can expedite their actions.
According to information provided by the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (AMO) [1], there are 99 declared monuments and 1,114 historical buildings in Hong Kong. Monuments and historical buildings are both heritages declared by AMO, but historical buildings are not protected by the Basic Law. Moreover, in the selection of heritages, clear criteria and guidelines are absent, especially in the three-tier grading system of historical buildings. Under the above circumstances, the government or other parties may not have the right to preserve the historical buildings, as they have no legal state. Finally, some of them may be demolished in the coming years. Besides, the grading system may lead to misconception in public, which become an obstacle on heritage preservation.
Added to the above, the cooperation between different parties is weak. For example, in the case study in Kam Tin, Li and Lo [2] state that Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) only take part in promoting tourism industry but not conserving