This appeared on page 2 of the Hong Kong Telegraph, 1932-02-03:
Y.M.C.A. WING OPENED.
LARGE CROWD ATTENDS CEREMONY.
H. E. OFFICIATES.
In the presence of a big crowd, his Excellency the Governor, Sir William Peel, yesterday declared open, the new wing of the European Y.M.C.A., at Salisbury Road, Kowloon. He congratulated the Directors on the achievement, which he said, should have beneficial effects.
In asking His Excellency to open the new wing, the President of of the Association, Hon. Mr. W. E. L. Shenton, gave a description of the additions, and forecast that soon another wing would balance the recently completed section.
Mr, Shenton said:
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen:
On May 7 last year I had the privilege of presiding at the ceremony when Your Excellency graciously laid the foundation stone of our new west wing. Today I am happy to bo occupying a similar position, and to witness a further demonstration of Your Excellency's goodwill towards, and continued interest in, our Association.
Before giving you a short description of the new wing and the accommodation we are providing for our members and their friends, it is the wish of all of us interested in the Y.M.C.A. work, that I should state how much we appreciated Your Excellency's kindness in coming over to Kowloon last May and laying our foundation stone, and how much we are indebted to you to-day for performing the opening ceremony. We know only too well how much of your time is taken up with your official duties, and how little Is left to you for relaxation, consequently we consider it a particular honour that you should be with us again to-day.
I will not dwell on our past history—I dealt with it at considerable length last May, and I will confine myself to the present.
Sir Henry Pollock Back.
As I look around I am glad to see with us our old friend and past President, the Hon. Sir Henry Pollock. It is just about two years ago that Sir Henry went down the gangway of the Y.M.C.A. leaving me at the helm. I am glad to say Sir Henry is now about to return, and will shortly be at the wheel again. We shall all be delighted to seo him back in his old place, and we offer him our continued support.
The cost of the new wing will be $158,000 and the furnishing $12,750, of which I am glad to say we have already been able to pay $22,635, leaving $148,115 still owing. It is interesting to note that the cost of the building is within $4,000 of the original estimate, and that Messrs. Lam Woo's bill for extras does not exceed $1,000. I think we can say that the costing was distinctly accurate.
We have been able to carry out our scheme because of the generous treatment we have received from the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, and we tender them our sincere thanks.
Every Convenience
The building has four storeys. The ground floor consists of a swimming bath with the necessary adjuncts, such as showers, dressing rooms, heating and filtration plants. The bath is 75 feet in length, 25 feet in width, and with a depth varying from 3 1/2 to 8 feet. Its capacity is approximately 60,000 gallons. For the purification of the water and the heating of it for winter use an elaborate scheme is being installed. It consists of a centrifugal pump, alum apparatus, twin boilers (Canday pattern), boiler, chlorinator, air compressor and aerator, the whole with the capacity of circulating 8,000 gallons per hour. The highest medical authorities assure us that this method of water purification is quite satisfactory and I may say that there are many similar systems already in operation.
The bath will be available for the use of civilian members, members of the services and a ladies' section. Particulars can be obtained at our Association's office.
The first floor consists of a dining room, and a lounge hall; the latter will be for the use of members, and for the Navy, Army and Air Force section, for lectures, dances and other forms of entertainments. It will also be available to the new ladies' section in the morning and afternoon.
Open to Ladies.
Perhaps I should have explained earlier, that the Directors, having provided the Association's building with such valuable equipment of facilities, thought it but right that these should be made available for as large a use as possible, and with this object in view and in deference to many requests, they have decided to form a ladies' section.
The second and third floors consist of 30 bedooms: 26 of these new rooms are already occupied, and the remaining four have been reserved for transients, so it would really be correct to state that all are already occupied. The demand for these rooms is proof that the Directors have not over built, and that we are able to fill all the accommodation we have at our disposal.
In addition to the new facilities which I have already mentioned, we have provided two squash racket courts, which we believe will be much appreciated.
The ground floor of the old building will bo almost entirely given over to the Services, the members' billiard room having been removed to the first floor. These arrangements will provide a billiard room, a reading room, and a much better dining room than is now provided for the Services.
More Extensions?
The building is now an accomplished fact, and here for everyone to see. I desire to take this opportunity of expressing our appreciation to our architects, Messrs. Leigh & Orange for their attractive design and the excellence of the work executed, and in doing so I wish to include in the encomiums our contractors. Messrs. Lam Woo. it Is Interesting to know that Messrs. Lam Woo are not only responsible for the whole of our buildings, but also for the two Chinese Y.M.C.A. buildings on the Island.
Having completed our scheme in connexion with the west wing, and having already found a real demand for all the facilities at our disposal, our thoughts naturally turn to an east wing. Our policy must always be one of conservative progress, for nothing is static—if we don’t go on we shall go back, and surely an Association such as ours should have a couple of wings.
The world is suffering not so much from bad design as from drift. The urgent need in large affairs, and in small is for men who can and will stop the drift, who will take charge, who, instead of accepting circumstances and waiting for the “Inevitable" will control events to a desired result.
Praise for Staff.
We have such men in our employ. Mr. John Hunt, O.B.E., our Secretary, Mr. A. W. Ingram our Assistant Secretary and Mr. E. F. Selk who has recently joined us as an extra Assistant Secretary, particularly in charge of sport. There is also Mr. J. L. MacPherson who had been in control of our new west wing from its inception, and who has year after year assisted us with our undertaking without reward or remuneration, and whose life long work has been a labour of love for the. Y.M.C.A., and the principles for which it stands.
I will now ask Your Excellency to be so good as to declare the new west wing open.
Governor Replies.
His Excellency said:
Mr. Shenton, Your Excellency, Ladies & Gentlemen:
It is such a short time—nine months, to be exact—since I laid the foundation stone of this new wing, that I feel there is little that I can usefully add to what I said on that occasion. Mr. Shenton then gave us a very full history of this branch of the Association, and he has today given us a full account of the resources of this new building. My remarks therefore will be very brief, more especially as there are more attractive entertainments in store for us.
I congratulate the Association on the successful completion of this wing, and I also congratulate the architects and contractor. The design is simple, and utility has been the main objective. As I stated when laying the foundation stone, the building possesses a character of its own, and cannot be said to be really overshadowed by the large neighbouring structure. That remark is still more true today. The Young Men’s Christian Association sets out to cater for moral, mental and physical requirements, and as there is no doubt that a combination of the three gives the greatest contentment, the principles of the Association are undoubtedly sound. These principles have been observed in the scheme of this building.
Swimming Bath Boon.
I especially congratulate the Association on erecting a suitable swimming bath. I have never lived anywhere where bathing and swimming forms such an essential part of the life of the community. All the world and his wife seem to want to bathe and swim. Government is often criticised if there is any rumour of the closing of a bathing bench, but Government is not really the callous brute that it is sometimes pictured to be. It is only reasonable to point out that Hongkong is not primarily a watering place, and that while such facilities are desirable, and Government is anxious to help, It is sometimes unavoidable that they should be established further out. and not in the busy industrial centres. Government has under consideration the question of affording facilities in place of those which may have to be done away with. For instance it is hoped that it will be possible to develop Laichikok Bay, which is already on one of the bus routes. Meanwhile this swimming bath will be a boon, especially to members of the Services.
I feel sure that I shall earn the approbation of my friend, Mr. Braga, when I say that the Association showed wisdom and foresight in deciding to build their main centre on the mainland. The difficulties that exist in the limited area on the Island are to be seen in the question of the City Hall, a portion of which has hitherto been made use of by the Y.M.C.A. and the Cheero Club.
Cheero Club Promise.
I should like to say in this connexion that Government realises a certain amount of responsibility, and if the present City Hall is handed back, contemplates making provision for at all events some of the purposes for which that building has been used in the past.
I think that the Association is to be congratulated on making the experiment of providing a ladies' section, following no doubt the present day principles of what are called Rationalization and Coordination. I feel sure that the experiment, which incidentally has I understand been tried in one or two other branches, will add to the brightness of this branch. It will doubtless add to the Lido feeling of the new swimming bath.
I congratulate the Association on having had the services of Mr. Shenton as President, for we all know the good work he has done in that position. I take the opportunity also of joining with him in welcoming back Sir Henry Pollock.
I now have very great pleasure in declaring this wing open and in wishing it a prosperous future.
Bishop Duppuy dedicated the building in a short prayer.
His Excellency was presented with a key as a memento of the occasion, and inspected the Building.
Large Crowd Present.
Among those present were Lady Peel, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Southorn, Sir Henry and Lady Pollock, Major-General J. W. Sandilands, Sir Robert Ho Tung, Sir Shouson Chow, Mr. N. L. Smith, Mr. P. S. Cassidy, Capt. A, H. Walker. Mr, L. C. F. Bellamy, Mr J. Owen Hughes,
A game of water polo was played between the Royal Artillery and the Y.M.C.A. and an exhibition of diving given in the swimming pool.