17
Recreation
LEISURE is precious in a crowded and busy city like Hong Kong, and this, coupled with the traditional Chinese enthusiasm for nature, results in a community which appreciates its open spaces. The variety of Hong Kong's leisure pastimes and the energy with which they are pursued is quite remarkable. Tai Chi Chuan (shadow boxing), a system of physical fitness derived from ancient Chinese martial arts, is one of the more popular recreational exercises. People of all ages are up before sunrise performing its slow, graceful movements in the open air. During the day, playgrounds, parks, and in summer, the pools and beaches are thronged with children. And when night falls, the lights come on over outdoor playgrounds and parks, while the less active gather around the familiar mahjong table, watch television, listen to the radio or go out to sample the endless range of entertainment that Hong Kong offers. At weekends there is a 'mass exodus' to the countryside, as families travel to the New Territories or outlying parts of Hong Kong Island for picnics and as hikers set off to find some new and difficult hill to climb.
To assist the development of outdoor activity, the Government is carrying out an energetic programme to provide recreation facilities of all kinds. This programme has been gathering momentum in recent years as the existing, facilities become fully utilised. Every effort is made to develop even the smallest plot of spare land into something that will benefit the people, with the result that amenities vary from small playgrounds and gardens serving an immediate locality, to large parks incorporating a wide range of facilities. A good example of the latter is the 48-acre Victoria Park, built on reclaimed land on Hong Kong Island. Besides a large swimming pool and extensive areas for strolling, it contains two children's playgrounds, three grass games pitches and five hard-surfaced mini- soccer pitches, six basketball or volleyball courts, 14 tennis and two squash courts, a children's library, a model-boat pool, bowling and putting greens, and a roller-skating rink.
A number of major projects were completed during the year, in- cluding the 14-acre Aberdeen sports ground, the largest of its kind,