17
Recreation
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WITH land at a premium in Hong Kong even the smallest plot made available for recreation is utilised to the fullest extent. Each year, and 1973 was no exception, the overall programme to provide sporting and other recreational facilities continues to expand, although public demand always tends to outstrip existing amenities.
In October 1973 the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, announced that a Council for Recreation and Sport is to be set up to give new impetus to the provision of more and better recreational facilities for the people of Hong Kong. The proposed council will be headed by the Secretary for Home Affairs and will have its own secretariat to provide it with administrative muscle.
It will bring together a high-level group with special experience of the present public and private organisations controlling the main recreational facilities. The council will advise the government on recreational facilities, particularly on how to expand them and maximise their use, increase supervision of activities, and the extent and direction of financial assistance to amateur sport. It will also make recommenda- tions on any special services and facilities it considers necessary to meet the leisure time needs of young people.
Present facilities vary from small playgrounds and gardens serving an adjacent locality, to large parks catering for many needs. A variety of new projects are planned and work has started in many places to improve existing amenities and provide addi- tional facilities where possible.
The Urban Council, working through the Urban Services Department, builds and administers recreational facilities in the urban areas.
Major projects completed during the year included the two-acre Kennedy Town Service Reservoir Playground, Tsun Yip Street Playground (2.4 acres) and Fook Wah Tsuen Playground (3.24 acres), along with many small playgrounds, some inside government housing estates. The council has many ambitious projects planned, but under arrangements drawn up when it was given financial autonomy on April 1, 1973, the largest public works items will continue to be financed from central revenue. But the council will finance most other projects from its own funds. Central revenue projects include Hong Kong's first velodrome and sports training centre at Causeway Bay, which will provide both indoor and outdoor athletic training facilities, and two new major sports facilities in Kowloon, the Hung Hom Indoor Stadium with seating for 15,000, and a large football stadium at Ho Man Tin.
Projects financed by the council include an indoor games hall at San Po Kong completed in 1973, and intended to be the first of many. This hall will be used mainly for basketball, volleyball and badminton.