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RECREATION
holidays; 1,100 were beginners who learnt to swim a minimum distance of 25 metres, and 400 attended intermediate courses and improved their swimming ability to a minimum distance of 400 metres in any style. The remainer attended advanced courses, newly introduced this year. Further expansion of this Urban Council 'Learn- to-Swim' scheme is planned in response to popular demand.
Another aspect of the Urban Council Water Safety Campaign was the launching of a pilot scheme with the Education Department and outside agencies to establish water safety clubs, initially in schools-32 clubs have been formed so far.
Heavy rainfall also affected beaches, but less damage was caused than last year. There were further instances of red tide, but no cases of red eye disease were reported at either beaches or swimming pools.
Of the six public swimming pools, four are located on the Kowloon peninsula. Three are complexes consisting of one main and one secondary pool, a diving pool, three teaching pools, a children's pool and a paddling pool. The other two pools, on Hong Kong Island, include the new all-weather heated swimming pool at Morrison Hill. As expected, it is popular with the public, with an average attendance last winter of 30,000 per month. Construction of a second heated swimming pool will begin next year in Kowloon.
Meanwhile, the Kennedy Town pool complex is expected to be completed early in 1974. Because of limited site area, it will be smaller than existing standard com- plexes. Also, the first swimming pool in the New Territories is now under construc- tion at Tsuen Wan and will be a standard pool complex. Completion date is late 1974. Plans are also in hand for new pools in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Terri- tories.
During the year, a total of 3,318,162 people used the pools, a decrease of 291,199 over the previous year's record of 3,609,361 people. The decrease was due to the unusually wet weather during the summer.
The recreation and entertainment section of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department continued throughout the year to carry out programmes in public recreation and entertainment, laying special emphasis on events and activities which appeal to youth, residents of large housing estates and outlying parts of the New Territories. The section was given wide assistance and support by many govern- ment departments, local bodies such as kaifong associations and rural committees, and many other public and private organisations.
There were four peak periods of activity during the year: the Summer Youth Activities Programme-June to September; the Hong Kong Festival-November 24 to December 2; Christmas and New Year; and the Lunar New Year.
The monthly programme includes such well-established items as variety shows, traditional Chinese operas performed by the Lung Cheung Dramatic Troupe of Radio Hong Kong, open air concerts by military bands and film shows.
Certain functions were specially organised during the Summer Youth Activities Programme for young children, including launch picnics and swimming parties in