RECREATION
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Substantial progress was made during the year on expanding swimming facilities. Changing rooms, showers and toilet facilities were provided at Middle Bay, South Bay, Shek O, Big Wave Bay and Stanley Main beaches. A pilot resanding scheme has been launched at Repulse Bay, following complaints about stones and barnacles causing minor cuts to bathers. The scheme involves the dumping and spreading of 600 cubic yards of quarry spalls over two sections of the beach to ascertain whether the material will remain after months of tidal movement.
Two major swimming pool complexes are being constructed at Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island and at Tai Wan in Kowloon. Also planned are pool complexes at: Chai Wan on Hong Kong Island; Hammer Hill and Kowloon Park in Kowloon; and Yuen Long, Kwai Chung, Sha Tin and Tuen Mun in the New Territories.
Summer Youth Programme
More than two million young people took part in the seventh annual Summer Youth Programme during July and August. Some 30,000 volunteers helped to plan and run the programme, which is a community effort by voluntary agencies, the Armed Forces, district groups and those in government departments who are directly con- cerned with youth. Expenditure on the 1975 programme amounted to more than $3 million, of which a little more than half was donated by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The programme covered a wide range of activities-from giving a child a memor- able moment of pleasure right through to providing the opportunity for a mature youth to develop his own leadership potential. The programme included camping, launch picnics, sports, study courses, canoeing, swimming, funfairs, competitions and projects aimed at community service. Camping was again the most popular activity.
The overall planning was once more undertaken by the Central Co-ordinating Committee for Youth Recreation. For the first time, programme activities were adver- tised on television-with the aim of reaching those young people who do not belong to any youth organisation. The 1975 programme laid special emphasis on attracting more young workers and youngsters between school and work.
The objective of the Summer Youth Programme is to meet the need for healthy activities during the summer holidays when a break in studies leads many young people to seek some completely new project to occupy their time. The content of the programme is carefully re-examined each year to ensure that the changing needs of youth are met wherever possible.
The Countryside
During the past 10 years, informal outdoor recreation has become so popular that it is now a major factor in the management of the countryside. Its social signifi- cance is demonstrated by steadily increasing numbers of visitors from many sectors of the community. Small groups are most common, but large group outings from schools and voluntary organisations are also increasing.