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RECREATION AND THE ARTS
and sports facilities include town parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and beaches, indoor recreational centres, sports grounds, camps and water sports centres.
Building projects completed in 1986 include the Tuen Mun Swimming Pool Complex Phase I, the Tuen Mun Swimming Pool Squash Courts, an artificial turf soccer pitch at Tai Po, a beach building at Hap Mun Bay, Sai Kung and the landscaped promenade along the Shing Mun River of Sha Tin. Many more recreation and sports facilities are being built in the area, including in particular major town parks in all main population centres and an ambitious building programme in respect of indoor recreation facilities. Construction of three indoor recreation centres was completed in Tai Po, Yuen Long and Sha Tin. Nine similar projects in various districts were being built, and 25 additional indoor centres were in various stages of planning.
The council also manages 311 hectares of open space and amenity plots providing recreational and sports facilities.
Through its Sports Promotion Scheme, the council subsidises various sports associations in providing sports programmes on a regional or multi-district scale. With a provision of $1 million, the council sponsored over 50 such sports events in 1986.
The RSD's nine district offices organised 3 833 recreation and sports programmes for 248 308 people, including 19 137 who took part in various fitness and dance programmes held in four neighbourhood sports centres. In addition, 1 179 similar projects were jointly organised with other government departments and outside bodies. Some of the projects were specifically designed for the elderly, the handicapped and the disabled. During the same period, some 56 community events including sports festivals, carnivals and fun fairs were jointly organised by the council and various district boards to give residents a greater sense of district identity. Some 48 700 people attended these activities.
In outdoor pursuits, 87 186 day-campers and 97 449 overnight-campers took part in activities organised by the council at the Lady MacLehose Holiday Village, the Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, the Tai Mei Tuk Water Sports Centre and the Chong Hing Water Sports Centre.
Beaches and Swimming Pools
Swimming is by far Hong Kong's most popular summer recreation. During the year, 8.5 million people visited the bathing beaches and 1.3 million used the public swimming pools managed by the Urban Council and the Regional Council.
There are 41 gazetted bathing beaches: 12 on Hong Kong Island managed by the Urban Council and 29 in the New Territories managed by the Regional Council. The beaches are manned by lifeguards and provided with changing rooms, toilets, first-aid posts, lookout towers and other ancilliary facilities.
Currently there are 20 public swimming pool complexes managed by the two councils 13 in the Urban Council area and seven in the Regional Council area. The competition pools in these complexes are built to international standards. There are six public swimming pool projects under planning in the urban area and 12 in the New Territories.
The two councils regularly organise learn-to-swim classes to promote water safety. During the year, 241 swimming classes and training programmes were held, attracting 6 814 participants.
City Hall
With an area of 11 000 square metres, the City Hall has been, since its opening in 1962, a popular venue for the performing and visual arts.