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RECREATION AND THE ARTS
The council also advised on the disbursement of certain independent funds, including the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation, earmarked for youth recreation projects primarily for capital works items and the purchase of specialised equipment. In 1986, $5.7 million was allocated for this purpose. From a newly-established Sports Aid for the Disabled Fund, grants were made available to disabled athletes on the advice of the council.
Subvented Voluntary Agency Recreational Camps
Advisory and supervisory responsibility relating to the 39 Voluntary Agency Camps has been transferred from the Social Welfare Department to the Municipal Services Branch, with a view to identifying those camps that could be further developed and those requiring reorganisation to bring them up to standard as recreational facilities.
The aim is to make as many of the camps as possible economically viable and effective in attracting children and young people to make maximum use of the available facilities.
Outward Bound School
The Hong Kong Outward Bound School is a private registered charity and part of a world-wide network of 34 such schools. It provides year round land and sea-based stress challenge personal development training programmes, which last from seven to 18 days.
The training is held on the school's training ship, the brigantine Ji Fung, and from the residential base on the Sai Kung Peninsula.
The purpose of each course is to improve the trainee's self confidence, self awareness, leadership and communication skills. Trainees include employees of corporations and businesses who use Outward Bound as part of their staff development programmes, students, and young people, both able-bodied and handicapped.
During its year-round operation the school organised a total of 106 courses for 2 900 people, including 39 courses for adults, 16 children's adventure and social education programmes, seven special outdoor skills courses, and 18 courses for the disabled.
Financing is provided through tuition income, charitable donations, and a government subvention which enables the participation of handicapped people and young people who are unable to afford the full course fee.
Adventure Ship
The Adventure Ship project began in 1977 with the acquisition of a large Chinese junk named the Huan. After conversion from its original design as a passenger vessel, it became a sail training ship which can carry 60 young people. Adventure Ship Ltd was formed as a registered charity in 1978 with the aim of providing 'skill and character development with sea adventures' for underprivileged young people in Hong Kong. The various modifica- tions made to the 90-foot Huan also enable handicapped groups to use the vessel.
Groups of young people join Huan for trips of one to five days, staying within Hong Kong waters, and whenever sponsorship is available longer trips to overseas ports are undertaken. More than 5 700 young people took part in trips during 1986.
Ocean Park
Ocean Park, an 87-hectare oceanarium and fun park on the south side of Hong Kong Island overlooking the South China Sea, attracted 1.5 million visitors in 1986.
The park comprises headland and lowland areas, linked by a cable car system, and the headland has a second entrance by means of the world's longest covered outdoor escalator.