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RECREATION AND THE ARTS
camps and water sports centres. This year 86 144 day users and 110 821 over-night campers used the facilities provided by the council at the Lady MacLehose Holiday Village, Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, Tai Mei Tuk Water Sports Centre, Chong Hing Water Sports Centre and the Jockey Club Wong Shek Water Sports Centre.
During the year, the Regional Council introduced a district festivals subsidy scheme to act as a catalyst to the organisation of large scale district-wide recreational, sporting and cultural events in the community. About $4.3 million was allocated to the nine districts in support of their festive celebrations.
In November, the council organised a 'RegCo 88' festival, a month-long series of sporting, cultural and entertainment programmes in the nine districts of the region, to cultivate a sense of identity and belonging among the residents. Some 200 000 people took part in these events.
Beaches and Swimming Pools
Swimming is by far Hong Kong's most popular form of summer recreation. During the year, some 13 million people visited the beaches and another 4.9 million used the public swimming pools managed by the Urban Council and the Regional Council.
There are 42 gazetted bathing beaches: 12 on Hong Kong Island managed by the Urban Council and 30 in the New Territories managed by the Regional Council. Facilities provided at these beaches range from changing rooms, toilets, showers, first-aid posts, lookout towers, light refreshment kiosks to picnic areas and other ancillary facilities. The water quality of these beaches is regularly checked and made known to the public.
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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 14 in the New Territories. A new indoor Olympic-size swimming pool with very sophisticated equipment, including an adjustable floor and a free-form fun pool, is expected to be completed by February 1989 at Kowloon Park.
The two councils regularly organise learn-to-swim classes to promote water safety. During the year, 1 800 swimming classes and training programmes were held, attracting 40 000 participants.
They also offer help in the formation of life-guard clubs at their swimming venues. Apart from providing opportunities for the public to learn life-saving skills and to take part in community service, these venue-based life-guard clubs serve to maintain a steady supply of voluntary life-guards to augment the councils' regular life-guard service. At the end of the year, 20 life-guard clubs were operating at swimming pools and bathing beaches managed by the two councils.
City Hall
The City Hall remains the most popular centre for the performing and visual arts in Hong Kong.
It has been the major venue for the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Festival of Asian Arts - both Urban Council events - and the Hong Kong Arts Festival. Other performances by local and international artists were also presented there by the council and various cultural organisations.
Facilities in the City Hall complex, which has a total area of 11 000 square metres, include a 1 480-seat Concert Hall, a 467-seat Theatre, an Exhibition Hall and Chinese and Western restaurants in the Low Block. The High Block accommodates the Hong