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RECREATION AND THE ARTS
Ocean Park
Ocean Park, Asia's largest oceanarium and fun park located on the south side of Hong Kong Island, and overlooking the South China Sea, plans further development to include a $70-million crafts village called the Middle Kingdom.
Other developments will be a Shark Aquarium, a Pacific Science Centre, and a World of the Sea Exhibit.
During the year, about two million visitors went to the park.
The park comprises both headland and lowland areas, linked by a cable car system. Access to the headland may also be made by means of the world's longest covered outdoor escalator.
The park's attractions include six 'thrill rides', featuring one of the longest and fastest roller coasters in the world. There is also the Ocean Theatre, featuring a killer whale, dolphins, sea lions and a high diving show. Other features are the Wave Cove with sea lions, penguins and pelicans, and the Atoll Reef, the world's largest aquarium.
There are also the Water World, the first water playpark of its kind in Asia which provides visitors with a variety of water activities, a Golden Pagoda housing over 100 species of goldfish, Cine 2000, a Green House Complex, a Butterfly House and a newly-opened Children's Adventure World.
The inflight-aviary in Tai Shue Wan is home to more than 2000 birds, making up 150 species, and has a bird theatre, an exhibition hall, a parrot garden and some flamingoes.
Jubilee Sports Centre
The Jubilee Sports Centre, a modern, 16-hectare centre for sporting excellence in Sha Tin, aims to produce international-class athletes and coaches, to provide positive leadership, top quality facilities, technical resources and to foster good international relations.
The centre works closely with the governing bodies of sport and other sports' agencies towards these ends. It is also carrying out an ambitious sports' scholarship programme, designed to provide increased support to talented and aspiring athletes, to help them achieve specific goals. It has also expanded its services in sports medicine and science, in conjunction with staff of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, so that athletic training and preparation can be undertaken on a systematic, professional basis.
The centre has modified several of its excellent sports' facilities since opening in 1982. The swimming pool was improved in 1987 to include provision for spectators, an additional weight-and-strength training room and underwater-filming facilities. That same year, a canoe store was built.
In 1988, a new athletics track and a synthetic grass football pitch were provided. Following experiments at the Jockey Club, using sand-mesh elements as a base for natural turf, a similar installation was set up at the centre in July. Additional safety pits have been built for gymnastics and a new floor provided in the indoor hall for badminton and tennis. These improvements are designed to help the centre meet the changing demands of sport.
The centre continues to host teams from overseas. And to help lift local standards of athletics, top coaches and international athletes have spent periods of attachment at the centre.
The centre became autonomous in 1987, as a result of an endowment of $350 million from the Jockey Club.