RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
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sports bodies and the municipal councils. The large-scale community building event, held since 1958, attracts territory-wide participation.
Urban Council Sports and Recreation Facilities
The Urban Council provides and manages sports and recreational facilities, and runs numerous low-cost introductory classes for people of all ages. It also encourages and promotes sporting activities by subsidising competitions organised by various governing bodies.
It operates 37 indoor recreation centres, 14 swimming pool complexes, 128 tennis courts, 154 squash courts and eight sports grounds. Capital work completed on Hong Kong Island included the Western Park Indoor Games Hall. Improvement works were completed during the year at the Mount Austin Playground, Blake Garden and the ozone sterilisation system at Pao Yue Kong Swimming Pool.
In Kowloon, recreational facilities completed included the Cornwall Street Park, To Yuen Street Playground, Jordan Valley Playground, Kowloon Walled City Park, UC Hung Hom Complex Indoor Games Hall and UC Pei Ho Street Complex Indoor Games Hall.
Good progress was made in developing the Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground in Eastern District, the indoor games hall at Diamond Hill and the Ma Chai Hang Recreation Ground in Wong Tai Sin, the Shek Kip Mei Park Indoor Games Hall in Sham Shui Po and Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Regional Council Sports and Recreation Facilities
To promote recreational and sports activities, the Regional Council organised a total of 6 342 training courses, competitions and recreational programmes for 478 300 people of all ages and abilities in the council area. A total of $21 million was allocated for the organisation of a variety of programmes, including athletics, water sports, ball games, racket games, fitness, dance, tai chi, camping excursions, golf and lawn bowls. The council has subsidised national sports associations and non-profit-making organisations through the Sports Subsidy Scheme since 1986 to promote recreation and sports at the grassroots. In 1995, subsidies amounting to $5.9 million were allocated to support 246 projects, benefiting 207 364 people. It also maintained close liaison with various local organisations in promoting recreational and sports activities in the nine districts. In all, 327 programmes were co-organised with local organisations and drew 32 476 participants. One example is the joint venture with the Hong Kong Physical Fitness Association to organise the 'Wellness Programme' to promote a healthy life style to residents of the council area.
During the year, various sports development programmes such as wushu, football, athletics, ballet and squash were organised for 37 576 youths.
Venues
There are 32 indoor recreation centres, 14 swimming pool complexes, 86 tennis courts, 118 squash courts and 13 sports grounds.
In January, the Siu Lek Yuen Road Playground, together with its bowling greens the first of their kind in the council area was opened. In the following month, Hong Kong's largest public golf centre, the Tuen Mun Golf Centre, also came into