SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 1978
+ IN THE PAST TWO YEARS THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASED EMPHASIS ON RECREATION AND AS WELL AS PROVIDING NEW FACILITIES, WE HAVE BECOME MORE ACTIVE IN AREAS SUCH AS THE PROMOTION OF RECREATION, CAMPAIGNS FOCUSING ATTENTION ON SAFETY GUIDELINES IN LEISURE PURSUITS AND POLLUTION AND FIRE CONTROL.+
ONE IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT IS THE OPENING OF NEW COUNTRY PARKS, EACH WITH ITS OWN SET OF MANAGEMENT BUILDINGS AND STAFF. IN 1977, THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY DESIGNATED FIVE PARKS COVERING AN AREA OF 4,023 HECTARES AND AN ADDITIONAL FOUR PARKS A YEAR ARE PLANNED IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
THE FIVE PARKS DESIGNATED IN 1977 ARE KAM SHAN, SHING MUN AND LION ROCK IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND TAI TAM AND ABERDEEN ON HONG KONG ISLAND.
+ANOTHER SPECIAL AREA OF INTEREST IS OUTDOOR RECREATION CENTRE, MR. FRENCH SAID.
+THE SAI KUNG OUTDOOR RECREATION CENTRE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL, PROVIDING A MULTITUDE OF ACTIVITIES, RANGING FROM SWIMMING TO CANOEING, ROLLER-SKATING, ARCHERY AND HIKING TO GROUPS SUCH AS YOUTHS, FACTORY AND OFFICE WORKERS, FAMILIES AND THE HANDICAPPED.
+AS A RESULT, WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH A SECOND OUTDOOR RECREATION CENTRE AT THE NEW TSO KUNG TAM PARK IN TSUEN WAN AND THERE ARE PLANS FOR OTHER CENTRES TO BE BUILT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.+
THE YEAR-BOOK ATTRIBUTES THE RECREATION BOOM TO HONG KONG'S RISING STANDAND OF LIVING, ADDING THAT IT HAS BEEN GIVEN ADDED IMPETUS BY LEGISLATION THAT ASSURES WORKERS OF A WEEK'S PAID ANNUAL LEAVE AS WELL AS STATUTORY PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
IT POINTS OUT THAT MOST PEOPLE LIVE IN DENSELY POPULATED URBAN AREAS WHERE THE HIGH-RISE ENVIRONMENT PRODUCES STRESSES THAT MAKE RELIEF AND DIVERSION OF CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE.
WORKING TO EXPAND, IMPROVE AND PROMOTE RECREATION ARE AUTHOR IT IES SUCH AS THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY, THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS MANY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
+THE NATIONAL SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER VOLUNARY ORGANISATIONS HAVE CONTRIBUTED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO SPORT AND RECREATION OVER THE YEARS. NOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS MOVING INTO THIS FIELD, WE ARE TRYING TO ASSIST AND BUILD ON THESE EFFORTS SO THAT AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE CAN BENEFIT FROM INCREASING LEISURE OPPORTUNITIES, MR. FRENCH SAID.
+SUCH A WIDESPREAD INVOLVEMENT MEANS MORE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY A FULLER LIFE BY INDULGING IN SOME FORM OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITY. +
THE YEAR-BOOK SAYS THE URBAN COUNCIL, WITH ITS LONG EXPERIENCE IN MANAGING PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, SWIMMING POOLS AND BEACHES, AND ORGANISING SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT, IS PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE WITH AN INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH.