SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 1982
PROVIDING SPORTS IN A CROWDED SETTING
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IN OUR CROWDED ENVIRONMENT WE HAVE TO BRING IMAGINATION, ENTERPRISE AND ORGANISATION TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEISURE AND RECREATION, THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TONIGHT (SATURDAY).
MR AKERS-JONES WAS SPEAKING AT THE HONG KONG SCHOOLS SPORTS COUNCIL DINNER, ATTENDED BY OFFICIALS AND PLAYERS WHO ARE HERE FOR THE INTER-CITY SCHOOLS INVITATIONAL FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IN WHICH TEAMS FROM EIGHT CITIES, INCLUDING HONG KONG, ARE COMPETING.
HE SAID, FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT, OUR SPORTS ORGANISATIONS WERE STRONG, AND THEY WERE SUPPORTED BY A NETWORK OF RECREATION AND SPORTS OFFICERS WORKING IN EVERY DISTRICT, WHOSE SOLE JOB WAS TO STIMULATE HEALTH-GIVING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY AT THE NEIGHBOURHOOD LEVEL.
+DESPITE A SERIOUS LACK OF FULL-SIZE PITCHES, SOCCER IS STILL THE MOST POPULAR SPORT IN HONG KONG, AND IT IS ENCOURAGED AND SUPPORTED BY VERY MANY HARD-SURFACE, MINI-SOCCER PITCHES USING EVERY BIT OF AVAILABLE SPACE, MR AKERS-JONES SAID.
IN SUMMER, SOCCER GAVE WAY TO SWIMMING.
OUR SANDY BEACHES WERE USED BY MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR, SUPPLEMENTED BY SWIMMING POOL COMPLEXES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE URBAN AREA.
TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEMS OF CLIMATE, AND PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND FACILITIES, WE BUILT INDOOR GAMES-HALLS FOR BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL, BADMINTON, TABLE TENNIS AND SQUASH.
OUR HILLS AND MOUNTAINS, FROM WHICH WE COLLECTED MOST OF OUR DRINKING WATER, WERE MANAGED AND DEVELOPED AS COUNTRY PARKS IN WHICH PEOPLE COULD ESCAPE THE PRESSURES OF URBAN LIVING.
+BUT DEMANDS ARE GROWING ALL THE TIME AND NEW SPORTS FACILITIES ARE USED TO FULL CAPACITY FROM THE MOMENT THEY ARE COMPLETED, MR AKERS-JONES SAID.
A CENTRE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN SPORT WOULD SOON BE OPENED AND A NEW MULTI-PURPOSE AIR-CONDITIONED INDOOR ARENA TO ACCOMMODATE 12 500 SPECTATORS WOULD SHORTLY BE ADDED TO OUR FACILITIES.
MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE INTER-CITY TOURNAMENT WAS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE BECAUSE IT BROUGHT TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE FROM GREAT CITIES AROUND THE PACIFIC BASIN.
IT SPREAD FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING AMONG OUR PEOPLES.
+IT IS THEREFORE WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT WE WELCOME OUR VISITORS HERE TONIGHT, HE SAID.
/+I HOPE