SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1982
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FIRST EVER AIR SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SWIMMING POOL
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HONG KONG'S FIRST EVER AIR SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR WINTER SWIMMERS WILL BE INSTALLED OVER THE MAIN POOL OF THE FANLING SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (SUNDAY).
THE MAIN POOL WILL BE CLOSED FROM TOMORROW (MONDAY) FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE STRUCTURE BUT THE SECONDARY AND OTHER POOLS AT THE COMPLEX WILL REMAIN OPEN, HE SAID.
HEATED WATER WILL ALSO BE SUPPLIED TO THE SECONDARY POOL DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
THE AIR SUPPORT STRUCTURE, IN THE FORM OF A PORTABLE CANOPY, WILL SHELTER THE HEATED POOL FROM THE COLD WEATHER IN WINTER.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE COLD AMBIENT AIR IN WINTER REDUCED CONSIDERABLY THE WATER TEMPERATURE OF THE HEATED MAIN POOL WITH THE RESULT THAT ATTENDANCE FROM JANUARY TO MARCH WAS LESS THAN 10 PER CENT OF THAT DURING THE PEAK PERIOD FROM JUNE TO AUGUST.
THE $2.1 MILLION AIR SUPPORT STRUCTURE WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
AN ELECTRIC HEATER-INFLATION SYSTEM FEEDING WARM AIR INTO THE ENCLOSED POOL WILL FURTHER HELP MAINTAIN THE WATER TEMPERATURE.
THE DOUBLE-LAYER FABRIC STRUCTURE REINFORCED WITH A CABLE HARNESS SYSTEM WILL ALSO HAVE GOOD ACOUSTIC EFFECT.
IT WILL HAVE REVOLVING DOORS, AS WELL AS A GLARE-FREE LIGHTING SYSTEM.
TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST DEFLATION OF THE STRUCTURE IN CASE OF POWER FAILURE, AN EMERGENCY GENERATOR AND A FUEL TANK WILL BE INSTALLED.
IF THIS PILOT PROJECT PROVES TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IT MIGHT BE INTRODUCED FOR OTHER OPEN AIR SPORTS FACILITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
INSTALLATION OF THE STRUCTURE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE THREE MONTHS AND THE MAIN POOL SHOULD BE RE-OPENED EARLY NEXT YEAR.
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