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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1984
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MR CHEONG-LEEN TOLD SOME 1 700 CONTESTANTS FROM 72 SCHOOLS THAT ONE OF THE PRIMARY GOALS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL IS TO PROMOTE SPORTS ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH.
DESPITE FINANCIAL AND LAND CONSTRAINTS, HE SAID, THE COUNCIL ALLOCATES A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF ITS RESOURCES TO PROVIDING BETTER AND MORE RECREATION AND SPORTS FACILITIES A COMMITMENT WHICH HAS BEEN STEPPED UP IN RECENT YEARS.
+BUT IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT THE COUNCIL CAN FIND SUCH SUITABLE SITES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE, PURPOSE-BUILT SPORTS COMPLEXES, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID.
+IN CONSEQUENCE THE COUNCIL ADOPTS A FLEXIBLE APPROACH AND LAND RESOURCES ALREADY ALLOCATED TO THE COUNCIL ARE PUT TO MAXIMUM USE BY THE INCLUSION OF SPORTS FACILITIES IN EXISTING AND FUTURE MULTI-PURPOSE COMPLEXES.
+ IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT YOU WILL SOMETIMES FIND UNDER ONE ROOF AN INDOOR GAMES HALL, A LIBRARY, SOME MARKET STALLS AND VARIOUS URBAN SERVICES DÉPARTMENT OFFICES.
+1 AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT THIS APPROACH HAS ENABLED US TO BUILD RECREATION AND SPORTS FACILITIES THAT ARE COMPARABLE IN QUALITY AND QUANTITY WITH MOST OF THE MAJOR CITIES ELSEWHERE.+
APART FROM PROVIDING BASIC FACILITIES, THE COUNCIL ALSO PRESENTED IN 1983/84 A TOTAL OF 275 SPORTS AND RECREATION PROGRAMMES FOR YOUNGSTERS IN COLLABORATION WITH VARIOUS NATIONAL SPORTS BODIES, COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS, DISTRICT BOARDS AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR ALONE, IT ORGANISED 28 YOUTH SPORTS PROJECTS, ONE OF WHICH ATTRACTED SOME 3 600 SCHOOL CHILDREN AS COMPARED WITH 2 500 IN 1983.
+THIS TREND NO DOUBT AUGURS WELL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT MAY BE TERMED HONG KONG'S ONLY NATURAL RESOURCE AND A PRECIOUS ONE IT IS AT THAT, TOO... AND THAT IS, OUR YOUTH -- FOR WITHOUT THEM, WHERE IS OUR FUTURE?+ CHEONG-LEEN SAID,
MR
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