XN000022-1978-12-20 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1978

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JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE UP TO WORLD STANDARD

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THE JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE AT SHA TIN WOULD PROBABLY BE AS MODERN AND SOPHISTICATED AS THE MOST ADVANCED CENTRES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD WHEN COMPLETED IN MAY 1982, THE HON. LI FOOK-WO TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MEANWHILE, TRAINING AND COACHING IN THE SPORTS INITIALLY CHOSEN AND FOR WHICH FACILITIES WERE TO BE PROVIDED WOULD BEGIN AS SOON AS THE NEWLY-APPOINTED CHIEF COACH JOINED THE CENTRE NEXT MONTH, HE SA ID.

HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT TRAINING PROGRAMMES WOULD SOON BE UNDERWAY IN TEMPORARY VENUES WITH THE MANY OFFERS OF HELP ALREADY GIVEN BY THE LOCAL SPORTS COMMUNITY.

MR. LI MADE THESE REMARKS WHEN HE TABLED THE FIRST REPORT OF THE JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE WHICH COVERED THE NINE MONTHS FROM JULY 1977 TO MARCH 1978.

DURING THIS PERIOD, THE HON. SIR ALBERT RODRIGUES WAS APPOINTED THE FIRST CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, MR. D.M.W. GRIFFITHS, WAS RECRUITED.

IN JULY MR. GRIFFITHS VISITED SOME OF THE MAJOR SPORTS CENTRES IN EUROPE AND ON RETURN DREW UP PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE CENTRE.

AN ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION FOR THE DESIGN IS BEING HELD IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS. THIS WILL HOPEFULLY ATTRACT THE BEST LOCAL TALENTS IN HONG KONG.

FOUR ADDITIONAL MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED TO THE BOARD IN SEPTEMBER TO MAKE UP THE FULL STRENGTH OF NINE.

+ IT WILL BE OUR AIM TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE IN SPORTS IN HONG KONG, THEREBY STIMULATING INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS AND RECREATION GENERALLY,+ MR. LI SAID.

+THERE IS MUCH MORE TO BE DONE BEFORE THE CENTRE IS TRANSLATED FROM PLAN TO REALITY. +

MR. LI ALSO NOTED THAT OVER $12.5 MILLION WERE DONATED TO THE PROJECT BY THE QUEEN'S SILVER JUBILEE APPEAL COMMITTEE. AN EQUAL AMOUNT WAS MATCHED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB ON A DOLLAR- TO-DOLLAR BASIS.

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