XN000022-1980-03-02 — Page 2

SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 1980

CHANGE IN LEISURE HABITS

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THERE HAS BEEN A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE LEISURE HABITS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE SINCE THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE (RSS) WAS SET UP IN 1974.

LAST YEAR, OVER 439 000 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN TRAINING PROGRAMMES RUN BY THE SERVICE. THE 3 599 DIFFERENT PROGRAMMES CATERED FOR ALMOST ALL SECTIONS OF THE POPULATION - — HOUSEWIVES, PROFESSIONALS, FACTORY HANDS, OFFICE WORKERS, BUSINESSMEN, AND EVEN CHINESE OPERA SINGERS.

SUCH WAS THE DEMAND FOR PLACES THAT THOUSANDS OF LATE APPLICANTS HAD TO BE DISAPPOINTED.

THE MOST POPULAR ACTIVITIES INCLUDED TAI CHI, TENNIS, AND CAMPING AT THE RSS'S OUTDOOR RECREATION CENTRE IN ́SAI, KUNG, BUT THERE WAS NO LACK OF APPLICANTS FOR UNUSUAL COURSES LIKE +FITNESS THROUGH JAZZ DANCE+, AND +PHYSICAL FITNESS ON THE SPECIAL GYM MACHINE+.

THE ATTENDANCE FIGURES ARE IMPRESSIVE,+ SAID MR DICKEN YUNG, PRINCIPAL RECREATION AND SPORT OFFICER, BUT THE RSS IS NOT A MERE MASS PRODUCTION UNIT. EVERY ACTIVITY WE ORGANISE HAS ITS OWN SPECIFIC PURPOSE. EVERY PROGRAMME IS PART OF OUR OVERALL SCHEME TO OFFER RECREATION FOR ALL TO THE COMMUNITY.+

THIS RECREATION-FOR-ALL CONCEPT MEANS THAT PROGRAMMES, INCLUDING BOTH LAND AND WATER SPORTS, ARE DESIGNED TO CATER FOR ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE - MEN AND WOMEN, YOUNG AND OLD, ABLE-BODIED AND HANDICAPPED. +WE EVEN DEVISED A WATER SAFETY COURSE FOR BABIES, AND SWIMMING CLASSES FOR THE ELDERLY, SAID MR YUNG,

+CLASSES ARE HELD AT VARIOUS TIMES OF THE DAY, FROM EARLY MORNING TO LATE AT NIGHT. THAT WAY, WE OFFER EVERYONE A CHANCE TO TAKE PART, HE ADDED.

BUT RECREATION-FOR-ALL IS AN IMPOSSIBLE GOAL FOR ONE AGENCY ALONE TO ATTAIN, AND A MAJOR PART OF RSS EFFORTS INVOLVES WORKING HAND-IN-HAND WITH SPORTS ORGANISATIONS AND OTHER VOLUNTARY SERVICES TO BRING ABOUT, IN MR YUNG'S WORDS, +A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF RECREATIONAL SERVICE THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.+

+RAISING THE LEVEL OF FITNESS - AND WITH IT THE QUALITY OF LIFE - IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOUSE OR OFF THE STREETS FOR AN HOUR OR TWO A WEEK, HE CONTINUED.

+WE SEE OURSELVES MORE AS A CATALYST, STIMULATING INTEREST IN RECREATION AND SPORT ON TWO FRONTS. ON THE ONE HAND, WITH OUR REGULAR PROGRAMMES WE ARE HELPING TO BUILD UP A POOL OF PEOPLE WITH BASIC TRAINING AND MOTIVATION TO PASS ON THEIR SKILLS TO OTHERS.

+ON THE OTHER HAND, WITH THE KIND OF BIG EVENTS WHICH RSS IS WELL-EQUIPPED TO ORGANISE, WE PROVIDE NEW FOCAL POINTS IN WHICH COMMUNITY LEADERS CAN CONTRIBUTE THE IR RESOURCES TOWARDS WORTHWHILE COMMUNITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES.+

/ONE SPORT