XN000022-1982-09-24 — Page 5

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1982

SOLUTIONS TO HK'S RECREATION AND SPORT PROBLEMS

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HONG KONG'S NATURAL ASSETS ITS COUNTRYSIDE AND THE SURROUNDING SEA-- ARE BEING UTILISED TO PROVIDE AN

INVALUABLE RESOURCE TO MEET THE BURGEONING RECREATIONAL NEEDS OF THE POPULATION. THE COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

ADDITIONALLY, HONG KONG MUST SEEK, WHEREVER POSSIBLE, TO TURN OTHERWISE UNPRODUCTIVE SPACE INTO USEFUL RECREATION AREAS, HE SAID IN REFERENCE TO THE ACUTE SHORTAGE OF SPACE IN HONG KONG AND ITS HUGE POPULATION.

MR WIGGHAM WAS SPEAKING AT THE SEVENTH COMMONWEALTH AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SPORT, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, RECREATION AND DANCE WHICH IS BEING HELD IN BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA.

THE COMMISSIONER, WHOSE TALK IS ENTITLED +DEVELOPMENT IN RECREATION AND SPORTA HONG KONG APPROACH+, IS ACCOMPANIED BY ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER (RECREATION AND SPORT), MR DICKEN YUNG.

HE SAID THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT WAS FORMED A YEAR AGO TO MEET DEMANDS FOR MORE ACTIVE RECREATIONAL OUTLETS.

+BECAUSE OF OUR OWN PECULIAR CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG, AND SINCE LAND IS ALWAYS AT A PREMIUM (WITH RESULTANT VERY HIGH LEVELS OF RENT) A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INGENUITY, NOT TO SAY IMPROVISATION, IS REQUIRED IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR RECREATION AND SPORT, HE SAID,

+THIS HAS PRODUCED SOME INTERESTING SOLUTIONS SCHOOL FACILITIES ARE WIDELY USED FOR COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES AFTER SCHOOL HOURS FLOOD LIGHTING IS GENERALLY PROVIDED AT PUBLIC AMENITIES TO EXTEND THE IR USAGE INTO LATE EVENINGS, IT IS A CONDITION OF LAND GRANT FOR PRIVATE RECREATIONAL CLUBS THAT THEIR GROUNDS SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR ORGANISATION OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMES.+

GIVING EXAMPLES OF MAKESHIFT FACILITIES BEING MADE

USE OF, MR WIGGHAM CITED THE FOLLOWING:

*

*

*

AN EX-ARMY CAMP (SAI KUNG), AT ONE TIME USED AS A REFUGEE CENTRE, CONVERTED INTO A RESIDENTIAL OUTDOOR RECREATION CENTRE:

THE TOP THREE FLOORS OF AN UNDER-UTILISED MULTI-STOREY CARPAPK (HUNG HOM) CONVERTED INTO AN INDOOR SPORTS CENTRE ;

A FORMER FIRE STATION IN A PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE (TAI HING IN TUEN MUN) CONVERTED INTO A COMMUNITY FITNESS CENTRE :

QUARTERS BUILT