1983 — Page 36

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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. LO (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the pool at Kowloon Park will really be the international competition swimming pool. In addition to that, there will also be some fun features. But I don't think it will be right to convert it largely into a fun pool complex and do without the competition pool.

MR. YOUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I did not mean to cancel the competition pool, but since Kowloon Park is a very big park, perhaps we should have both the complex and the competition pools.

MR. Lo (in English):--Mr. Chairman, we will do what we can. Although the Kowloon Park is very large, space is still limited for us to put in a lot of facilities into that particular area.

3. MR. STEPHEN M. L. LAU asked the following question (in Cantonese):- What sports programmes and youth activities will Council be providing during the coming summer vacation?

MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—This question concerns the activities to be provided by the Council for young people during the summer.

A comprehensive sports programme involving over 15 sports will be organized for our young people. The programme will cover both training and competition activities for young people of different age groups and levels of competence, and will be organized jointly with national sports associations and various Government departments. District tournaments will be held in mini- soccer, soccer, badminton, basketball, handball, table tennis and swimming. There will also be training and development schemes in athletics, badminton, cycling, hockey, softball and tennis. The total number of participants in these projects is expected to be 20 500.

In co-operation with the Education Department, the Council will also repeat the successful Summer Sports Scheme. This scheme aims to encourage more students to take part in sports activities and to improve standards in various school sports competitions. A total of 156 training courses covering 12 sports will be organized for some 3 500 secondary and primary school students. A training course in mini-tennis for disabled students will also be held.

In addition, the ever popular Learn To Swim Scheme, which is designed to teach the basic skills of swimming is being held again this year for over 8 000 persons.

Other youth activities include 68 recreational projects to be organized for some 100 000 young people. This year, the Council will also participate in the Summer Youth Programme organized by the Central Co-ordinating Committee for Youth Recreation to offer a great variety of indoor and outdoor activities for over 500 000 participants.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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MR. LAU (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, regarding the fees charged for these activities, do we have special provisions for the poor?

MR. Lo (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I am afraid I don't know what are the fees to be charged, but I am sure they will be very minimal and that everyone should be able to afford it. If not we will see to it that happens.

4. MR. STEPHEN M. L. LAU asked the following question (in Cantonese):- May I be informed of the total amount Council plans to spend on outdoor entertainment activities during the current Council year?

(a) How are these funds allocated?

(b) What is the feedback from the people at the grassroots level, and does this indicate that the programmes meet with approval and are up to their expectations?

(c) Is community involvement at a satisfactory level, and what steps are being

taken to promote further community participation?

MR. LAWRENCE H. L. FUNG, VICe-Chairman of THE CULTURE AND ENTERTAIN- MENT SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question concerns the Council's programme of Outdoor Entertainment Activities and the manner in which they are planned.

The Council has approved the allocation of $6.7 million for the presentation of some one thousand outdoor entertainment events during the current financial year. Funds are allocated by the Entertainment Sub-Committee based on the availability of suitable outdoor venues in the 10 urban districts, and the distribution of events is organized having regard to the different conditions and characteristics of the districts, relative population densities, the general interests of audiences in the respective districts, and the suitability of large territory-wide venues such as Victoria Park, Kowloon Park, Morse Park open-air theatre and the newly opened Ko Shan Theatre for staging grand-scale events.

Departmental staff monitor audience reaction based on attendance figures, response to particular types of events and reaction to new types of events introduced experimentally. During 1982–83, a total of 992 066 people attended the outdoor performances and in most cases the events were well received by the general public, although a few events had to be cancelled due to inclement weather.

Regarding community involvement, the Council has been providing significant support in the form of outdoor entertainment events to many of the district Arts Festivals such as the Kwun Tong Arts Festival, Wong Tai Sin Arts Festival and the Kowloon City Arts Festival. In addition, various district boards have participated in outdoor programmes organized by the Council during traditional festive occasions such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Lunar New Year Carnival and the Spring Lantern Festival.