HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
With the opening of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the first tertiary education centre in South East Asia built especially for teaching dance, drama, music and technical arts, Hong Kong's cultural life will be further enriched.
While the Academy's role is to provide professional training in the performing arts, the Council's policy is to make the performing arts more accessible to the public by organizing presentations of Western and Eastern music, opera, drama, dance, films and other performing arts by local and overseas artists at Council venues. The Academy and the Council will be playing complementary roles in developing local arts and culture.
It can thus be seen that the Urban Council is playing an active role in making Hong Kong into a city of festivals, which not only gives support to our tourist industry, but also provides more fun, entertainment and a better life-style for the people of Hong Kong.
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:-
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of October 1985.
QUESTIONS
1. MR. FAN KAM-PING asked the following question (in Cantonese):—What measures will the Council adopt or has the Council adopted to boost the usage of its sports and recreational facilities, such as swimming pools, tennis courts and hard surfaced mini-soccer pitches during school and office hours?
MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG, Chairman of the RECREATION Select Committee, replied as follows (in Cantonese):—The question asks what measures the Council will adopt or has adopted to boost the usage of its sports and recreational facilities, such as swimming pools, tennis courts and hard surfaced mini-soccer pitches during school and office hours.
For the purpose of answering this question, school and office hours have been taken to mean the time between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., excluding Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays and the school summer vacation from mid-July to early September.
With regard to swimming pools during these hours, booking priority and special rates are given to schools and organizations, such as the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association and the Swimming Teachers Association, to hire the teaching and training pools for swimming classes to encourage and promote the utilization of those pools. Schools, sports associations and welfare organizations are also encouraged to hire the main pools for swimming galas at special rates during weekdays during the non-peak season i.e. up to June and from September onwards.
In addition, over the last ten years, the Council has arranged 'Learn-to-swim' courses for about 87,000 people. Moreover, in 1986/87, it is intended to expand the courses by providing places for 27,000 non-swimmers to learn to swim. And it is expected that some at least will subsequently choose to swim in Council pools, including between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. on weekdays.
For tennis courts, the Council recently approved the augmentation of the existing 'Learn-to-play Tennis' Scheme by providing an additional 83 courses for 1,500 people to be conducted on weekdays within school and office hours. The target groups are housewives, shift workers and students. The first two phases of the Scheme have commenced and the response has been good. After participants graduating from the courses, it is expected that some may wish to continue to play during these hours and thus improve usage rates.
As regards hard surfaced mini-soccer pitches, they are available for booking and casual play at any time free of charge. Usage in the evenings and on holidays is generally high, but in order to maximize use of the pitches during school hours and to facilitate timetable planning, schools are allowed to book pitches for physical education lessons up to one academic year in advance. In addition, casual play (for which no bookings are made) regularly takes place over sustained periods.
Whilst Council is aware of the need to boost the daytime utilization of its sports and recreational venues, it must be recognized that a main reason for the provision of these facilities is to provide active leisure outlets for the general public. The majority, because of work and school commitments, are unable to avail themselves of these opportunities during the daytime. But usage rates of Council facilities during normal leisure hours is considered to be very satisfactory indeed.
2. MR. FAN KAM-PING asked the following question (in Cantonese):—I believe the Council is going to build a number of 'fun pools' in some of its parks. As 'fun pools' mainly attract young people and children, has the Council thought of the probably very low usage rate during school and office hours since all children under fifteen are compelled to study in school during the day and 'fun pools' will attract very few elderly users?
Will the Council consider building only one 'fun pool' first and defer the rest until its popularity judged by usage rates has been established?
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
With the opening of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the first tertiary education centre in South East Asia built especially for teaching dance. drama, music and technical arts, Hong Kong's cultural life will be further
enriched.
While the Academy's role is to provide professional training in the performing arts, the Council's policy is to make the performing arts more accessible to the public by organizing presentations of Western and Eastern music, opera, drama, dance, films and other performing arts by local and overseas artists at Council venues. The Academy and the Council will be playing complementary roles in developing local arts and culture.
It can thus be seen that the Urban Council is playing an active role in making Hong Kong into a city of festivals, which not only gives support to our tourist industry, but also provides more fun, entertainment and a better life-style for the people of Hong Kong.
PAPER
The following paper was laid on the table:-
(1) Report to the Urban Council by the Director of Urban Services and
Secretary, Urban Council, for the month of October 1985.
QUESTIONS
1. MR. FAN KAM-PING asked the following question (in Cantonese):—What measures will the Council adopt or has the Council adopted to boost the usage of its sports and recreational facilities, such as swimming pools, tennis courts and hard surfaced mini-soccer pitches during school and office hours?
MR. HOWARD H. W. YOUNG, Chairman of the RECREATION Select CommittEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):—The question asks what measures the Council will adopt or has adopted to boost the usage of its sports and recreational facilities, such as swimming pools, tennis courts and hard surfaced mini-soccer pitches during school and office hours.
For the purpose of answering this question, school and office hours have been taken to mean the time between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., excluding Saturdays. Sundays, Public Holidays and the school summer vacation from mid-July to early September.
With regard to swimming pools during these hours. booking priority and special rates are given to schools and organizations, such as the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association and the Swimming Teachers Association, to hire the teaching and training pools for swimming classes to encourage and
organizations
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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105
promote the utilization of those pools. Schools, sports associations and welfare are also encouraged to hire the main pools for swimming galas at special rates during weekdays during the non peak season i.e. up to June and from September onwards.
In addition,
over the last ten years, the Council has arranged 'Learn-to-swim' courses for about 87 000 people. Moreover, in 1986/87, it is intended to expand the courses by providing places for 27 000 non-swimmers to learn to swim. And it is expected that some at least will subsequently choose to swim in Council pools, including between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. on weekdays.
For tennis courts, the Council recently approved the augmentation of the existing Learn-to-play Tennis' Scheme by providing an additional 83 courses for 1 500 people to be conducted on weekdays within school and office hours. The target groups are housewives, shift workers and students. The first two of the Scheme have commenced and the response has been good. After phases graduating from the courses, it is expected that some participants may wish to continue to play during these hours and thus improve usage rates.
As regards hard surfaced mini-soccer pitches, they are available for booking and casual play at any time free of charge. Usage in the evenings and on holidays is generally high, but in order to maximize use of the pitches during school hours and to facilitate timetable planning, schools are allowed to book pitches for physical education lessons up to one academic year in advance. In addition, casual play (for which no bookings are made) regularly takes place over sustained periods.
Whilst Council is aware of the need to boost the daytime utilization of its sports and recreational venues, it must be recognized that a main reason for the provision of these facilities is to provide active leisure outlets for the general public. The majority, because of work and school commitments, are unable to avail themselves of these opportunities during the daytime. But usage rates of Council facilities during normal leisure hours is considered to be very satisfactory indeed.
2. MR. FAN KAM-PING asked the following question (in Cantonese):—I believe the Council is going to build a number of fun pools' in some of its parks. As fun pools mainly attract young people and children, has the Council thought of the probably very low usage rate during school and office hours since all children under fifteen are compelled to study in school during the day and fun pools will attract very few elderly users?
Will the Council consider building only one fun pool' first and defer the rest until its popularity judged by usage rates has been established?
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