ENG-1960 — Page 343

SPORT AND RECREATION

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The Urban Services Department took over the administration of 20 beaches in the New Territories early in the year and later developed two more. Contractors provide tents, changing-rooms and other facilities on eight of these beaches. Every year there is a ballot for the right to use the 72 beach huts in the New Territories. 50 fully-trained life-guards were on duty at these beaches during the summer.

The shortage of land in the built-up areas means that the de- velopment of parks and playgrounds can only take place in keen competition with other forms of development. Before the war playgrounds were few; after the war these were, at best, dusty and uneven pieces of land or, at worst, soon covered by the ubiquitous squatters. Despite these difficulties, old playgrounds have been improved and new ones laid out, varying in size from Victoria Park, covering fifty three acres of land reclaimed from a former typhoon shelter, to small playgrounds for children. Development goes on, and apart from the large parks and formal playgrounds a great deal has been done to improve the appearance of the city by tidying up or laying out small derelict roadside areas. During the year thirty eight new areas were opened up or laid out, cover- ing 27 acres.

The former Royal Navy sports ground at Tin Kwong Road, Kowloon, was handed over by Government to the Army in early July in exchange for their Boundary Street recreation grounds. These were open for public use by September, eleven acres in all including two association football pitches, a miniature football pitch, and a running track with field athletic facilities. It is the largest public recreation ground in Kowloon.

There are now 190 acres of parks, public playgrounds and rest gardens (including the Botanic Gardens and Victoria Park), carrying four tennis courts; ten association football, six miniature football, two hockey, one rugby football, and three cricket pitches, all grass covered; and nine all-weather tennis courts, thirty two basketball, four volleyball and 19 miniature football grounds, on hard surfaces. Of the 90 public playgrounds and rest gardens, 25 have provision for ball games.

Floodlights were installed in the Southorn Playground where a stand was opened for 2,000 spectators, with changing-rooms, lavatories and showers beneath.