ENG-1964 — Page 263

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RECREATION

the year in the development of various sites as play and sports ground and gardens. The Urban Services Department now looks after 155 areas of parks, playgrounds and gardens covering 343.18 acres, together with two Olympic standard swimming pools and 30 public bathing beaches.

They range from large areas like Victoria Park, the Botanic Gardens, Fa Hui Park and Kowloon Tsai Park to many smaller playgrounds, gardens and plots scattered throughout the Colony. In the urban areas they provide recreational facilities which include 15 pitches for soccer, hockey and rugby; 33 mini-soccer pitches; 103 courts for basketball, volleyball and badminton; 22 tennis courts; two squash courts; two bowling greens; two running tracks; two bandstands; three model boat pools; a roller skating rink; 56 children's playgrounds and six children's libraries.

Among projects completed during the year was the Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool for which the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club donated $2 million. The pool was officially opened by His Excel- lency the Governor in June and from the first day has proved extremely popular with the people of Kowloon. During its first five months it was used by 320,332 people of whom 154,636 were children. The five acre Choi Hung Road Playground in San Po Kong was also completed and opened by Mrs E. Elliott, a member of the Urban Council in July. Its facilities include a floodlit soccer pitch, five ball games pitches, changing facilities, a refreshment kiosk, a children's playground with a library and a rest garden.

The 12 public bathing beaches in the urban area are always popular and it is estimated that over one million people visited them during the swimming season. Apart from the regular beach service provided by the 80 life guards and supporting staff of the Urban Services Department, the St John's Ambulance Brigade and the Hong Kong Life Guard Club send their members to the beaches at week-ends and on public holidays.

In the New Territories, the Urban Services Department now looks after 22 parks, playgrounds and rest gardens covering an area of 172 acres. Work on the four acre Sha Tsui Road Playground in Tsuen Wan was nearing completion; this comprises two floodlit hard-surfaced mini-soccer pitches, changing facilities and a sub- stantial rest garden. In addition three tennis courts are under con- struction at the playground.