ENG-1970 — Page 263

RECREATION

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Annual Flower Show held in the spring, which this year was attended by about 68,000 people.

Swimming continued to be possibly the most popular outdoor summer recreation, and a survey of the 38 officially-administered beaches carried out in August showed that they were used by some 130,000 people on a Sunday. There were more than 1.4 million admissions at Victoria Park and Kowloon Tsai swimming pools during the year. Life-saving services were stepped up during the year, partly by volunteers from the Auxiliary Medical Service joining with members of the St John Ambulance Brigade and the Hong Kong Life Guard Club to augment the life-saving and first-aid services provided by the Urban Services Department.

The growing popularity of swimming has emphasised the need for more facilities. Mention has already been made of the three large new pools, completed or nearing completion; in addition, another six pools (two of them in the New Territories) are at various stages in the Public Works Programme. The development of new beaches is also being considered, while a programme for the improvement of existing beaches is being steadily carried out.

Throughout the year, the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department continued with their programme of public entertainment activities which were again expanded and made more varied. Some of these activities formed part of the summer recreation programme referred to below, but, outside that pro- gramme, many Cantonese operas, variety shows, film shows and band concerts were presented.' In addition, the Urban Services Department's Entertainment Section, in co-operation with other organisations, presented special entertainments at the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lunar New Year, the Fourth International Karting Prix, and a number of 'pop' concerts. This entertainment programme was carried out not only in the major centres of population but also at more remote communities such as Tai O and Pui O on Lantau Island, and Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island.

In drawing up the programme particular (but by no means exclusive) emphasis was placed upon the needs of young people and those living in resettlement estates. Attendance at these functions exceeded 460,000.