ENG-1976 — Page 265

RECREATION

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The Agriculture and Fisheries Department also has to safeguard the countryside against fire often caused by careless visitors-and it is responsible for landscape rehabilitation and the protection of flora and fauna.

The popularity of tent camping continued to increase during the year, with the department's experimental camp site at Pui O beach on Lantau Island being well occupied and providing useful information on camping.

Swimming

Swimming is the most popular form of active recreation in Hong Kong. There are 37 gazetted beaches with life-saving staff and facilities and eight public swimming pool complexes. Twelve beaches and seven swimming pool complexes in the urban areas are managed by the Urban Council, and 25 beaches and one pool complex in the New Territories are managed by the Urban Services Department.

New changing rooms and showers at Middle Bay, South Bay, Shek O, Big Wave Bay and Stanley Main beaches proved a popular addition during the 1976 swimming season. An inflatable rescue boat with an outboard engine was put into operation at Shek O beach at the beginning of the season. A fibreglass raft also went into trial use at Deep Water Bay, and it is hoped that this will prove superior to the existing steel rafts.

A new swimming pool complex at Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island was nearing completion at the end of the year and another pool complex at Tai Wan Park in Kowloon was at an advanced stage of construction. Other pool complexes planned are at Chai Wan and Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island; Hammer Hill and Kowloon Park in Kowloon; and Fanling, Yuen Long, Kwai Chung, Sha Tin and Tuen Mun in the New Territories.

Urban Recreation

In 1976 more than 1,800 functions were organised by the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department as free entertainment and recreation for the public. Regular events include variety shows, band concerts, Chinese opera, film shows, orchestral and folk song performances, musical comedies, puppet shows and youth dances. These are presented in parks and playgrounds in all districts in the urban area and the New Territories.

During the summer vacation the Urban Council's entertainment programme was intensified and 125 events were organised. These included swimming parties at pool complexes and beaches, launch picnics, funfairs, popular concerts and additional variety shows. More than 180,000 young people and children from the 10 urban districts and the New Territories attended these free activities.

In support of the 1976 Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Urban Council presented an extensive programme in a special effort to bring free entertainment to the man in the street. The council also presented special shows for the Lunar New Year, and spectacular Lantern Carnival shows were held at Kowloon Park and Victoria Park to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.