ENG-1977 — Page 30

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: A FULLER LIFE FOR ALL

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sports-women as well as local coaches. This, in time, should result in vastly-improved standards and boost Hong Kong's chances of making an international name for itself in sport.

As wide a range of sports as possible will be catered for at the centre. Preference will be given to those that enjoy high local participation, are most suited to local condi- tions and whose facilities can be shared. International competitions for sports lacking suitable venues and requiring only limited spectator facilities will be held at the centre. A further attraction will be free admission to people aged under-18. Those over 18 will be charged only a small fee.

In addition to the Jubilee Sports Centre, two stadia of international standard – the Hung Hom Stadium and the Queen Elizabeth Stadium (formerly the Morrison Hill Indoor Stadium) – are being built by the government to provide facilities for more sporting competitions.

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Despite the present lack of sporting venues, Hong Kong hosted four regional championships - in basketball, volleyball, badminton and table tennis - during 1977. In addition, Hong Kong teams achieved considerable success in a number of over- seas sporting competitions. The most notable were winning six out of seven trophies at the fourth Commonwealth table tennis championships held in Guernsey; winning the team competition in the 110-kilometre road race in the eighth Asian cycling championships in the Philippines; winning the 1978 Football Association World Cup Asian Group I preliminary round tournament in Singapore; coming third in the Admiral's Cup yachting competition in Cowes; and winning the gold medal in the pairs' competition of the women's world lawn bowls championships in Worthing.

Ocean Park

Another important new addition to the outdoor activities scene is Ocean Park, a major draw for family outings. Developed by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club on 68 hectares of land provided as a free grant by the government, this non-profit-making venture has been aimed primarily at attracting local residents. The response so far has been gratifying. During its peak season, attendance often reaches 17,000 visitors on weekends and 8,000 during week days. Now a year old, Ocean Park is still a novel attraction and a long-range development plan will see many additions and improve-

ments.

The magnificent site, on the Brick Hill Peninsula between Aberdeen Channel and Deep Water Bay, offers many attractions unique to Hong Kong. They include a breathtaking ride on the world's largest-capacity cable car system; an innovative children's playground complete with an inflatable 'sea monster', trampolines and tether-ball; a touch-and-feed area where tame llamas, calves, kangaroos and sheep provide a valuable educational experience for children; and the park's three main oceanarium exhibits on the headland site.

At the 4,000-seat Ocean Theatre, the largest of its type in the world, visitors can delight in the skills and antics of performing marine mammals. Wave Cove, a feature unique to Ocean Park, is home to a multitude of aquatic birds and mammals. This simulated rocky coastline, with its man-made waves, represents the first successful intermingling of such widely diverse species as Stellar sealions from Canada, elephant seals and fur seals from South Africa, California sealions and endangered Australian

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