ENG-1979 — Page 251

182

RECREATION AND THE ARTS

tion and the protection of flora and fauna. It has launched a countryside education pro- gramme.

Urban Council

The Urban Council plays an important role in community life, providing many recreational facilities throughout Hong Kong. The council has considerable experience in managing parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and beaches, and in organising sport and entertain- ment. One of its main aims is to acquire as much open space as possible for recreational use. Among the many projects going ahead are a new sports stadium at Ho Man Tin, a velodrome for cyclists at Aberdeen, additional grass and artificial turf football pitches, a tennis complex at Wong Nai Chung Gap, boating facilities at Wong Nai Chung Reservoir park, and the Aberdeen sports ground extension. A classical Chinese garden in Kowloon Park and a promenade along the waterfront in Central District were opened for public use in 1979.

For basketball, badminton, volleyball and gymnastics, more sophisticated indoor facilities are being built to improve standards of performance. Two major indoor stadia of international standard are under construction. The Queen Elizabeth Stadium at Morrison Hill, which has a seating capacity of about 3,500, is expected to become operational in mid-1980. The Hung Hom Stadium, which is situated on the podium of the Kowloon- Canton Railway terminus at Hung Hom, will be able to accommodate about 12,500 spectators. It is scheduled to open in 1981. In addition, seven more multi-purpose indoor games halls are planned to supplement the five existing ones at Kai Tak East, Cheung Sha Wan, Morse Park, Boundary Street and Aberdeen. Furthermore, to provide even more indoor facilities, particularly in built-up areas where space is limited, new or reprovisioned market buildings will in future be multi-storeyed, with one or two floors set aside and equipped for recreational purposes.

Facilities for athletics, which comprise two stadia and four sports complexes, are also increasing. The Wan Chai sports ground, with electronic timing equipment and an inter- national-standard running track, was opened for public use in February, 1979.

The Urban Council's annual sports and recreation promotion programme, which began in 1973 with a modest budget of $200,000, was provided with $2.5 million in 1979. This covered about 6,000 events involving more than 100 sports and other recreational activities, and benefited about 1.5 million people including both the physically and mentally handi- capped. The events were presented with the co-operation of the governing sports bodies, the Council for Recreation and Sport, the Social Welfare Department, the Recreation and Sport Service, and prominent community organisations.

During the year, the Urban Council also organised a total of 842 free entertainment programmes throughout the urban areas. Events included variety shows, concerts, Can- tonese operas, puppet shows, roller-skating displays, film shows, musical comedies and youth dances. About 1,150,000 people were entertained at these events which were presented in parks, playgrounds, recreational and community centres, and school halls. An intensive 51-day programme the Summer Fun Festival '79 was also launched. More than 34,000 people took part in various outdoor events such as launch picnics, swim- ming parties, family harbour cruises, open-air concerts, carnivals, camping activities, children's parties and a tricycle contest.

—

For the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, the Urban Council organised two lantern carnivals on both sides of the harbour. These two-day carnivals, consisting of both tradi- tional and modern entertainment events, attracted more than 260,000 people.