ENG-1980 — Page 264

RECREATION AND THE ARTS

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The Urban Council's annual sports and recreation programme, which began in 1973 with a modest budget of $200,000, was provided with $4.5 million in 1980. This covered about 11,000 events involving more than 130 sports and other recreational activities, and benefited about 1.8 million people, including the physically and mentally handicapped. The events were organised by the Cultural Services Department in co-operation with various sports bodies, the Council for Recreation and Sport, the Recreation and Sport Service and community organisations.

During the year, the Urban Council also organised 941 free outdoor entertainment programmes throughout the urban areas on both sides of the harbour. Events included variety shows, concerts, Cantonese operas, puppet shows, film shows, ballet, youth dances, folk singing and folk dances, children's parties and carnivals. About 1,221,660 people were entertained at these events which were presented in parks, playgrounds, gardens, and recreational and community halls.

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An intensive 50-day Summer Fun Festival was held during the summer holidays. More than 48,000 people, mostly school children, took part in various outdoor events such as launch picnics, swimming parties, family harbour cruises, carnivals, camping activities, youth dances, film shows and children's parties.

In celebration of the annual Dragon Boat Festival, the Urban Council, in association with the Hong Kong Tourist Association, presented the 1980 International Dragon Boat Races. Sixty-eight local teams and six international teams took part in the races which were held off the East Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.

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For the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, the Urban Council organised three lantern carnivals at Victoria Park and The Peak on Hong Kong Island and at Morse Park in Kowloon. Similar carnivals were also organised at district level with the council's support. These carnivals, combining both traditional and modern forms of entertainment, attracted more than 143,000 people.

A number of other events - entitled Christmas Special, New Year Fiesta, Chinese New Year Programme and April Fiesta – were organised to mark the festive seasons and special occasions throughout the year. Entertainment programmes were also regularly held at social centres and homes for the handicapped and disabled.

Similar entertainment programmes were held in the New Territories, where about 109,525 people took part in 147 events.

Recreation and Sport Service

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Significant administrative moves in 1980 reflected the rapid growth and popularity of cultural and recreational activities organised by the government, and the importance being attached to their future development.

In January, a Recreation and Culture Division was established within the Government Secretariat and planning progressed throughout the year on a proposal for the formation of a separate government department.

The new division, which is headed by a Commissioner for Recreation and Culture, took over executive control of the Recreation and Sport Service and the Music Office (from the Education Department), and assumed responsibility for the policy aspects of recreation in country parks.

Meanwhile, the everyday work of the service's headquarters and 17 district offices continued to aim at encouraging people to become more active, whether it was by taking up a sport, going on a camp, or making an excursion into the countryside. Running various types of facilities from simple gymnasia to large holiday and recreation centres also became