RECREATION AND THE ARTS
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Hong Kong is becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of physical fitness. In 1983, more than 50 000 people took part in physical fitness courses organised at the RSS sports training centres. Additional centres are being planned to expand this popular activity.
1983 saw the completion of the second phase of the Lady MacLehose Holiday Village in Sai Kung, increasing the capacity for campers from 120 to 260. Together with the newly-opened Chong Hing Water Sports Centre at High Island Reservoir, these new facilities will provide the people of Hong Kong with more opportunities to take part in outdoor activities.
Beaches and Swimming Pools
Swimming is Hong Kong's most popular form of summer recreation. There are 38 gazetted beaches, comprising 12 on Hong Kong Island, managed by the Urban Council, and 26 in the New Territories, under the control of the New Territories Services Department. The beaches are supervised by lifeguards and have changing rooms, toilets, first aid posts, lookout posts and other facilities. The Urban Council also manages 10 swimming pool complexes in the urban areas - five on Hong Kong Island and five in Kowloon while the New Territories Services Department manages four in the New Territories. A complex usually comprises a main pool, a secondary pool, a diving pool, a training pool and at least one paddling pool. All competition swimming pools are built to international standards.
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An estimated 18 million people visited the beaches and 3.5 million used the public swimming pools during the year. A new training pool in Wan Chai which will assist competitive swimmers, and a swimming pool complex in Lai Chi Kok, were under construction during the year. Twenty-three additional swimming pool projects are being planned - two on Hong Kong Island, eight in Kowloon and 13 in the New Territories. The Urban Council's swimming classes to promote water safety proved popular during the year with 276 classes held, attracting 7 300 participants.
Summer Youth Programme
More than 1000 guests and young people attended the opening ceremony of the 1983 Summer Youth Programme at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, an event which was filmed for the first programme of the television series entitled Swinging Summer.
The Central Co-ordinating Committee for Youth Recreation co-ordinated some 8 000 summer youth activities including youth development projects, recreational and sports activities, entertainment programmes and community service projects. Popular activities included forestry work camps, recreational camps, training courses and camps for water sports, the Youth Music Camp and sports competitions. At a cost of more than $10 million, the programme was financed by a $6 million donation from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club its main supporter since 1969. Of this, $1.5 million went towards setting up permanent recreational facilities for young people. The balance of the funds came from the government, Urban Council, participants' fees and private donations.
Youth Hostels
The Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association is a charitable organisation providing outdoor leisure opportunities for young people in Hong Kong. Membership numbers more than 25 000 individual members and 110 organisation members, mainly in the 17-to-24 age group. The association's hostel at Deep Bay, previously borrowed by the Security Forces, was reopened to members in May. The fully refurbished hostel can now accommodate 28
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