ENG-1989 — Page 372

RECREATION AND THE ARTS

To raise the performance standard of sports in Hong Kong, the centre has appointed world-class head coaches and coaches in badminton, fencing, gymnastics, rowing, soccer, squash, swimming, table-tennis and tennis. The coaches work closely with governing bodies of sport in training national teams and potential elite athletes.

The centre has an ambitious sports scholarship programme and offers coaching, facilities, dietary advice, sports science, sports medicine, overseas training and support for education and employment. In 1989 over 100 elite local athletes received scholarship support from the centre.

In conjunction with staff of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the centre's Sports Science Department provides sports science and sports medicine support for local athletes. In 1989 scientific tests were conducted for over 200 elite athletes.

The centre continued to host teams from overseas in 1989. To help raise the standards of local athletes, top coaches and international athletes spent periods of attachment at the centre.

To improve its facilities it has been decided to convert the existing indoor sprint training track into additional residential accommodation, and to extend the sports resource centre and the sports science/medicine facility. This will be completed in early 1990.

Summer Youth Programme

The Summer Youth Programme is a territory-wide project organised annually during the summer months for children and youths aged between 6 and 25. Comprising recreational and educational programmes as well as social service activities it helps them to develop their skills, appreciate inter-human relationships, get to know the community in which they live and enhance their sense of responsibility to the community.

For the 1989 programme the central theme was 'Share the Fun, Serve the Community', and was officially launched on July 1. About 12 000 activities were organised and 1.5 million young people took part in the programme between July and September. Over $23 million, of which nearly $10 million was donated by the Jockey Club, was spent on the programme. The balance was made up by the government, district boards, the Urban Council, Regional Council, private donations and participants' fees. Ten outstanding volunteers were awarded Outward Bound Scholarships and attended an 18-day course on board the vessel Ji Fung.

Responsibility for co-ordinating the programme rests with the Summer Youth Pro- gramme Committee which advises on the appropriation of funds and the implemen- tation of the various activities. The District Co-ordinating Committees are responsible for the planning, implementation and allocation of funds for district activities.

Youth Hostels

The Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association is a registered charity providing outdoor leisure opportunities for young people, particularly the 18 to 26 age group.

The chain of eight hostels run by the association in Hong Kong is away from the urban areas and mostly situated in scenic places. Although three of the hostels are old converted buildings, the others are purpose-built and two have won architectural awards for design excellence. Of the three older hostels, the one sited near the Plover Cove Dam is now in course of redevelopment at a cost of about $6 million.

Expenses of the association are met by membership fees and overnight charges. Membership also entitles holders to make use of over 5 000 youth hostels around the world and many members use this facility to travel widely, economically and safely.

URBAN COUNCIL PUBLIC LIBRARIES

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