ENG-1993 — Page 434

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

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The two councils manage 27 public swimming pool complexes: 14 in the Urban Council area and 13 in the Regional Council area. The competition pools in these complexes are built to international standards. The Regional Council also provides leisure pool facilities, such as water slides and splash pools, at Hin Tin, Sheung Shui, Tai Po, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun pools.

The councils regularly organise learn-to-swim classes to promote water safety. During the year, over 1870 swimming classes and training programmes were held for more than 39 240 people.

The councils also encourage the formation of lifeguard clubs at their swimming venues. These clubs help maintain a steady supply of voluntary lifeguards to augment regular lifeguard services. At the end of the year, the number of lifeguard clubs operating in the Urban and Regional Council areas were 13 and eight, respectively.

Three public swimming pool projects are under planning in the urban areas. Con- struction of two leisure pool projects at Hammer Hill Road and Jordan Valley started in late 1993. The first leisure pools to be built by the Urban Council, they will provide varied play equipment in the form of pirate ships, water slides and jets, lily pads and log walks.

To bring the message of safe swimming to a wide spectrum of the public, the Urban Council launched another water safety campaign in 1993. Major functions of the campaign included a launching ceremony, in conjunction with the Hong Kong Life Guard Club, of the Governor's Shield Lifeguard Grand Parade 1993 at Repulse Bay Beach; the water safety slogan competition, which attracted 3 636 entries; the water safety poster design competition in which 450 students took part; and a series of promotional activities performed by the Water Safety Ambassador dressed in a dolphin outfit at the council's aquatic venues during the peak swimming season.

The Regional Council also implemented a package of safety measures to strengthen safety at beaches against any threat of shark attack. These included distributing information leaflets and setting up additional lookout posts to provide a better view of the beach areas and adjacent waters. The council also secured the assistance of the Government Flying Service in deploying its light aircraft for shark-patrol exercises during weekends and public holidays during the swimming season. The council also worked on a shark prevention net trial scheme with a view to installing nets at three selected beaches by the beginning of the swimming season in 1994.

Summer Youth Programme

The territory-wide Summer Youth Programme is organised each year for children and young people aged between six and 25. Social and recreational programmes and community service activities help the participants to develop their skills, appreciate human relationships, understand the community in which they live and enhance their sense of responsibility to the community.

In 1993, the Summer Youth Programme was officially launched on July 10, bearing the central theme Share the Fun, Serve the Community. A Silver Jubilee Day was also held on August 8 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Summer Youth Programme. Between July and September, about 14 100 activities were organised involving 1.36 million young people. The total expenditure of the programme was around $39 million. The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club donated $14 million and the balance was met by the government, district boards, the Urban Council, Regional Council, private donations and participants'