ENG-2006 — Page 480

404 Recreation, Sport and the Arts

Phase

Work on 14 other projects is going on. These include Cherry Street Park 2 at Tai Kok Tsui, Indoor Recreation Centre in Tin Shui Wai, improvement works to Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village, Hin Tin Swimming Pool Phase 2, Sha Tin, local open space in Tin Shui Wai, district open space in Area 2, Tung Chung, district open space in Area 39, Fanling/Sheung Shui, district open space in Area 35, Tsuen Wan Phase 2, Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground, open space at Tai Kok Tsui Temporary Market, local open space in Area 44, Tseung Kwan O, basketball courts in Area 107, Tin Shui Wai, local open space in Area 11, Sha Tin and Siu Sai Wan Garden.

Beaches and Swimming Pools

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Swimming is one of Hong Kong's most popular summer pastimes. The LCSD provides 41 gazetted beaches 12 on Hong Kong Island and 29 in the New Territories for the public and manages 37 public swimming pool complexes. In 2006, people made 10.57 million visits to the gazetted beaches and 8.76 million visits to the public swimming pools.

Shark prevention nets have been installed for the safety of swimmers. Lifeguard services are provided during the swimming season. At the four most popular beaches, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Golden Beach, Silverstrand Beach and Deep Water Bay Beach, lifeguards are on duty during the winter as well.

Parks Managed by LCSD

The LCSD manages about 1 400 parks and gardens of different sizes, including 22 major parks.

Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens

The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, the oldest public gardens in Hong Kong, occupy an area of 5.6 hectares overlooking the city's central district. The gardens were built between 1861 and 1871. Albany Road runs through the eastern garden, home to an extensive collection of birds, while the western garden, opened in 1871, is home to mammal and reptile exhibits. The botanical section is largely in the eastern garden.

Despite the urban surroundings, the gardens provide a viable conservation centre for endangered species. Seventeen endangered species of mammals, birds and reptiles lived there in 2006. The bird collection is one of the most comprehensive in Asia. It comprises about 400 birds of 140 species. Fifteen out of the 140 species have offsprings there. The mammal collection consists of 65 animals of 21 species, mainly primates. More than 750 species of trees, shrubs, creepers and foliage plants thrive in the gardens. The medicinal plant collection established in 1987 and a greenhouse, built in 1993, have generated particular public interest in the 500 or more species of herbs, orchids, ferns and indoor plants there.

Hong Kong Park

Opened in 1991, Hong Kong Park is on the site of the former military barracks in Central and occupies an area of about eight hectares. The park, which blends

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