ENG-2018 — Page 368

Chapter 20

Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

Hong Kong offers no lack of sports, cultural and recreational opportunities for its hard-working populace. The wide variety of activities, ranging from international sports and arts events to community programmes, leaves people of all ages and abilities spoilt for choice.

The Home Affairs Bureau coordinates government policies on recreation, sports, culture and heritage. Organisations such as the Sports Commission and Hong Kong Arts Development Council help the government draw up these policies.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), an executive arm of the bureau, provides services to preserve Hong Kong's cultural heritage, enhance its physical environment, and foster cooperative interaction between sports, cultural and community organisations. The department also organises exhibitions, sporting events and cultural performances.

Recreation and Sports

The department develops and coordinates the provision of quality recreational and sports. facilities for leisure enjoyment, including parks, landscaped open spaces, sports grounds, playgrounds, sports centres, holiday camps, water sports centres, swimming pools and beaches. It also organises and supports a wide variety of recreational and sports programmes to promote community sports, identify sporting talent and raise sporting standards. It works closely with the district councils, the national sports associations under the auspices of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, district sports associations and schools to promote sport for all.

The department also issues and renews licences for places of amusement. In 2018, it processed 54 applications for billiard establishments, six for public bowling alleys and five for public skating rinks.

Parks and Greenery

The LCSD manages over 1,500 parks and gardens, including 26 major parks. It is responsible for planting and maintaining plants at the public parks, recreational and sports venues, and

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