ENG-2020 — Page 348

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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

preliminary design and piling works were largely completed and basement and superstructure works commenced.

Water Sports Centres and Holiday Camps

The LCSD manages five water sports centres: Chong Hing, Tai Mei Tuk, the Jockey Club Wong Shek, St Stephen's Beach and Stanley Main Beach. Events held at these centres drew some 29,000 participants in 2020. The department also runs four holiday camps: the Lady MacLehose Holiday Village, Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, Tso Kung Tam Outdoor Recreation Centre and Lei Yue Mun Park. These holiday camps attracted about 35,000 visitors and overnight guests before the outbreak of COVID-19.

In January, in response to COVID-19, the four camps were converted into quarantine centres, temporary accommodation and community isolation facilities. By year end, around 2,700 people had been admitted into the quarantine centres, over 1,900 into the temporary accommodation and 250 into community isolation facilities.

The LCSD also subsidises 11 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to run 24 holiday camps and sea activity centres, which registered around 82,000 participants in 2020.

Beaches and Swimming Pools

Swimming is one of Hong Kong's most popular summer pastimes. The LCSD manages 41 gazetted public beaches and 44 public swimming pool complexes.

Other Recreation and Sports Venues

The LCSD manages 102 sports centres, 252 tennis courts, 292 squash courts, 25 sports grounds, four driving ranges and two public riding schools. Works for 15 other major projects are under

way.

Recreation and Sports Organisations

Sports Commission

The Sports Commission advises the government on all matters relating to sports development and oversees committees on community sports, elite sports and major sports events.

Adventure-Ship

Adventure-Ship, a charity registered in 1977, provides educational training and recreation at sea for young people on board a sailing junk called the Jockey Club Huan, in the first charitable programme of its kind in Hong Kong. The charity promotes personal development with its theme of 'learning by experience! It is a member of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, and is funded mainly by the Community Chest and Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

All young people above the age of nine are welcome to join the programme, with preference given to disabled and underprivileged youths. About 10,000 people take part each year.

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