Provisional Urban Council Sports and Recreation Programmes and Facilities

To arouse public awareness of the value of sport and recreation, the council organised 9 886 grassroots training and recreation programmes for 653 277 participants of all ages and abilities at a total cost of $42.84 million in 1998. Major programmes include the Corpate Games, Masters Games, Gold Card Fitness Scheme, Come and Try Scheme, Recreation and Sports Fortnight for Older Persons, and Recreation and Sports Highlights for People with Disabilities.

          The council also operates a Sports Subsidy Scheme to provide financial assistance to sports associations for the presentation of sports events, training programmes and competitions relating to the promotion and development of the Sport-for-All concept. In 1998, the council spent $24.18 million on 3 693 sports programs which attracted 320 000 participants and 600 000 spectators. Some of the most popular programmes were the Provisional Urban Council School Sports Programmes, Windsurfing Promotion Scheme, Youth Basketball Training Scheme, Table Tennis Development Progrme, Youth Football Scheme and the XLI Festival of Sports.

          To enhance community sports development, the Provisional Urban Council Inter-District Sports Competition involving seven sports competitions was organised annually.

          During the year, international sports events such as the 14th Hong Kong International Golden Mile, Swimming World Cup Hong Kong '98, Asia Pacific International Water Polo Invitation Tournament, International Kung Fu Masters Performance Championship, Squash Open '98 and the 3rd Hong Kong Asian Cities Gold Cup Taekwondo Invitation Championships were held to reinforce Hong Kong's image as one of the world's event capitals.

Venues

The Provisional Urban Council provides and manages sports and recreational facilities. There are 42 indoor games halls/leisure centres, 16 swimming pool complexes, 136 tennis courts, 185 squash courts and nine sports grounds under the management and operation of the council.

          During the year, four major new recreation and sports venues were completed. They were the Lok Kwan Street Park in Mong Kok District, the St Stephen's Beach Water Sports Centre, the Ap Lei Chau Leisure Centre and Aberdeen Tennis and Squash Centre in the Southern District. More new facilities will continue to be put into service. Good progress was made in the development of the Sai Wan Ho Leisure Centre in Eastern District, the Hong Ning Road Park (Phases I & II), the Sam Ka Tsuen Complex, Ping Shek Playground and Shun Lee Tsuen Recreation Ground in Kwun Tong District, and Ho Man Tin Recreation Ground in Kowloon City District.

          Air-conditioning was installed for eight indoor games halls in Quarry Bay, Sheung Wan, Shui Wo Street, Fa Yuen Street, Chai Wan, Shek Tong Tsui, Ngau Tau Kok and Po On Road in 1998, bringing to 30 the total number of indoor games halls with air-conditioning.