LCSD Annual Report 2002

I am delighted to publish this annual report of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which spells out our achievements in 2002.

This report reviews the continued efforts of the department to promote quality recreational and cultural activities, as well as the initiatives being pursued in close liaison with partners in numerous sectors in order to meet the constantly evolving needs of the community.

The department’s vast network of sports facilities provides the public with both convenient and quality services. During the year, over 24 million people made use of these facilities in their sporting pursuits. Organised community recreation and sports activities remained popular with people of all ages, attracting over two million participants. At the same time, the department made subsidies available for National Sports Associations to organise large-scale programmes inspired by the Sport-for-All concept.

The department also spared no effort in promoting the greening of Hong Kong — 60,000 trees were planted under its ambitious tree-planting programme. Emphasis was put on preserving existing trees, nurturing new ones and carrying out compensatory planting. A Computerised Tree Inventory System was set up to support these efforts.

With the objective of positioning Hong Kong as a cultural hub for Asia, we are fully committed to fostering a cultural life that is rich in the arts and traditions of both East and West. A wide variety of creative performances, from the traditional to the avant-garde, were presented for the enjoyment of over 3.7 million people, both locals and visitors. And I am pleased to report that the 13 museums managed by the department welcomed a record-breaking 4.6 million visitors in 2002. Museum patronage has doubled in the past five years.

Our public libraries, meanwhile, witnessed a significant increase in usage. Since it opened in May 2001 until the end of 2002, the Hong Kong Central Library attracted 8.82 million users; average daily attendance was about 16,000. We were most encouraged to receive the Silver Award in IT Excellence presented by the Hong Kong Computer Society and an Asia Pacific Information and Communication Technology Award for the Central Library’s state-of-the-art Multimedia Information System.

In closing, I would like to pay tribute to my predecessor, Mr Paul Leung. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department grew steadily under his leadership after it was established in January 2000.

Finally, let me express my thanks to our partners in the sports and cultural communities, our expert and community services advisers, our Customer Liaison Groups, the Legislative Council, the District Councils and the media for their support, assistance and co-operation during the year.

With the concerted efforts of my colleagues and unflagging support of the community, I am confident that future years will be just as fruitful in accomplishments as 2002 was, and that we will continue to fulfill our pledge to give our customers the best.