Foreword

My second year with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has been a rewarding one for myself and the Department, with notable achievements on all fronts, from the staging of mega cultural events in and outside Hong Kong and the commissioning of new facilities to the successful organisation of the third Hong Kong Games to promote 'Sport for All'.

On the Cultural Services front, the LCSD coordinated the participation of over 1 200 artists from local arts groups which presented 22 cultural events and art exhibitions at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The largest cultural extravaganza we have ever staged outside Hong Kong, it gave an excellent opportunity to showcase to an international audience the richness and diversity of Hong Kong’s cultural and creative talent. Our organising team received the Bronze Prize of the Specialised Service Award and the Meritorious Award of the Partnership Award under the Civil Service Outstanding Service Award Scheme 2011. I warmly congratulate them.

Riding on the enthusiasm generated by the Shanghai Expo, we brought to Hong Kong the star exhibit of the China Pavilion, the Animated Version of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival immediately after the Expo. Held in November 2010 at the Asia World Expo, the three-week exhibition was extremely popular, drawing a record 930 000 people. To organise this mega exhibition, we formed, at short notice, a team of colleagues from different Cultural Services divisions. Thanks to their professionalism and dedication, we were able to sort out many unprecedented technical, transport and venue management issues and secure the support of various parties within a few weeks. The wide acclaim and valuable experience gained are the best rewards for their efforts.

The past year also saw our museums entering a new phase of development after the Government announced in February 2010 that they should continue to be managed by the LCSD. In late 2010, we set up three museum advisory panels to advise the art, science and history museums on their future directions and management.

Our latest series of exhibitions – Touching Art: The Louvre’s Sculpture in Movement; Pixar: 25 Years of Animation; Albert Einstein; and Centenary of China’s 1911 Revolution – boosted museum attendance to a new high. In the coming year, we will continue to implement the new directions, including organising more blockbuster exhibitions, while working to enhance the branding and marketing of museums.

We operate one of the world’s largest bilingual computerised library systems; and have been implementing a full upgrade of the library automation system. The new system, incorporating a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) trial scheme, will be launched in late 2011. We have started the phased replacement of library contract support staff with permanent staff, and will introduce a new mode of delivery of frontline services at the libraries in the coming years.

The year also marked a number of important milestones for our establishments. The Hong Kong Film Archive, which holds 11 000 items of important cinematic materials, celebrated its 10th anniversary, while the Queen Elizabeth Stadium marked three decades of staging exciting events for our citizens’ enjoyment. Next year, City Hall, Hong Kong’s first multi-purpose civic centre, will celebrate 50 years of great service as one of the city’s major cultural venues.

On the Sports and Leisure front, following the huge success of the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games (EAG) and the magnificent achievements of our athletes in the Games, Hong Kong sent its first team to the 4th All-China Games in May 2010. Hong Kong athletes who took part in the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games and Asian Para Games also achieved impressive results. The LCSD continues to provide full support to national sports associations and helps foster a sporting culture in Hong Kong.

New sports facilities opened in 2011 include the Tung Chung Man Tung Road Sports Centre, Tung Chung Swimming Pool, the Siu Sai Wan Complex, and the third generation (3G) artificial turf for soccer and rugby at Po Kong Village Road Park (Phase 1). Sixteen more new sports facilities will be completed in the next few years. Together they will cost $10 billion. Three of these facilities, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park Swimming Pool, swimming pool and sports centre at Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Leisure and Cultural Building and a BMX area cum cycling track at Po Kong Village Road Park (Phase 2) are nearing completion.

I am sure it was good news, especially to beach fans, when four Tsuen Wan beaches, some of which had been closed for over a decade, were reopened this year after tests showed an improvement in water quality.

As a result of the effective mobilisation of community support through a strong publicity campaign by the LCSD, the third Hong Kong Games in May 2011 turned out to be a big success. The event attracted over 3 000 athletes – more than double the 1 300 in the first Games – to compete in eight events. Over 300 000 people took part in the various community activities we organised to promote the Games.

In August 2010, the Department organised a Sport For All Day again to promote regular physical exercise. It was encouraging to see over 190 000 people using our sports venues offered free of charge for the first time on that day and enjoying a variety of free sports programmes.

In November 2010, the LCSD hosted the International Federation of Parks and Recreation Administration World Congress Hong Kong 2010. Held for the second time in Hong Kong, the Congress provided a valuable platform for participants and experts to exchange ideas and experience on tourism, recreation and park management. We are also delighted that the annual Hong Kong Flower Show, which attracted over 500 000 people, received the Bronze Prize of the General Public Service Award under the Civil Service Outstanding Service Award Scheme 2011.

During the year, we launched another new initiative, the Park Déco scheme, to make our parks more interesting and user-friendly. Phase 1 of the trial scheme was launched at Quarry Bay Park where three sets of creative park furniture, designed by young local artists, were installed and a new signage system adopted. We will launch Phase 2 of the Park Déco scheme at Cornwall Street Park in 2012 with the aim of extending the idea to other new parks.

I am gratified by the accomplishments of our Department during the year. I know I can count on our colleagues to help deliver quality services to our community and I look forward to another fruitful year.

Mrs Betty FUNG CHING Suk-yee
Director of Leisure and Cultural Services