The sports facilities and other amenities in Hong Kong’s 18 districts comprise 41 gazetted beaches, 43 swimming pools, two outdoor stadia (Hong Kong Stadium and Mong Kok Stadium), 46 natural turf soccer pitches, 31 artificial turf soccer pitches, 229 hard-surface soccer pitches, two hockey pitches, one rugby pitch, 95 sports centres, 295 squash courts, 25 sports grounds, 256 tennis courts, four golf driving ranges, five water sports centres, four holiday camps, 25 major parks, and 696 children’s playgrounds. These leisure facilities cover a total area of 2 302 hectares.
Cyclists enjoying the outdoors on the elevated cycling track in Po Kong Village Road Park.
The Hong Kong Park Sports Centre provides a wide range of sports facilities including an arena which can be used for badminton.
Golfers practising their skills at the Tuen Mun Golf Centre.
The Hong Kong Velodrome, which has opened to the public in phases from January 2014, is the first-ever indoor cycling facility in Hong Kong to meet the standards of the Union Cycliste Internationale. It boasts a 250-metre indoor cycling track with supporting facilities of international standards, and a multi-purpose arena with a 3 000-seat spectator stand that is suitable for holding large-scale and high-level track-cycling competitions. Other sports facilities at the venue include activity rooms, a fitness room, a table tennis room, a dance room and a children's play room serving the community. The velodrome is the major training base for the Hong Kong Cycling Team, although members of the public with the necessary qualifications and who possess track passes are also welcome to make use of the facility.
The new Hong Kong Velodrome is the city’s first indoor cycling venue suitable for hosting international track cycling competitions.
The adjoining Hong Kong Velodrome Park, occupying an area of 5.3 hectares, was opened to the public in late April 2014. It is heavily landscaped, with a scenic central lawn and artificial lakes providing extensive open space. Its leisure and sports facilities include a skatepark, an amphitheatre, a jogging track, a sport climbing wall, a children’s play area, a fitness corner for the elderly, and a model boat pool. The skatepark is the largest of its kind in Hong Kong. Suitable for freestyle BMX, skateboarding and aggressive inline skating activities, its skateboarding equipment and structures conform to all relevant safety standards and include both a street course area and a bowl area with three skill levels. There is also a covered spectator stand.
A children’s play area at the Hong Kong Velodrome Park.
The LCSD manages more than 1 540 parks and gardens of different sizes, including the following major parks:
Hong Kong Park, covering 8.16 hectares, was opened in May 1991 on the former Victoria Barracks site. Major attractions include a conservatory, an aviary, a squash centre, a sports centre, a children’s playground, a vantage point, a restaurant, and Olympic Square.
Hong Kong Park is a popular leisure spot for both tourists and those working in the business district of Central.
The aviary, simulating a tropical rainforest, is home to around 600 birds of 75 different species. Several of these species bred successfully during the year, specifically the Bali Myna, Java Sparrow, Zebra Dove, Nicobar Pigeon, Black-capped Lorry, Rainbow Lorikeet, Emerald Dove and Silver-eared Mesia. The conservatory comprises a Display Plant House, a Dry Plant House and a Humid Plant House, all of which have environmental controls that simulate different climatic conditions for plants from arid and tropical regions. An Exhibition on Fragrant Flowers was held in the Display Plant House from August to October 2013, at which some 50 species of fragrant flowers and scented plants were displayed, including Brunfelsia calycina, Jasminum sambac, Osmanthus fragrans and Rosmarinus officinalis.
The aviary at Hong Kong Park has an elevated walkway from which visitors can watch birds in the tree canopy.
Victoria Park, first opened in October 1957, is one of the most popular parks in Hong Kong. An attractive venue for sports and leisure activities, the 19.3-hectare park is also a popular spot for community events that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, such as the annual Lunar New Year Fair, the Hong Kong Flower Show, and the Urban Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival.
Thousands of visitors flock to the flower market at Victoria Park each Chinese New Year.
The new swimming pool complex has added an additional source of enjoyment for visitors to Victoria Park.
The 13.3-hectare Kowloon Park, which served as a military camp during the 1860s, was converted into an urban park in 1970. Redeveloped by the former Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, the park took its present shape in 1989. Located in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, it is the largest park in Kowloon and provides an array of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, including a hard-surface soccer pitch, a sports centre and a swimming pool complex.
Kowloon Park, located in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, is the largest park in Kowloon.
Occupying an area of around three hectares, the Kowloon Park Swimming Pool can hold up to 1 469 swimmers. Average annual use over the past three years has exceeded 886 000. One of the best-equipped swimming pools in Hong Kong, it serves as a major training and competition venue for many international aquatic events.
The park also has a number of attractive gardens and walks. The Garden of Life was unveiled in November 2011 in acknowledgement of the generosity of organ donors and their families.
The Sculpture Walk features permanent and temporary displays by both local and overseas artists, including the Concept of Newton, a permanent sculpture by Eduardo Paolozzi. A 240-metre tree walk introduces 35 of Hong Kong’s most common flowering tree species.
Another significant attraction is the landscaped bird lake and aviary, with its flock of more than 100 flamingos and many other bird species.
The park hosts a number of major events throughout the year, including Kung Fu Corner and the Arts Fun Fair, held on Sundays and/or public holidays. Regular morning birdwatching activities are organised to introduce the public to common bird species in the park. District-wide community events such as carnivals, outdoor exhibitions and entertainment events are regularly held at the piazza, attracting hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists over the year.
The Avenue of Comic Stars was opened in 2012. Organised by the Hong Kong Comics & Animation Federation Limited and set to remain in place for three years, the Avenue of Comic Stars aims to promote and publicise Hong Kong’s comics industry to the world. Its goals are to establish the status and image of Hong Kong comics, to recognise the outstanding achievements of Hong Kong cartoonists, and in the process to become a significant tourist attraction.
Posing for photos with local comic characters on the Avenue of Comic Stars in Kowloon Park.
The 22-hectare Tai Po Waterfront Park is the largest park managed by the LCSD. Its 32-metre Spiral Lookout Tower offers visitors a panoramic view of Tolo Harbour and the surroundings. Other facilities include a 1 000-metre promenade, an insect house, an amphitheatre, a central water feature, a sheltered viewing terrace, children’s play areas, bowling greens, a gateball court, and a kite-flying area. The park also has a number of themed gardens, including a Floral Display Garden, a Scented Garden, a Malvaceae Garden, a Western Garden, an Ecological Garden, a Palm Garden, a Herb Garden, a Fig Garden and a Camellia Garden.
The floral display garden at Tai Po Waterfront Park is a popular spot for taking photos.
Tuen Mun Park was the first major park in the New Territories to provide a wide range of facilities. Phases I, II and III opened to the public in 1985, 1988 and 1991 respectively.
Built on reclaimed land, this 12.5-hectare park holds more than 2 000 trees and 120 000 shrubs of various species. The one-hectare artificial lake is a popular spot, as is the Reptile House, which attracted 365 410 visitors in 2013-14, including 36 050 group visitors.
Other facilities include a water cascade, a model boat pool, an amphitheatre, a roller-skating rink, three children’s playgrounds, a fast food kiosk, a conservation corner, a sitting-out area for the elderly, four pebble walking trails, pavilions, and a multi-game area.
Tamar Park, adjacent to the new Central Government Offices and the Legislative Council Complex, covers an area of around 1.76 hectares. The park has been opening to the public in phases since October 2011. It includes a landscaped garden, water features, a floating platform, an amphitheatre, Tamar Corner, and Tamar Café. Its spacious green lawns provide valuable open space and broad views of Victoria Harbour.
Tamar Park has wide lawns, ‘green carpets’ where visitors can stroll about or just sit and relax.
The LCSD has responded to the increase in the number of dog owners in Hong Kong by opening more pet gardens. At present, 35 of its leisure venues have pet gardens, and the department is continuing to identify suitable sites for building more, in consultation with District Councils (DCs).
A young girl and her dog run around at the Wan Po Road Pet Garden, Tseung Kwan O.
Butterfly Valley Road Pet Garden is situated above the stilling basin of Lai Chi Kok Drainage Tunnel, at 2 Butterfly Valley Road. It has an area of about 7 000 square metres, making it the biggest pet garden in Kowloon. The garden has been decorated around the theme ‘Jumping on a Floating Piece of Wood’; it has a ripple-patterned footpath and a raft-like wooden platform on the lawn, set against the backdrop of the drainage tunnel below. Various pet facilities, including pet drinking fountains and playground equipment such as pipe play tunnels, weave poles and jumping hoops, are provided.
Different kinds of pets’ play equipment are installed in the Butterfly Valley Road Pet Garden.
The Pet Garden at the Central and Western District Promenade (Central Section), which covers an area of about 4 700 square metres, has been open to the public since January 2014.
The equipment in most of the playgrounds managed by the department is suitable for all children, including those with disabilities. Last year, the department installed large ‘inclusive’ play areas for children in Hong Ning Road Park, Ap Lei Chau Park and Tsuen Wan Tin Hau Temple Garden. The play apparatus installed in these areas provides barrier-free access, while the integrated design encourages harmony and inclusiveness among children as they play. The department plans to provide more such facilities in the future.
Inclusive play equipment installed in Hong Ning Road Park in Kwun Tong.
In an attempt to improve the design and atmosphere of our parks, the LCSD initiated the Park Déco project at two of its existing parks, Quarry Bay Park and Cornwall Street Park, in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Apart from providing new sets of creatively designed park furniture, the department also reviewed the existing signage system, introducing a new simplified system that carries only key messages communicated in a friendly manner and using modern design. With the successful completion of the project, in 2013 the department moved on to replace the composite signage at the entrances of 28 major parks. Old signage at other parks will be replaced in phases.
Hong Kong people made more than 12.44 million visits to beaches and 12.13 million visits to public swimming pools managed by the department in 2013-14. The construction work associated with the redevelopment and upgrading of Victoria Park Swimming Pool and Kwun Tong Swimming Pool was completed in 2013.
The Tuen Mun North West Swimming Pool incorporates eco-friendly, greening and energy conservation concepts.
Stanley Main Beach is popular with locals and tourists alike.
The newly built Kwun Tong Swimming Pool Complex, suitable for holding different levels of swimming competitions, was opened for public use in April 2013. It provides a wide range of swimming facilities, including a 50m x 25m indoor heated main pool, a 25m x 30m indoor heated training pool, a 50m x 21m outdoor secondary pool, and two 25m x 12.5m outdoor teaching pools. There is a spectator stand of around 1 500 seats at the main pool, and a sunbathing area.
The newly built Kwun Tong Swimming Pool Complex is the largest of its kind in the district and an ideal venue for major local competitions.
The redeveloped Victoria Park Swimming Pool was opened for public use in mid-September 2013. It provides indoor heated pool facilities which can be used all year around. The pool is designed to meet the standard for staging international events, and it has the largest spectator stand (with 2 500 seats) of all the swimming pools managed by the department. The complex has an indoor main pool measuring 50m x 25m which is equipped with a movable bulkhead and a movable floor so that the pool can be used for short course swimming competitions. In addition, it has a multi-purpose pool measuring 33m x 25m, with a movable floor as well as diving platforms and springboards of various heights. The new pool complex is designed for hosting both local and international competitions for swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming.
The new Victoria Park Swimming Pool has indoor heated pool facilities for all year use.
Water quality at the three beaches in Tsuen Wan, namely Anglers’ Beach, Gemini Beaches and Ting Kau Beach, has improved. Anglers’ Beach and Ting Kau Beach were reopened for swimming in September 2013 and mid-April 2014 respectively after the completion of essential improvement works. The Gemini Beaches was also reopened in March 2014, enabling the public to use the barbecue facilities there, but life-saving services are not being provided due to the limited swimming area available.
Angler’s Beach has been reopened to the public as a result of improved water quality.
To promote water sports safety, the department co-organised a series of campaigns and activities during the year in collaboration with the Hong Kong Life Saving Society and other relevant government departments.
Lifeguards promoting water sports safety to young swimmers.
The department also organised a swimming pool cleaning campaign for children aged 11 and below and their parents.
The LCSD manages five water sports centres (Chong Hing, Stanley Main Beach, St Stephen’s Beach, Tai Mei Tuk and Wong Shek) and four holiday camps (the Lady MacLehose Holiday Village, Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, Tso Kung Tam Outdoor Recreation Centre and Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village). During the year, 122 000 people participated in programmes at the water sports centres, while 524 541 enjoyed the facilities at the holiday camps. The department also organises evening camps so that people can participate after office hours; a total of 37 857 people took part in these during 2013-14.
A wind-surfer tries out his skills using equipment provided by the Stanley Main Beach Water Sports Centre.
Archery range at Tso Kung Tam Outdoor Recreation Centre.
Hong Kong Stadium, with a capacity of 40 000, is a major venue for sports and community events. During the year 28 events were held there, attracting 394 500 spectators. Major events included an invitation football match between Kitchee and Manchester United, the Barclays Asia Trophy 2013 between Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and South China FC, a 15-a-side rugby match between the British & Irish Lions and the Barbarians, and the famous Hong Kong Sevens tournament. A range of other football and community events were also held. Mong Kok Stadium, reopened in 2011 after redevelopment, has a seating capacity of 6 668, and serves as one of the major venues for the First Division Football League and as the training ground for the national football squad. A total of 85 events were held at the stadium in 2013-14, including the Asian Football Confederation Cup between Hong Kong, India, Myanmar and Singapore, the 36th Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup, and two international football friendly matches, between Hong Kong and the Philippines, and Hong Kong and Singapore. A total of 345 771 patrons visited the venue this year.
The department is assisting victims of cardiac arrest by introducing AEDs at all fee charging and non-fee charging land-based facilities with active sports facilities, and at all cultural venues. Public access will be available in emergencies. A total of 263 land-based venues, 87 aquatic venues and 64 cultural venues have now been provided with AEDs. We will review the provision of AEDs at leisure and cultural venues, and will consider installing more AEDs at other popular venues, with priority being given to waterfront promenades with high patronage.
The LCSD has rolled out a programme to install automated external defibrillators to help save lives in emergency situations.
In his 2013 Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced that the Government would amend the legislation to align the fees and charges for leisure facilities and services in the urban areas and the New Territories, based on the lower of the two levels. With the support of relevant stakeholders including the Legislative Council and DCs, the department implemented the aligned fees for similar recreation and sports facilities from August 1, 2013.
Launched in 2002, the Leisure Link System enables the public to book leisure facilities and enrol in community recreation and sports programmes either online, over the telephone, or at booking counters throughout the territory. In 2008 the department introduced self-service kiosks, which allow people to easily book leisure facilities or enrol in programmes using their Smart Identity Cards, and to pay by Octopus cards. Currently 47 LCSD venues have self-service kiosks, with nine on Hong Kong Island, 15 in Kowloon, and 23 in the New Territories.
Counter services were provided at 157 recreational venues, at which the public could book facilities, enrol in recreational programmes and get help with facilities and sports programmes.
Counter services are provided to facilitate public booking of facilities and enrolment in programmes.
In 2013-14, the department conducted a comprehensive review of the mechanism for booking and allocating sports facilities in consultation with various stakeholders including the DCs and sports organisations, and implemented a number of improvements. Major measures introduced included shortening the advance booking period for individual hirers from 30 days to ten days and cancelling the standby arrangement for turf football pitches as a long-term arrangement in mid December 2013, following evaluation of a six-month trial scheme.
By the end of March 2014, the department had set up 292 Work Improvement Teams at district leisure venues tasked with carrying out self-initiated and departmental improvements. Given the success of this scheme, the department will continue to support the work of these teams at all major leisure venues, including holiday camps, water sports centres, swimming pools, beaches, sports centres, parks and playgrounds.
The Free Use Scheme aims to maximise the use of recreational facilities by allowing eligible organisations free access to the main arenas and activity rooms of all sports centres, squash courts, hockey pitches, outdoor bowling greens and obstacle golf courses during non-peak hours from September 1 to June 30 of the following year. Eligible organisations include schools, National Sports Associations, district sports associations and subvented non-governmental organisations.
The department provides National Squad Training Centres for 38 associations, encouraging the use of LCSD facilities and providing a wide range of training opportunities for individual athletes and national squads.
Teenagers undergoing training in acrobatics.
