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The Siu Sai Wan Complex, winner of the Merit Award of Hong Kong in the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) Annual Awards 2010, was officially opened today (August 28). With its quality leisure and cultural facilities including a sports centre, a swimming pool, a library and a community hall, the complex will help enrich the lives of people in Eastern District.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the complex, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, said the completion of the complex was testimony to the HKSAR Government's commitment to promoting sports and cultural development. He said that over the years the Government had strived to promote sports, recreation, culture and district activities at district level. To meet the needs of the public and raise the community's sports standard, the Government had developed a strategic approach to planning and implementing new sports facility projects, including giving priority to providing new facilities in districts with shortfalls; developing more basketball courts, jogging tracks and Tai Chi areas in parks and open space areas; and providing more third generation artificial turf football pitches and more indoor swimming pools.
On cultural facilities, the Government adopts a multi-pronged approach to enhance public library facilities. In planning new civic centres and town halls, the Government takes into consideration a number of factors such as the usage of existing facilities, overall planning needs of the districts, views of the cultural sector, needs of the community and long-term commitment of resources to ensure that that new facilities will cater to the needs of the community.
Under the strategic approach, a number of cultural and recreational facilities have already been completed and come into service. In 2011-2012, aside from the Siu Sai Wan Complex, a number of new projects have been completed or are scheduled for completion, including the Tung Chung Swimming Pool. Meanwhile, a further 15 sports facilities with a total investment of over $9.2 billion are currently under construction. As for cultural facilities, a number of new and reprovisioning library projects are under planning or construction. Two new performing arts facilities, namely the Yau Ma Tei Xiqu Activity Centre and the Ko Shan Theatre Annex, are currently under construction and targeted for completion in late 2011 and mid-2013 respectively. Two Cross-District Community Cultural Centres are also under planning.
Other officiating guests at today's ceremony included the Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Pamela Tan; Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung; Chairlady of the Eastern District Council, Ms Christina Ting; Director of Architectural Services, Mrs Marigold Lau; District Officer (Eastern), Mr Davis Hui; and Chairman of the District Facilities Management Committee of Eastern District Council, Mr Chao Shing-kie.
Occupying an area of 4 400 square meters, the Siu Sai Wan Complex was built at a cost of about $400 million. The complex is specially designed in an open and polymorphic architectural form. Its two main blocks are linked by bridges and escalators which encourage public interaction. The building's energy consumption is significantly reduced by the use of illuminated skylight, natural ventilation and a green rooftop. These distinguished design features helped the complex win the Merit Award of Hong Kong in the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA) Annual Awards 2010.
Within the complex, the Siu Sai Wan Sports Centre is located on the second, third and fourth floors. It has a multi-purpose arena which can be converted into eight badminton courts or two basketball/volleyball courts. Other facilities include a table-tennis room which can accommodate 12 table-tennis tables, two multi-purpose activity rooms, and a children's play room. The opening hours of the sports centre are from 7am to 11pm daily. It will be temporarily closed for maintenance from 7am to 1pm on the first and third Mondays of the month.
On the first floor is the Siu Sai Wan Swimming Pool. There are two indoor training pools, one measuring 25 metres by 10 metres, and the other 25 metres by 25 metres. The pool's spectator stand is on the second floor. The swimming pool opens daily in three sessions: from 6.30am to noon; from 1pm to 5pm; and from 6pm to 10pm during summer (April to October). Heated pool facilities are provided during the winter months from November to March. The swimming pool is closed between 10am and 6pm on Thursdays for weekly cleansing.
On the ground floor is the Siu Sai Wan Public Library which provides various library facilities and services including an adult library, a children's library, a newspapers and periodicals section, library catalogue terminals, Internet/electronic resources workstations, Internet express terminals, self-charging terminals and an express check-in service. The library has an initial stock of more than 54 000 items including Chinese and English books and audio-visual materials. Extension activities such as book displays, storytelling for children and reading programmes for children and youths will be organised regularly. The library opens from 10am to 7pm from Monday to Wednesday and on Friday; from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday; and from 10am to 1pm on public holidays. It will be closed on Thursday.
In addition to the above facilities managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the complex also accommodates the Siu Sai Wan Community Hall on its ground floor under the management of the Eastern District Office. The
1 070-square-meter venue provides a hall with stage, stage meeting room, conference room and male/female dressing rooms. They are available for booking by organisations for various community activities such as dancing, music, and Tai Chi classes. The community hall's opening hours are from 9am to 10pm daily.
The Siu Sai Wan Complex is located at 15 Siu Sai Wan Road, Chai Wan. It is easily accessible by public transport, including bus routes 8P, 8X, 82, 82M, 82X, 85, 106, 118, 314, 606, 682, 788, 789, A12 and public light bus route 47M.
For enquiries and details of the facilities in the complex, please contact the venue using the following telephone numbers: sports centre 3427 3121, swimming pool 3427 3341, library 3427 3072, and community hall 2896 6968.
Ends/Sunday, August 28, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:54
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