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District Leisure Manager (Islands) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), Ms Vienna Tam, today briefed the media on the leisure and cultural facilities and activities being provided in Tung Chung District and the planning projects in hand.
Tung Chung has a population of 79,000, of which about one-third are private housing residents.
Leisure facilities managed by the LCSD include: Man Tung Road Park (with an artificial turf pitch, basketball and volleyball court, children playground, pebble walking trail, landscape area and sitting-out area); seven-a-side soccer pitches; a number of playgrounds and sitting out areas.
A small library and two mobile library service points are also provided. In addition, a wide range of passive amenities and leisure facilities are provided within the public and private housing development in the area.
Ms Tam noted that a number of major planning projects in the district are in the pipeline. Among which, the construction of the Indoor Recreation Centre cum District Library in Area 17 is expected to begin in December this year and complete by October 2009.
Besides, two open spaces in Area 2 and Area 18 are being constructed and planned respectively.
On swimming facilities, Ms Tam said, "In view of the need of Tung Chung residents, LCSD and the Architectural Services Department (ASD) have been maintaining close contact with the Islands District Council and local representatives.
"To cater for Tung Chung residents' special needs, the development schedule of the swimming facilities has already been advanced through development by phases. Subject to funding approval, construction of Swimming Pool Complex (Phase I) in Area 2, Tung Chung is expected to start in the latter half of 2008 and complete by mid-2011. The complex will comprise a 50-meter indoor pool and a 25-meter outdoor training pool.
"We are liaising with the ASD to see if the timetable can be further compressed in order to make available the facilities as soon as possible," Ms Tam noted.
Advising members of the public to swim at swimming pools and gazetted beaches where lifeguard services are provided, Miss Tam said Tung Chung residents might make use of the nearby Tsing Yi Swimming Pool, Kwai Shing Swimming Pool, Mui Wo Swimming Pool, Silverstrand Beach, Pui O Beach, Upper Cheung Sha Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Tong Fuk Beach.
As public swimming pool facilities in Tung Chung will not be ready in the short term, the LCSD has planned to organise some swimming activities and training courses in July and August for families and youngsters in the area.
These activities will be held at LCSD swimming pools in the neighbourhood, including Mui Wo Swimming Pool, Tsing Yi Swimming Pool and Kwai Shing Swimming Pool. Transportation will be provided for the participants to and from Tung Chung and the pools.
The LCSD is committed to providing a variety of cultural and leisure activities to residents in the area, such as basketball, football and badminton training classes. Apart from LCSD venues, facilities of the Housing Department, primary and secondary schools are also used to stage various kinds of sports promotion activities and training for the community.
Last year, the LCSD held a total of 164 leisure and sports activities, with 11,800 participants.
Regular activities including story-telling for children, book display and user education session are also held at Tung Chung Public Library. A total of 201 promotional activities were held last year, with some 29,000 people participants.
Local community groups are also encouraged to work with the department to establish "Libraries@neighbourhood" to provide library services and promote self-learning among residents of all ages.
The LCSD will continue to work closely with local representatives to provide cultural and leisure activities and facilities to the public.
Ends/Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Issued at HKT 21:50
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