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Under the Community Sports Club Project, the number of the Community Sports Clubs run by sports enthusiasts and affiliated to National Sports Associations (NSAs) has risen from 84 in 2001/02 to the current 330 and the total membership surged from 8,400 to some 32,000.
The progress was highlighted by the Chairman of the Community Sports Committee of the Sports Commission, Mr Chau How-chen, as he spoke at the 3rd Annual Prize Presentation Ceremony of the Community Sports Club Project Inter-club Competitions at Tsing Yi Sports Centre today (April 13).
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has been assisting the NSAs in forming the Community Sports Clubs in the 18 districts since 2001 in order to enhance the standard of play at the community level and to encourage people to engage in sports. It has also been providing funds for these non-profit making sports clubs to organise training courses and competitions for people of different age groups and skill levels.
In 2007/08, the department spent $8.2 million on the development of the Community Sports Clubs, enabling 40,000 people to take part in some 1,800 activities. It will increase its subvention to $8.5 million in 2008/09 so that 1,900 activities will be available to 42,000 participants.
The LCSD today presented prizes to the top one-third echelon of the Community Sports Clubs in terms of their performance standard at the inter-club competitions organised in 2007/08.
The sports were archery, badminton, baseball, canoeing, dance sport, gateball, handball, judo, lifeguard saving, mountaineering, rowing, rugby football, squash, Taekwondo, tennis, triathlon and diving.
A total of 10 NSAs which had reached or exceeded their stated targets in terms of the numbers of the Community Sports Clubs formed in 2007/08 received special awards for their efforts today. The sports that these 10 NSAs play include badminton, baseball, canoeing, sport dance, sport climbing, squash, Taekwondo, tennis, duathlon and diving.
"The realisation of the goal of 'Sports for All' at the community level relies not only on the support of the government and NSAs but also the devotion of enthusiastic sports workers," Mr Chau said.
In view of the run-up to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Mr Chau said he believed various Community Sports Clubs would take an active part in preparing Hong Kong for the Games.
Also officiating at the prize presentation ceremony was the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services), Mr Vincent Liu. Other guests included representatives of the NSAs, District Sports Associations and Community Sports Clubs.
Friendly matches were held after the prize presentation ceremony, covering tennis, handballs, life-guard saving, squash, sports dancing and rugby.
To give recognition to the increasingly popular Tai Chi sport, demonstration sessions were also conducted by community Tai Chi clubs, and prizes were presented to the best formation, best choreography and best outfits.
Ends/Sunday, April 13, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:05
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