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To promote sport for all and to encourage people to exercise regularly, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) today (August 7) organised Sport For All Day again. Free recreation programmes were organised at designated sports centres while various fee-charging leisure facilities were available free of charge to the public.
Sport For All Day this year adopted fitness walking as its main theme with the slogan "Be Smart and Healthy. Let's Take a Brisk Walk Daily". Fitness walking is a kind of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise suitable for people of all ages, and can be done at a walking pace of 50 to 100 metres in a minute. Members of the public are encouraged to participate in fitness walking regularly for at least a cumulative 30 minutes a day and three days a week to attain a healthier and stronger physique.
Free recreation programmes were organised by the LCSD at designated sports centres in the 18 districts today. In addition to activities related to fitness walking, the programmes included health talks and exercise demonstrations, fitness corners, parent-child sports programmes and opportunities for the middle-aged, the elderly and the disabled to play sports, as well as sports demonstrations. Various LCSD fee-charging leisure facilities were also available for public use free of charge today.
Speaking at a ceremony to launch Sport For All Day at the Ma On Shan Sports Centre this afternoon, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, said that fitness walking requires simple equipment. Fitness walking, which can be done at any time and almost anywhere, is an activity suitable for all ages.
Mr Tsang said the LCSD had set up 33 walking tracks in the 18 districts this year, and hoped that the public, especially those who seldom exercise, would take up fitness walking on a frequent basis.
Other guests officiating at the launch ceremony were the Chairman of the Community Sports Committee, Mr William Tong; the Honorary Secretary General of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Mr Pang Chung; the Chairman of the Sha Tin District Council, Mr Wai Kwok-hung, and the Acting Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Bobby Cheng.
At the ceremony, the officiating guests, together with Sports Ambassadors from the 18 districts, officiated at the launch of the 33 walking tracks. Local elite athletes Ms Amy Chan, Ms Christina Mak, Miss Yuen Ka-ying and Mr Cheng Chung-hang attended the ceremony to share their experiences of participating in sports. Artist Mr Lai Yiu-cheung and his family also attended the ceremony, calling on people to take part in sports with their children and family members.
The Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China, gave a demonstration on fitness walking at the ceremony, followed by a stroll along the Ma On Shan Promenade with the public. Fitness walking activities were also held at Hong Kong Park, Po Kong Village Road Park and Tsing Yi Park simultaneously to promote a sporting atmosphere in the community.
Various LCSD leisure facilities opened for free use by the public today included: indoor leisure facilities of badminton courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, netball courts, volleyball courts, squash courts, table tennis tables, billiard tables, sport climbing walls, bowling greens, golf facilities, fitness rooms, activity rooms and dance rooms; outdoor leisure facilities of tennis courts, bowling greens, batting cages, rope courses, sport climbing walls, archery ranges and golf facilities; public swimming pools (except for Wan Chai Swimming Pool); and water craft at water sports centres.
Sport For All Day is co-organised with the Department of Health; the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre; the Hong Kong Medical Association, the Hong Kong Centre of Sports Medicine and Sports Science; the Postgraduate Diploma/ Master of Science in Sports Medicine and Health Science Alumni Association of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; and the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China.
Ends/Sunday, August 7, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:47
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