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A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) today (January 22) reminded members of the public that Leisure Link counter booking will cease to accept identity documents other than a Hong Kong identity card starting from February 1, 2014 to align with booking procedures made online.
From February 1 onwards, counter booking of leisure facilities and enrolment in recreation and sports programmes will only accept the following types of identity documents/proof:
* Hong Kong residents: the original or copy of a Hong Kong identity card or birth certificate/Document of Identity for Visa Purposes (only for children under the age of 11);
* Non-Hong Kong residents: have to apply for Leisure Link Temporary Patron (LLTP) registration at the Leisure Link Telephone Services Centre before they can make bookings for land-based facilities (except on-the-spot bookings). Applicants should bring valid travel documents bearing photographs in person to the centre to process their applications.
In other words, the LCSD will no longer accept a student handbook/student card and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Re-entry Permit as identity proof for counter booking starting from February 1.
The spokesman said, "Hirers/participants must produce the original of the identity documents used at the time of booking/enrolment. Children aged 14 or below may produce a copy of their identity documents. If a copy of the identity documents is used or if the original of the identity document is without a photograph, they will be required to present the original of a valid photograph-bearing student card/student handbook for verification purposes.
"Hirers/participants paying concessionary rates must also produce the original of a valid supporting document such as a student card/student handbook or the Registration Card for People with Disabilities to prove their eligibility for the concessionary rates," the spokesman added.
Currently, persons aged 60 or above, full-time students and people with disabilities are eligible for the concessionary rates in using recreation and sports facilities for certain periods of time.
To minimise the possibility of patrons using multiple identities in booking recreation and sports facilities and enrolling in programmes, the LCSD ceased to accept online Leisure Link Patron registration with identity documents other than the Hong Kong identity card on August 20, 2012. Non-Hong Kong residents have to apply for LLTP registration at the Leisure Link Telephone Services Centre in person before they can make facility bookings. The validity period of an LLTP registration is six months or the applicant's limit of stay, whichever is less. Visitors can re-apply for registration upon expiry if necessary. Address of the Leisure Link Telephone Services Centre is 5M/F, Kwun Chung Municipal Services Building, 17 Bowring Street, Jordan, Kowloon.
For details of the new arrangement, please refer to the annex or visit the following link: www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ls_fac_improve.php .
Ends/Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:22
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