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Opening hours of all public libraries, performing arts venues, museums, sports centres, music centres and other leisure venues under the management of Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will remain unchanged following the implementation of the five-day week initiative in the Government from July 1.
This will ensure people can continue to enjoy the life-enriching leisure and cultural services provided by the department.
For the few service counters that will close on Saturdays from July 1, the LCSD will extend the service hours during weekdays. These include the shroff counter at the LCSD Headquarters in Sha Tin, service counters of the 18 District Leisure Services Offices, operator-assisted Leisure Link Telephone Booking Service, booking offices of 11 performing arts venues, Hong Kong Science Museum, Hong Kong Space Museum, Hong Kong Coliseum and Hong Kong Central Library.
"The service counters at the 18 District Leisure Services Offices handle only about 2% of all bookings of leisure facilities and enrolments in leisure activities out of the available booking channels," an LCSD spokesman said. "Most users make bookings/enrolments at our leisure venues which are all conveniently located.
"People can continue to visit our Leisure Link counters at more than 130 leisure venues throughout the territory. Most of these counters operate daily from 7am to 10pm. Notices have already been posted at the District Leisure Services Offices to provide users with details of these counters nearby," the spokesman said.
"Alternatively, people may use the Leisure Link service on the Internet and the Leisure Link Telephone Booking Service at home," he said.
"The Leisure Link service on the Internet is convenient. Users can book leisure facilities online 30 days in advance. They can also enrol in leisure activities that are open for application on a first-come, first-served basis.
"A personalised version is available for frequent users. They can save details of the facilities that they frequently book to avoid entering data repeatedly. At present, around 20% of bookings and enrolments are made via the Internet.
"Booking of hard-surface pitches can only be made at the District Leisure Services Offices during the opening hours on weekdays," the spokesman said.
"Regarding the 15 booking offices of the cultural venues, the end of operation on Saturdays should have little impact on hirers because very few applications are handled on Saturdays (less than 5%). As well as submitting applications in person, hirers may also submit applications by post or fax."
For more information about the five-day week in LCSD, please call the 1823 Citizen's Easy Link or visit the LCSD website at www.lcsd.gov.hk.
Ends/Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:16
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