Hong Kong Stadium

This is Hong Kong's largest sports venue with 40 000 seats. The stadium is used mainly for football and international rugby matches, although large-scale religious gatherings and fund-raising events for charity are also held. In total, 331 732 spectators attended 27 events at the venue in 2002.

Other Sports and Recreational Venues

The LCSD manages 83 sports centres, 36 swimming pool complexes, 268 tennis courts, 324 squash courts, 24 sports grounds, four holiday camps, four water sports centres, five golf driving ranges and two public riding schools.

    Three new recreation and sport venues and two improvement projects were completed in 2002: Siu Sai Wan Promenade, Ap Lei Chau Park (Phase II), Luen Wo Hui Complex, Improvement to Aberdeen Sports Ground and Improvement to Victoria Park. Works were in progress on 15 other projects: namely Aldrich Bay Promenade, Jordan Valley Playground (Phase II, Stage 2), Tai Kok Tsui Complex (Phase 2), Tai Po Complex, Indoor Recreation Centre cum Library in Area 100 Ma On Shan, Local Open Space in Area 44 Tuen Mun, Improvement Works to the Lady MacLehose Holiday Village and the Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, Local Open Space in Areas 18 and 21 Fanling/Sheung Shui, Local Open Space in Area 14 (Mouse Island) Tuen Mun, District Open Space Areas 3 and 8 Tsing Yi, Kowloon Bay Recreation Ground, District Open Space in Area 5 Tai Po, Football Pitch in Area 5 Tai Po, Ma On Shan Sports Ground (Phase II) and Local Open Space in Area 15 Tin Shui Wai.

Beaches and Swimming Pools

Swimming is one of Hong Kong's most popular summer pastimes. In 2002, people made 8.8 million visits to the beaches, and there were 10.3 million visits to the public swimming pools managed by the LCSD. The HKSAR has 36 gazetted bathing beaches open for public use — 11 on Hong Kong Island and 25 in the New Territories and outlying islands. The LCSD manages 36 public swimming pool complexes in the urban areas and the New Territories.

    As sharks are occasionally sighted in Hong Kong waters, shark prevention nets have been installed since 1996 for the safety of swimmers at 32 of the more popular and more accessible beaches.

    All the public bathing beaches under the management of the LCSD will normally be closed in winter. However, lifeguard services are still provided at Clear Water Bay 2nd Beach, Golden Beach and Silverstrand Beach in the New Territories from 8 am to 5 pm from November to March and at Deep Water Bay Beach from 8 am to 5 pm from December to February. Shark prevention nets are also retained at these beaches during the period they are open.

Free Use Scheme

The 'Free Use Scheme' for certain LCSD facilities has been fully implemented in the urban areas and the New Territories since September 2000. Facilities available for use free of charge at certain designated times by schools, subvented non-governmental organisations, National Sports Associations and district sports associations include the main arena and activities rooms in the sports centres, squash courts, hockey grounds, artificial turf bowling greens and obstacle golf courses.

National Squad Training Centres

In order to encourage the use of sports facilities by the National Sports Associations and to facilitate sports development in Hong Kong, certain LCSD sports venues have been designated as National Squad Training Centres for use by the associations since June 2000. A total of 33 National Sports Associations had identified 40 sports venues as National Squad Training Centres.