LCQ11: Promoting urban sports
24.5.2023

Following is a question by the Hon Vincent Cheng and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (May 24): Question: The Chief Executive indicated in the 2022 Policy Address that the Government would work with the sports sector, schools and the business sector to promote "urban sports". On promoting urban sports in the community, supporting elite urban sports and making Hong Kong a centre for major international urban sports events, will the Government inform this Council: (1) on the aspect of promoting urban sports in the community, given that in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on March 15 this year, the Government indicated that it planned to work with schools and aimed to provide 8 000 students with the opportunity to take part in urban sports every year starting from the 2023-24 academic year, of the details of the relevant plan (including the ways students take part in such sports (in physical education lessons or extra-curricular activities), the number of participating schools each year, the number of places for each school, and the time when schools may start applying); (2) in respect of promoting urban sports, of a breakdown of the estimated expenses involved in each year; (3) given that the Government is exploring collaboration with national sports associations (NSAs) and other organisations to organise promotional activities and training courses on urban sports outside schools, of the relevant details; (4) given that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has been organising community recreation and sports activities or courses in the 18 districts across the territory for participation by members of the public, whether the Department will provide more training classes or courses on urban sports; (5) on the aspect of supporting elite urban sports, given that the Government will discuss with relevant NSAs the enhancement of supporting work such as feeder systems and coach training, of the relevant preliminary plan; (6) on the aspect of making Hong Kong a centre for major international urban sports events, whether the authorities will consider organising international competitions related to urban sports within this year; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (7) given that in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council in respect of the Estimates of Expenditure 2023-24 earlier on, the Government indicated that the LCSD would implement a number of works projects to provide urban sports facilities, but there are views pointing out that there are relatively less dedicated venues for sport climbing and skateboarding under such projects (e.g. there is no works project providing facilities for such two urban sports in Kowloon West), of the relevant reasons for that; in regard to providing short-term sites for urban sports, whether the authorities will consider providing idle government sites, vacant school premises, spaces underneath flyovers, etc. for application by urban sports organisations; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply: President, My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Vincent Cheng is as follows: (1) - (3) The Government will work with the sports sector, schools and other sectors to promote urban sports and provide subsidy to those schools and organisations which are interested in participating in the promotion programme and organising training courses as well as activities on urban sports. In the first phase, we plan to work with schools in organising training courses and activities after class at school campus. Starting from the 2023/24 academic year, we aim to provide 8 000 students with the opportunity to take part in urban sports and the estimated expenditure is $16 million per annum. Later on, we will collaborate with national sports associations (NSAs) and other organisations to organise promotional activities and training courses outside schools. Details of the promotion programme and subsidy will be announced in due course. (4) The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is dedicated to promoting "Sport for All" and organising diversified sports and recreation programmes for people of different age groups and physical abilities with the aims of enhancing their quality of life and improving their health. To encourage the participation in sports by members of the public and promote urban sports, the LCSD plans to organise some 370 urban sports programmes in 2023-24, including 3-on-3 basketball, sport climbing, breaking, skateboarding and futsal, which are expected to be participated by about 15 300 people. For the Corporate Games 2023, futsal will be included as one of the events and a substitute for 7-a-side soccer. Besides, the LCSD will retain futsal events and include some new urban sports (such as sport climbing, breaking and skateboarding) as demonstration competition events in the upcoming 9th Hong Kong Games, and substitute 5-on-5 basketball competition by 3-on-3 basketball which is more popular among the youth. To further promote urban sports, the LCSD has set up a dedicated website ( www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/USP/index.html ) to facilitate members of the public's access to information on urban sports programmes and related facilities. (5) Under the Sports Subvention Scheme administered by the LCSD, the Government will provide over $7 million in total to respective NSAs of urban sports in 2023-24 for organising activities of 3-on-3 basketball, futsal, sport climbing, breaking, skateboarding etc, including the participation in overseas competitions, hosting of local international events, organisation of squad training at different levels, training for coaches and referees. On the other hand, the Hong Kong Sports Institute will subsidise elite training for over 100 junior athletes of sport climbing, skateboarding and breaking under the Elite Vote Support Scheme and the Individual Athletes Support Scheme in 2023-24. (6) For international events on urban sports, we expect that an international 3-on-3 basketball event will be staged in Hong Kong in November 2023 with a budgeted funding support of around $10 million. We will continue to work closely with the organiser and announce the details once the event has been confirmed. (7) The LCSD has been committed to the planning and construction of various sports and recreation facilities to meet public needs, including venues for sport climbing and skateboarding. In planning new sports facilities and improving existing ones, the Government will take into account various factors such as the current provision of sports facilities at territory-wide and district levels, policy objectives for sports development, utilisation rate of existing facilities, demographic change, views of District Councils, land availability and technical feasibility. At present, there are several sport climbing and skateboarding facilities in the Kowloon West region, including the skatepark at Lai Chi Kok Park in Sham Shui Po District which is available for use by skateboarders, and the outdoor and indoor sport climbing facilities at Shek Kip Mei Park Sports Centre in Sham Shui Po District and Tai Kok Tsui Sports Centre in Yau Tsim Mong District respectively. Moreover, as announced in the 2023â24 Budget, the Government is examining the conversion of some underutilised floors of the Kwun Chung Municipal Services Building into an urban sports centre to provide a suitable venue for activities such as sport climbing and skateboarding. For the provision of sports facilities, the Government will consider various factors when determining whether a location is suitable to be used as facilities for specific sports, such as land use, traffic, environment and landscape. Depending on the conditions of some temporary sites, such as idle sites or spaces beneath flyovers, the Government will explore the possibility of using these sites to provide suitable sports and recreation facilities for the promotion of sports, including urban sports. In addition, the LCSD has been considering the enhancement of some existing facilities to promote relevant urban sports, including the renovation of some suitable venue facilities to provide bouldering walls and skateboarding facilities.