Secretary for Home Affairs inspects LCSD indoor sports facilities

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Caspar Tsui, today (September 16) visited Wong Nai Chung Sports Centre under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and inspected the preparation work for its reopening. The sports centre had served as a community testing centre and has been reinstated by the LCSD since September 12, with deep cleaning and disinfection as well as reinstallation of sports facilities for public use.

     Accompanied by the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu, Mr Tsui was briefed on the preparation work and anti-epidemic measures adopted by the LCSD, including measuring the body temperatures of visitors, limiting the number of visitors, placing disinfectant carpets and providing alcohol-based handrub. Cleaning measures will be stepped up at the venues in order to safeguard the health of the public and staff, and to minimise the risk of viral infection.

     Mr Tsui also noted that the LCSD has adopted special measures at reopened leisure facilities. These include limiting the number of players permitted to stay in courts/lanes, closing spectator stands, cancelling organisation bookings for competitions and opening alternate rinks/bays. 

     He said, "The reopening of sports premises provides more opportunities for the general public to exercise to maintain physical and mental health so that the public will be more capable of combating the epidemic and can resume normal daily lives under the new normal. I thank the LCSD staff for their contributions to the reopening of facilities. I appeal to the public to follow instructions and anti-epidemic measures."

     The LCSD is reopening sports facilities in phases. Indoor leisure facilities that will be reopened tomorrow (September 17) include sports centre arenas (for badminton courts only), squash courts, table tennis rooms/tables, lawn bowl greens, golf driving bays, tennis courts, the cycling track of the Hong Kong Velodrome, indoor jogging tracks, dance rooms/activity rooms, fitness rooms, billiard tables/American pool tables, gymnastic training halls and sports climbing facilities. Water sports centres will also reopen on the same day. Please refer to www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/common/pdf/reopen_sports_facilities_sep_en.pdf for details of the facilities to be reopened.

     The Internet Booking Service of Leisure Link resumed service today for the public to book the above fee-charging facilities. Counter bookings and self-service kiosks at the above leisure venues will resume operation on the same day of reopening. The Leisure Link Booking Office of the District Leisure Services Offices resumed booking services earlier.