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Cultural Development
125. The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) Authority is conducting a public engagement exercise on the conceptual plans submitted by three world-class planning and design teams. The Authority will select one of them early next year as the master plan, which will serve as the basis of a detailed development plan.
126. To tie in with the development of the WKCD, we will strengthen our cultural software, develop our audience base, and support more small and medium arts groups. We have injected $3 billion into the Arts and Sports Development Fund. We will use part of the fund's investment return to match donations from individuals and the business sector to provide funding for the continued development of promising artists and arts groups.
127. To allow arts and culture to reach out to the community, we will display in our parks, open spaces and government offices buildings visual art pieces created by budding artists, students or teams, and improve the image, facilities and services of our public museums.
128. In addition, to facilitate the use of public library services, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will provide drop-in boxes at major MTR interchange stations on a trial basis to make it more convenient for people to return books and other library items.
Sports
Sports Facilities
129. Over the past five years, the Government has invested more than $3.5 billion to build and improve sports facilities. We will continue to invest substantially in sport facility projects, including the construction of the Kai Tak Multi-purpose Stadium Complex, which is now under planning, as well as new indoor sports centres and games halls. These facilities are crucial to the promotion of "sport for all" and to the development of elite sports.
130. We are consulting the public on whether Hong Kong should bid for the 2023 Asian Games. Our decision will be subject to community support and the acceptance of the financial implications by the Finance Committee of this Council. We encourage the public to express their views.
Football Development
131. Football is a popular sport in Hong Kong, and one that can help foster a sense of community. The Government is committed to developing football at both the professional and amateur levels. The Home Affairs Bureau is working with the Hong Kong Football Association and others to implement the recommendations of the Consultancy Report on Football Development. To popularise the sport, we will build new pitches and upgrade existing ones, and allocate additional resources from the Arts and Sports Development Fund to give greater support to district football teams and provide them with more competition opportunities.
Pets and Stray Cats and Dogs
132. There are many dog lovers among us. To cater for their needs, the LCSD plans to make available more venues which allow them to bring in their dogs. It will also identify suitable sites for new pet parks. We will consult local residents and the District Councils beforehand.
133. Recently, there has been criticism of the Government's policy on stray cats and dogs. We should tackle the problem of stray cats and dogs at source. We will enhance public education and publicity. In parallel, we will co-operate with animal welfare groups to enhance adoption services for stray cats and dogs and provide free neutering for adopted ones. We will explore other feasible measures acceptable to the public.
(To be continued)
Ends/Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Issued at HKT 12:26
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