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A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (March 19) that smart card application is now available for public swimming pool monthly ticket holders. Users of monthly ticket smart cards will no longer be required to produce documentary proof of identity upon admission, thus making admission easier and quicker.
The spokesman said, "The public swimming pool monthly ticket scheme has been well received by the public since its launch last July. An average of 6 000 monthly tickets were sold each month, among which about half were sold to senior citizens aged 60 or above.
"The smart card scheme is a further step to bring convenience to swimmers using the monthly tickets. The smart card is printed with the card holder's portrait and preloaded with information on the validity period. Monthly ticket smart card holders will only need to show their smart cards and no longer need to produce documentary proof of identity when entering the swimming pool, thus making admission more convenient and easy."
Holders of valid swimming pool monthly tickets can now apply for the use of smart cards free of charge at the 61 ticket outlets including the LCSD's district leisure services offices and booking counters of designated sports centres and leisure venues. The number of outlets has been increased from 42 to 61.
The 42 public swimming pools managed by the LCSD have been installed with the smart card access system. The smart card system will be fully implemented from the new swimming season starting April 1.
For details of the ticket outlets, please refer to the Annex or visit the department's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk. Enquiries can be made by calling 2414 5555.
For those monthly ticket holders who have not applied for smart cards, they are still required to produce documentary proof of identity together with their monthly tickets upon admission to swimming pools for verification.
The public swimming pool monthly ticket scheme was launched on July 5 last year to alleviate the financial burden of frequent swimmers, especially the senior citizens. The ticket is priced at $300 for a month. Swimmers aged 60 or above, persons with disabilities and their minders (on a one-to-one basis), children aged between 3 and 13 and full-time students can enjoy half-rate concession.
Ends/Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:00
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