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Following is a question by the Hon Mrs Regina Ip and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, in the Legislative Council today (March 27):
Question:
Since 2010, cricket has become a medal sport of the Asian Games. Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, an international sports and recreational event, is one of the major events promoted to tourists by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. However, other than those facilities provided by private clubs, there are only two public cricket grounds with proper boundary lines for tournament. Some members of the public have complained that while cricket has gained increasing popularity, there are not adequate facilities and local young players can practise cricket only on the streets. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the number of all pitches designated by the Government for cricket practice (with details set out in the table in Annex I);
(b) whether it has formulated objective criteria for identifying suitable grounds for cricket pitches; if so, of the criteria;
(c) whether it will build new sports grounds exclusively for cricket; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and whether it has plans to designate more sites (such as hard-surface soccer pitches or grass pitches) in different districts for use by cricket players; and
(d) as it has been reported earlier in the press that cricket is particularly popular among ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, whether there are sufficient publicity and guidelines to facilitate those who are not proficient in Chinese to book cricket pitches; if so, of the details of such publicity and guidelines; if not, of the reasons for that, and whether the Government will consider stepping up publicity efforts in the future?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(a) At present, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) provides two cricket grounds - at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground in Kowloon City and Po Kong Village Road Park in Wong Tai Sin - for cricket training and matches. In addition, LCSD has identified three artificial turf pitches and seven hard-surface football pitches where cricket and tape-ball cricket (on hard-surface football pitches only) can be played. Details of the 12 venues are set out in Annex II.
(b) In identifying pitches that may be suitable for cricket, we take into account the need to minimise the potential risk to other venue users and passers-by of cricket balls being hit out of the venue. LCSD therefore only selects venues that are surrounded by fences and are located at an appropriate distance from pedestrians, residential areas and vehicular traffic.
(c) There is keen competition for the use of sports pitches by sports associations and the wider public. Given the limited supply of land in Hong Kong, we plan to develop more multi-purpose pitches that can cater for different types of sport and other activities, rather than sport-specific facilities. Nonetheless, LCSD will work with the Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA) to identify potential sites that may be suitable for staging full-scale cricket matches as well as providing for other sports and recreational activities.
(d) To help promote cricket in Hong Kong, LCSD works with the HKCA to organise activities such as fun days for members of the public including people from ethnic minorities. LCSD publicises these activities through channels such as the department's website and displaying posters at leisure venues, as well as through the HKCA and ethnic groups. LCSD will provide updated information on venues available for playing cricket on its website.
The booking arrangements are available in both English and Chinese. LCSD will explore other appropriate channels that can be used to promote the current arrangements.
Ends/Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:50
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