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The swimming season of this year starts on April 1. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) calls on swimmers to keep public swimming pools clean and hygienic while enjoying the swimming fun.
"To ensure a clean environment in public swimming pools, swimmers should observe the pool rules and maintain personal hygiene," a spokesman for the department said.
"If swimmers feel unwell, they should not go to swim and should consult a doctor as soon as possible. They are advised to use the toilet before swimming and should never urinate or defecate in the pools. They should leave the water immediately and use the toilet if they have to vomit. Parents should teach their children the importance of maintaining personal and public hygiene," the spokesman added.
The spokesman reminded that before entering the pool deck, swimmers should shower in the changing room and walk through the shower bath and footbath. Swimmers who want to wear T-shirts while swimming should bring along clean white T-shirts and put them over their swimsuits in the changing room and then walk through the shower bath. Those who prefer to wear slippers on the pool deck areas should make sure their slippers are thoroughly cleansed and put them on in a designated area in the changing room.
In order to bring convenience to members of the public to enjoy swimming, the department will launch the public swimming pool monthly ticket smart card system in the new swimming season. 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 faster.
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. For details, please visit the department's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk. For enquiries, please call 2414 5555.
In the swimming season, all public swimming pools, except Mui Wo Swimming Pool, will open for three sessions daily, from 6.30am to 10pm, with two breaks. To tie in with the ferry schedule, the daily opening hours of Mui Wo Swimming Pool are from 8.30am to 10pm with two breaks. Details of the opening hours of the swimming pools can be viewed at the following website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach/en/swim-opening-hk-summer.php.¡@
To maintain the hygiene of public swimming pools, each pool will be closed for thorough cleansing once a week, in addition to the routine cleansing work carried out daily. The cleansing operation will be conducted on a designated weekday (Monday to Friday) from 10am to the end of the second session.
In view of the keen demand for swimming pool facilities on public holidays, if the scheduled weekly cleansing day falls on a public holiday, cleansing will be rescheduled to another weekday in the same week. For the schedule of the cleansing operations of public swimming pools, please refer to the following website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach/en/swim-clean.php.
The following public swimming pools will be temporarily closed during certain periods for annual maintenance.
Swimming pool (period of closure)
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Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Swimming Pool
(April 1 to May 31)
Indoor pools of Kowloon Park Swimming Pool
(April 1 to May 21)
Indoor pools of Hammer Hill Road Swimming Pool
(April 1 to June 21)
Main pool and diving pool of Sha Tin Jockey Club Swimming Pool
(April 1 to May 21)
Main pool, secondary pool and diving pool of Lai Chi Kok Park Swimming Pool
(April 16 to June 30)
Main pool of Yuen Long Swimming Pool
(April 16 to June 5)
Main pool of Fanling Swimming Pool
(April 16 to May 31)
Main pool of Tseung Kwan O Swimming Pool
(April 16 to June 5)
Indoor pools of Shing Mun Valley Swimming Pool
(May 1 to June 30)
Morrison Hill Swimming Pool
(May 2 to June 21)
Siu Sai Wan Swimming Pool
(May 2 to June 15)
Main pool of Tung Chung Swimming Pool
(September 11 to October 31)
Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Swimming Pool
(September 11 to October 31)
Indoor pools of Hin Tin Swimming Pool
(September 11 to October 31)
Island East Swimming Pool
(September 12 to October 31)
Tai Kok Tsui Swimming Pool
(September 12 to October 31)
Ho Man Tin Swimming Pool
(September 12 to October 31)
Indoor pools of Tuen Mun North West Swimming Pool
(September 16 to October 31)
For details of the opening arrangements and the schedule of the weekly cleansing operations of the public swimming pools, please visit the following website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach/en/swim-location-hk.php.
Ends/Thursday, March 28, 2013
Issued at HKT 14:26
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