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The Expert Group on the Hong Kong Stadium Turf Pitch held its first meeting today (August 30) to discuss the improvement measures for the Hong Kong Stadium (HKS) turf pitch as part of a comprehensive review being conducted by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD).
Chaired by the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung, the expert group comprises top experts in turf management from Hong Kong and the Mainland as well as major stakeholders of the HKS. Its membership is in the Annex.
The expert group is tasked with advising the LCSD on the necessary medium- and long-term improvement measures for the HKS turf pitch.
Mrs Fung announced at the end of July, on the day after the International Football Friendly Match between Kitchee and Manchester United held at the HKS, that the LCSD would undertake a comprehensive review of the turf maintenance and management issues of the HKS and formulate measures to address the issues identified in the short, medium and long term.
She also said the review would focus on ways to enhance the performance and resilience of the pitch, strike a better balance between quality and usage, and enhance the capacity and emergency response system of the HKS. Experts in turf management and maintenance as well as the main HKS users would be involved in the process.
At today's meeting, the expert group reviewed the maintenance methods of the HKS turf pitch and exchanged views on the scope, methods and schedule of the turf improvement work. The expert group would continue deliberations on the improvement measures at the next meeting.
The expert group will pay a visit to the HKS before the next meeting to have a first-hand understanding of the turf condition of the pitch.
Ends/Friday, August 30, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:55
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