**********************************************************
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (September 19) that Anglers' Beach in Tsuen Wan will be reopened tomorrow (September 20) following improvement in water quality.
Seven beaches in Tsuen Wan had been closed starting from the mid-1990s due to poor water quality. These beaches included Anglers' Beach, Lido Beach, Casam Beach, Approach Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Ting Kau Beach and Gemini Beaches, and provision of lifeguard services at these beaches ceased.
"After the sewerage improvement works carried out by the Government over the years, the water quality at beaches in Tsuen Wan has been improved to a standard that met the stipulated requirements for bathing beaches and is suitable for swimming. Lido Beach, Casam Beach, Approach Beach and Hoi Mei Wan Beach were thus reopened to the public earlier," a spokesman for the LCSD said.
Following Anglers' Beach, the remaining Ting Kau Beach and Gemini Beaches (which provide toilets and barbecue facilities) are expected to be reopened for public use after the completion of the improvement works in the swimming season of 2014.
The spokesman said, "In addition to the improvement of water quality, the reopening Anglers' Beach has also had its facilities upgraded. Lifeguard lookouts and male/female changing rooms were newly built while a staff office, store rooms and the barbeque site were renovated to bring their standards up to par with those of similar LCSD facilities, with a view to providing better quality services to the public."
After reopening, the lifeguard services at Anglers' Beach will resume with operating hours from 9am to 6pm daily, and extended hours from 8am until 7pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during the peak swimming season between June and August.
The spokesman appealed to members of the public to pay due attention to water safety when swimming. They should swim only at beaches with lifeguards on duty and stay out of the water when the red flag is hoisted.
For details on LCSD beaches, please visit the department's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach/en/.
Ends/Thursday, September 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:17
NNNN
