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The Kwun Tong Swimming Pool has been very popular and has been patronised by over 660 000 people within a short span of seven months since its start of services in April, the Under Secretary for Home Affairs, Ms Florence Hui, said at the opening ceremony of the swimming pool complex today (October 26).
Ms Hui said that the Kwun Tong Swimming Pool is also an ideal venue for holding major local competitions. It has made available more swimming facilities for swimming athletes and enthusiasts to practise their skills. Since April, the swimming pool has staged 25 swimming galas organised by schools and organisations as well as the Hong Kong International Open Swimming Championships 2013 in August.
The opening ceremony today was a thematic event of "Vibrant Hong Kong" under the citywide "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign. The event included a series of programmes including a synchronised swimming performance, a lion dance and swimming relay races.
Also officiating at the opening ceremony were the Chairman of the Kwun Tong District Council, Mr Bunny Chan; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung; the Director of Architectural Services, Mr Leung Koon-kee; the District Officer (Kwun Tong), Mr Gilford Law; the Chairman of the District Facilities Management Committee of the Kwun Tong District Council, Mr Poon Chun-yuen; and the Chairman of the Culture, Recreation and Sports Committee of the Kwun Tong District Council, Mr Kwok Bit-chun.
Occupying a total floor area of 18,000 square metres, the Kwun Tong Swimming Pool is the largest of its kind in the district. It has a 50-metre indoor heated main pool, a 25-metre indoor heated training pool, a 50-metre outdoor secondary pool, two 25-metre outdoor teaching pools, a sunbathing area, and a spectator stand which can accommodate about 1 500 people.
The complex has adopted various energy efficient features and renewable energy technologies, including a solar hot water system, a photovoltaic system and a solar illumination system. A rainwater recycling system also helps with landscape irrigation and water conservation.
The Kwun Tong Swimming Pool is a redevelopment project constructed on the site of the football pitches adjacent to the old Kwun Tong swimming pool. Since the completion of the project, the old swimming pool has been demolished and the vacated site will be used for reprovisioning the football pitches and leisure facilities of the Kwun Tong Recreation Ground.
Located at 2 Tsui Ping Road in the vicinity of Tsui Ping Estate, the swimming pool is easily accessible by MTR and various bus routes. For details on the opening hours of the swimming pool, please visit the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/beach/en/swim-intro.php, or call the venue staff at 2717 9022.
Ends/Saturday, October 26, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:26
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