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Furnished with a unique collection of library, music centre and swimming pool facilities, the Lam Tin Complex was officially opened today (September 16) to provide excellent leisure and cultural services for local residents.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, said Kwun Tong had turned into a busy commercial area and the most densely populated district in town.
"The Government is committed to providing quality leisure and cultural facilities for the public. We hope that the newly completed Lam Tin Complex can address local development needs as well as enrich the lives of residents," Mr Tsang added.
He noted that the Government would continue to provide more cultural and leisure facilities in various districts to further enhance the living quality of the public.
Entertaining programmes at today's opening ceremony included a dance performance, lion dances by teenagers from the community and youth organisations and live music by students from the Music Office. While touring the library, Mr Tsang and other officiating guests enjoyed a story-telling session for the elderly by children.
The seven-storey Lam Tin Complex is situated at 1 Hing Tin Street, Lam Tin. The Music Centre on the third and fourth floor commenced service in September last year. It has a 310 square metre rehearsal hall, the largest among the Music Office's music centres. The practice rooms, equipped with sound proof devices, offer an ideal learning environment for music students and orchestra members to enhance their performance skills. Since coming into use, classes and trainees at new Kwun Tong Music Centre have increased by six per cent and 15 per cent respectively.
The new Lam Tin Public Library, which is located on the fifth and sixth floors, has been upgraded from the small library located at Tak Tin Estate to a district library providing a wide range of facilities. Since its opening in March this year, the library has recorded a two to six times' increase in the number of library materials being borrowed, attendance, and newly registered borrowers compared to the same period last year. In addition to its enhanced size and stock, the new library has also extended its service hours and outreach programmes. It offers more comprehensive and diverse facilities and services for the users, such as a multimedia library, a multimedia information system, a computer and information centre, an exhibition area, a coffee corner, a baby care room and an express check-in service. Moreover, the students' study room with 201 seats provides local students a more favourable study environment.
On the sports and recreation front, the Lam Tin Swimming Pool located on the first floor was opened in last November. The first indoor swimming venue in the district, it provides heated swimming facilities in winter, enabling members of the public to enjoy swimming throughout the year. The children's playground, roof-top garden and fitness facilities in the complex are also popular spots for families.
For more details and opening hours of the Lam Tin Complex, please contact the venue staff: library (2927 7055); music centre (2796 2893); swimming pool (2205 6535).
The opening ceremony today is an event of the "Vibrant Hong Kong" theme under the city-wide campaign "Hong Kong: Our Home". Other officiating guests at the ceremony included the Chairman of Kwun Tong District Council, Mr Bunny Chan; the Director of Architectural Services, Mr Leung Koon-kee; and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung.
Ends/Monday, September 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 13:13
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