$4.6b drive to develop sports facilities unveiled

Sports and fitness fans are to get four new swimming pool complexes, 30 basketball courts and 65 badminton courts in the next five years as part of a $4.62 billion sports development drive unveiled yesterday.

Urban Council chiefs are particularly keen to push activities such as archery and diving with a view to producing more medal winners.

They want to improve facilities for the disabled and elderly by installing swimming pool lifts and promoting bowls and golf.

Over the next five years the council plans to develop 105 hectares of open and reclaimed land, five landfills and the former military site at So Kon Po.

The 144 proposed projects include a water sports centre for windsurfers and canoeists, an Olympic-standard pool and Hong Kong's first large-scale baseball pitch.