Club's HK$133m donation enhances Sai Kung training camp facilities, creates some 650 jobs

7 May 2009

The demand for outdoor camp sites in Hong Kong has rapidly increased which has spurred The Hong Kong Jockey Club to donate some HK$133 million through its Charities Trust to The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) for its Phase III redevelopment of the HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp. The Trust's donation will not only enable the camp's residential capacity to be doubled and its facilities enhanced, but will also create some 650 job opportunities for Hong Kong.

Club Chairman John C C Chan was joined by Executive Director of HKFYG Dr Rosanna Wong at a press conference today (7 May) to announce the details of the redevelopment plan. Mr Chan noted that the Club had always put a lot of emphasis on youth programmes with the aim of encouraging their all-round development. Over the past 10 years, it had donated over HK$3.5 billion to support many projects to provide comprehensive counselling and training programmes, high quality outdoor camp sites and recreational facilities for young people.

"Despite a decrease in the Club's turnover amidst the current economic downturn, we feel it is vitally important to continue supporting meaningful community projects such as the redevelopment of this important camp site," Mr Chan said."The extended camp site will be an ideal place for students and their teachers, community groups and families to enjoy their leisure time in a pleasant and relaxing environment, and strengthen the bonds between them. We hope the young campers will make good use of the facilities to develop their talents, keep their bodies strong and build their self-confidence."

Mr Chan observed that the camp's expanded capacity would meet the rising demand resulting from the promotion of "Other Learning Experiences" under the new senior secondary curriculum. Students would be able to expand their learning beyond the classroom by making use of outdoor training camps such as this. Moreover, a number of job opportunities will be created, in particular for construction labour, as a result of the redevelopment project, which will benefit the local employment market and serve as a positive force for the Hong Kong economy.

The Club has been a long-standing supporter of HKFYG, its donations since 1965 totalling some HK$400 million, which has made many of the Federation's projects possible. At today's press conference, Dr Wong said she expected that more young people would have an enjoyable time staying in a spacious camp site with enhanced facilities and diversified activities after the Phase III redevelopment. The floor area of the camp site would be doubled while its residential capacity would be increased to over 400 places. The redeveloped camp site would also be able to add new elements to the existing programmes, such as guided tours on geology, marine life and heritage. "The Hong Kong Jockey Club is our long-term partner. We thank the Club not only for its donation for this redevelopment project, but also its continuous commitment to youth development in Hong Kong," she said.

Constructed in 1965, the HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp at Tai Mong Tsai has become one of the most popular camp sites in Hong Kong, achieving an utilisation rate of 100%. Having funded over HK$113 million to two earlier phases of redevelopment, the Club has now committed to support its Phase III redevelopment programme which will increase the camp's floor area to about 15,000 square metres. The project also includes the construction of 16 bungalows, increasing the residential capacity from 236 to 460; a recreation block equipped with an expanded canteen seating 300; and a new boathouse and slipway. Upon completion, the camp will be one of the largest in Hong Kong, providing a comprehensive range of facilities and equipment, and offering a wide variety of programmes. Its annual attendance is expected to increase from 90,000 to about 150,000.