Balloting applications for free use of leisure facilities on October 1 for National Day celebration to start on September 14

     To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, members of the public may use most of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)'s fee-charging leisure facilities for free as individual users on October 1 (Tuesday) to share in the joy of the special occasion. Members of the public can submit balloting applications for free use of those fee-charging facilities starting from September 14 (Saturday).

     The sessions for free use of facilities on October 1 will be allocated through balloting via SmartPLAY. At any time between September 14 and 20, members of the public can submit a balloting application via SmartPLAY for booking sessions available for free use on October 1. Each user can submit a total of three balloting choices in one application. The computer balloting results will be announced by September 23. Successful applicants will be notified by the SmartPLAY system and no confirmation is required by the applicants. Members of the public, who have not been allocated with or applied for the balloted free sessions, can book the remaining free sessions, if any, via SmartPLAY on a first-come, first-served basis at a later stage. Each person can only book one free session for October 1, regardless of the type of leisure facilities, whether through balloting or first-come, first-served booking.

     Applications submitted can be altered before the closing of the application period at 11.59pm on September 20. If applicants wish to change their choices, they may click "Edit Balloting Choices" to make alterations. They are reminded to read and agree to the declaration and click "Submit Application" again to complete the application procedures.

     The leisure facilities to be available for free use on October 1 include:

• Indoor leisure facilities: badminton courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, netball courts, volleyball courts, squash courts, table tennis tables, American pool tables, billiard tables, sport climbing walls*, bowling greens, golf facilities, fitness rooms*, activity rooms and dance rooms;
• Outdoor leisure facilities: tennis courts, tennis practice courts, bowling greens, batting cages, sport climbing walls*, archery ranges* and golf facilities (excluding camp facilities, sports grounds as well as artificial and natural turf pitches);
• Public swimming pools (excluding Wan Chai Swimming Pool (only for group training purposes)); the swimming pools temporarily closed for annual maintenance, namely the Island East Swimming Pool, Ho Man Tin Swimming Pool, Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool, Tung Cheong Street Swimming Pool and Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Swimming Pool; and Kowloon Tsai Swimming Pool, which is temporarily closed for redevelopment); and
• Craft at water sports centres* (recreational kayaks, pedal-driven boats, sampans and colour boats at Chong Hing Water Sports Centre are available for free use by campers only).

* Citizens who book these types of facilities must hold the relevant qualification certificates. For details, please visit the thematic website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/freeuseday/conditions.html.

     No prior booking is required for public swimming pool facilities. Members of the public may line up at the entrances of swimming pools before the start of a session. Free admission is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

     The LCSD appeals to hirers to arrive on time and make the best use of the booked facilities. If a hirer fails to take up a booked session within 10 minutes of the starting time, the facilities will be immediately reallocated to walk-in participants on a first-come, first-served basis. The facilities shall be used for the same purpose for which they were originally booked. Users shall surrender the facilities to the original hirer immediately upon the latter's arrival.

     All users of the leisure facilities shall observe the Conditions of Use of LCSD Recreation and Sports Facilities (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/condition/index.html), including the no-show/not present during the use of the booked sessions ("not present") penalty. An individual hirer who is unable to take up a booked session should cancel the booked facility one day before the start of the booked session(s) through the SmartPLAY system. A no-show/"not present" record will be filed on the hirer when he or she fails to take up a session as booked without on-time completion of the cancellation procedure, or is not present during the use of the booked sessions. Any two such records within 60 consecutive days will result in suspension of booking rights for any of the LCSD's recreation and sports facilities for 90 days.

     Please call 2414 5555 for enquiry or visit the thematic website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/freeuseday/index.html.