As Hong Kong’s weather heats up this season, pools offer the ideal place to escape the heat and cool off. Offering everything from infinity swimming areas over Victoria Harbour to specially-designed water zones for children – you’re spoiled for choice this summer season.
Swimming offers many health advantages beyond being an enjoyable pastime; it helps alleviate stress and anxiety, boost energy levels and may even help ease depression. Studies have also demonstrated how regular swimming can extend lifespan while decreasing risks such as heart disease and dementia.
Public swimming pools are one of the most beloved summer activities for both locals and visitors. But with an increase in public pools due to rising tourist numbers and staff shortages, swimmers have experienced safety concerns when using them. Some complexes were forced to close after becoming polluted with vomit during LCSD strikes while other facilities have experienced closure due to staff shortages.
To ensure swimmer safety, the LCSD has implemented several new measures to restrict how many people enter the water at one time. These include capping the daily visitor count and restricting when people may access it at any given time. They have also begun testing more frequently for quality standards in their aquatic facilities.
New measures also include the implementation of a uniform for swimmers, consisting of bright blue shirt and shorts with attached swim caps to easily identify swimmers. These shirts will be manufactured in China and available from late October in all LCSD swimming pools.
Additionally, the LCSD has taken steps to strengthen surveillance at its swimming pools by conducting more frequent inspections and inspections at all public pools, with extra staff being hired specifically to monitor swimmers. It has also made efforts to enhance water quality at these swimming pools by upgrading filtration systems and adding chlorination equipment – something it did proactively during this past summer season!
Future expansion plans of the LCSD pool facilities include adding a pool in Kowloon Park as well as two 25-metre leisure pools in Tsim Sha Tsui with 50-meter training pools and 25-metre leisure pools for Tsim Sha Tsui residents to enjoy. Furthermore, lifeguarding presence will increase across all public pools with increased training for new lifeguards at each public pool.
These new measures will not only increase swimmer safety but will also reduce crowding at public swimming pools and make them more accessible. With any luck, this should guarantee all pool users have an enjoyable and safe summer experience.