The current issues prevailing in Hong Kong
First, community integration is a pertinent social issue for Hong Kong. Some segments of society, such as the elderly, the unemployed and the young, are especially at risk of being isolated from the community and its support network. One particular at-risk population is Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities, mostly from South and Southeast Asia. These groups have lived in Hong Kong for two, or even three, generations. However, as their proficiency in Cantonese or English may be low, their engagement with Hong Kong’s mostly Chinese community may be limited. They also tend to have lower incomes, meaning they lack the educational opportunities available to Hong Kong’s Western expatriate population.
Second, the city's low level of exercise and physical activity, driven in part by low rates of participation in sports. The World Health Organisation’s baseline for physical activity is thirty minutes of physical activity, three days a week.
83% of Hong Kong’s population fails to meet this baseline, compared to a global failure rate of 60%. Indeed, 51% of Hong Kong’s population do less than one hour of exercise per week.
Additionally, urban populations are susceptible to a number of chronic conditions — such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes — that can be mitigated by regular exercise. Physical activity and sports also help with child development and concentration, and is correlated with better academic performance. Young children fare poorly in health and physical activities standards in Hong Kong. A Chinese University study ranked Hong Kong’s teenagers and children with a D grade in overall physical activity levels. Finally, participation in sports can provide an alternate base from the home and school, building positive connections outside of family and academic environments.
Third, Hong Kong’s sports facilities currently consist of large public sports complexes and private sports clubs but are often over-subscribed. Public facilities, run by the Government’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) are expansive, well‑developed and affordable to the general public, but there are not enough of such complexes to serve Hong Kong’s population. Access to public facilities is also a concern: sports participation rates are higher on the smaller and denser Hong Kong Island, as opposed to the more spread-out New Territories.
Fourth, it can be difficult to build large sports complexes in Hong Kong, as the required large plots of land could be used for other social purposes, such as public housing. Even when land has been designated for a sports facility, cost overruns and bureaucracy can slow construction, as has happened with the Kai Tak Sports Complex, whose construction has been debated since 2011. Private facilities are typically well-maintained, but devoted to a single sport. These clubs are usually exclusive with limited membership, and at fee levels unaffordable for most.
Hong Kong therefore, has a strong need for affordable and accessible sports facilities, which can cater to the health and social needs of the residents.
