Free Leisure Facilities Available for Public Use on Sport For All Day 2026, August 1-2

Ballot applications to start on July 16 for free use of leisure facilities on Sport For All Day 2026

The Sport For All Day 2026 will be held on August 2 (Sunday). This year, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will, for the first time, open leisure facilities for free public use for two consecutive days on August 1 and 2, including:

• 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, a cycling track* and dance rooms;
• Outdoor leisure facilities: tennis courts, tennis practice courts, bowling greens, batting cages, 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); and
• Crafts 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).

(* Users are required to possess the relevant qualification certificates.)

The free-of-charge sessions will be allocated through balloting. Details are as follows:

Date of free use	Submission of balloting application	Announcement of balloting results	Announcement of remaining sessions	First come first served for remaining sessions
August 1	July 16 to 19	July 23	July 25	July 26
August 2	July 17 to 20	July 24	July 26	July 27

Members of the public may make ballot applications via the SmartPLAY system as individual users for the sessions onAugust 1 and/or August 2 in accordance with the above timetable. Each user may only make one application for each date, with each application coveringa maximum ofthree choices. Each application will be processed independently. An applicant may revise his/her choices in his/her application via SmartPLAY system before the closing time at 11.59pm on the respective application closing dates (i.e. July 19 and 20 respectively). Successful applicants will be notified by the SmartPLAY system.

SmartPLAY users who have not been allocated any free session by ballot or have not made any application may book the remaining sessions on a first-come, first-served basis in accordance with the above timetablethrough the following channels:

(i) "iAM Smart" users: to log into the My SmartPLAY mobile app with priority access to make bookings from 7am;

(ii) Users not using "iAM Smart": to log into the My SmartPLAY mobile app, the official SmartPLAY website, smart self-service stations or service counters at various leisure venues to make bookings from 7.15am; and

(iii) Users aged under 11: as "iAM Smart" is for use by persons aged 11 or above, SmartPLAY users aged under 11 may make bookings through the My SmartPLAY mobile app from 7am.

Each successful applicant will only be allocated one free session per day, whether through balloting or first-come, first-served booking.

The LCSD appeals to successful applicants to arrive on time to make the best use of the booked facilities. All users should observe the Conditions of Use of LCSD Recreation and Sports Facilities (the Conditions) as set out on the LCSD website www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/condition/index.html (including the "no-show/not present during the use of the booked sessions" penalty). If a successful applicant fails to take up a booked session on time, the arrangements stipulated in the Conditions will apply. For enquiry, please call 2414 5555 or visit the dedicated website.

No prior application will be required for using 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, while quota lasts.

In addition, aseries of free leisure programmes will be launched on August 2 (from 2pm to 6pm) at designated sports centres across the 18 districts. The arrangements for distributing activity coupons will be announced in July. A number of supportingorganisations will also open their facilities or roll out leisure programmes for the public free of charge on August 1 and 2.

Up-to-date information is availableon the dedicated website www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/sfad.

Source: AI-found images

Remarks by SDEV on quarterly land sale programme for July to September 2026 (with video)

Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, at a media session today (July 10) on the quarterly land sale programme for July to September 2026:

Reporter: The home price went up 10 per cent this year, and it is faster than a lot of market expectation. You just said that the Government will only consider rolling out one small residential site for this quarter. Is there any consideration behind it? Are you worried if there is a limited supply, the house will become quite unaffordable?

Secretary forDevelopment: Basically, we are rolling out one residential site from our land sale list. It is a decision having regard also to the supply from other sources. Because for this second quarter in the financial year, we have another project contributing around 5 000 flats from the Mass Transit Railway Corporation. It's a railway-plus-property development project. We also have a project from the Urban Renewal Authority contributing over 1 000 flats, and this is already under tender for this quarter. So we believe taking all sources together, for this quarter, we already have quite a substantial turnout. So we believe rolling out one small site, and that is in the Kowloon urban area, should be something welcomed by the market.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Source: AI-found images