Recreation and Sports Facilities

General Conditions

All hirers/users must observe the Pleasure Grounds Regulation (Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132), and any direction given by the management staff of the facilities.
The hirer must produce the valid permit/approval letter together with his/her original copy of identity document used for registration and recognized qualification (if necessary) for verification and registration at the check-in counter before using the facilities (If the hirer submits balloting application for natural or artificial turf soccer pitches through the Leisure Link e-Services System, three out of four users provided in the balloting application must register with the hirer). A hirer will be refused the use of the facility if his/her name or identity document number is found to be inconsistent with those provided for making the booking without a reasonable explanation upon identity checking. Generally, the start time allowed to accept hirers for registration to take up the booked session is 15 minutes before the booked session. Registration can be made in one go for all consecutive booked sessions. The venue management can adjust the time for registration according to their operation need and actual situation.
The permit/approval letter is not transferable. If a hirer is found to have engaged in unauthorised transfer of user permit, his/her booking right for use of sports facilities will be suspended for a period of 360 days. The start day of suspension shall be determined by LCSD upon confirmation of the breach by the hirer.
The hirer must be present during the use of the booked session (If the hirer submits balloting application for natural or artificial turf soccer pitches through the Leisure Link e-Services System, three out of four users provided in the balloting application must be present with the hirer during the use of the booked session). Venue staff will conduct inspections to check if the hirer/ users is/ are present during the use of the booked session. The hirer is required to provide his/her identity document for checking again upon request by the venue management. If the hirer/ users is/ are found not being present during the use of the booked session, it will be treated as one breach for “not being present during the use of the booked session” and will be handled according to the requirements under Condition 13 below.
The recognized identity documents include Hong Kong identity cards (HKID); birth certificate/Document of Identity for Visa Purposes/HKSAR Re-entry Permit/ One-way Permit for children aged below 11 and valid travel document for persons who are not holders of HKID cards. Children aged 14 or below may produce a copy of their identity documents, together with the original of their valid photo-bearing student cards/ student handbooks, for verification. If original copy of the identity document produced does not bear a photograph, the original of a valid photo-bearing student card/ student handbook must also be produced.
The booked facilities will only be used for the designated function of the facilities, unless with prior approval of the management. If any applicant wishes to use the facility for any other activity, the applicant should seek advice and agreement from the venue management before making the booking. The management may not permit such other use on the spot by the hirer if without prior agreement.
All users must wear appropriate attire, footwear, use appropriate equipment, protective gear as necessary and observe all safety rules and conditions for use of the sport/activity.
Eating and drinking shall not be permitted inside the playing areas. Smoking is strictly prohibited in sport venues.
All users must leave the playing area when their booked session/hour is over. All hired/borrowed equipment should be returned at the same time.
Recreation and sports facilities will be closed on the issue of tropical cyclone signal No. 8. Venue staff will resume work as soon as practicable after cancellation of the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above. The recreation and sports venues will reopen within 2 hours, if situation allows. The management may also exercise discretion to close the facilities when, in its opinion, that the facilities are unsuitable for use from safety or operation point of view.
If an organisation, having booked a session, fails to take up the booking or fully utilize the facilities without satisfactory explanation and has found to have breached the booking arrangement and the conditions of use, LCSD may issue default notice to the organization and reserves the right to refuse to accept further bookings from this organisation and to cancel all bookings already reserved by the organisation.
A hirer who is unable to take up a booked session should cancel the booked facility as soon as possible. Leisure Link Patron can cancel the booking through the Leisure Link online booking system one day before the start of the booked session(s). Non Leisure Link Patron can cancel the booking with his/her smart Hong Kong Identity Card through the Leisure Link Self-service Kiosks one day before the start of the booked session. A hirer who chooses to cancel the booking through booking counters is required to return the completed application form (LCS 841) at least two days before the date of use. The hire charges paid for the cancelled bookings or sessions not taken up will not be refunded.
A hirer who fails to take up the booked session and/or not being present during the use of the booked sessions on two occasions in 60 consecutive days will have his/her booking rights for sports facilities (including advance booking and on-the-spot-booking) suspended for 90 days. The suspension will take effect two days after the second occasion. The number of occasions that a hirer fails to take up booked session(s) or not present during the use of the booked sessions is counted on a day basis. That is, regardless of the number of sessions not taken up or not being present on a particular day, the hirer is regarded as failing to do so once.
Persons who are aged 60 or above, full-time students, or persons with disabilities are eligible for concessionary rates for certain specified periods of time. If a hirer claims / declares that he/she is eligible for concessionary rate and books a facility at a concessionary rate but fails to produce a valid documentary proof to prove that he/she is eligible for concessionary rate before using the facility or/and when registering at the check-in counter, LCSD will not accept top-up payment for the shortfall in fees by the hirer at all times and will refuse his/her use of the booked facility. The hirer may also be deemed to have abused the concessionary and his/her booking right for use of sports facilities will be suspended for a period of 180 days. The start day of suspension shall be determined by LCSD upon confirmation of the breach by the hirer.
Except where the hirer is a person with disabilities, if the hirer (including persons who are aged 60 or above and full-time students) who books a facility at the concessionary rate, all his/her partner(s) should be eligible for concessions. Subject to Condition 16 below, if any partner(s) of the hirers are not eligible for concessionary rate, the hirer is required to top up the shortfall between concessionary rate and normal rate before using the facility. Otherwise, the hirer’s partner(s) is/are not allowed to use the facility. A hirer who is found to have used a facility with any partner(s) not eligible for the concessionary rate may be deemed to have abused the concession and his/her booking right for use of sports facilities will be suspended for a period of 90 days.
Persons with disabilities are eligible to use the booked session(s) at concessionary rates with the company of an accompanying carer with a maximum ratio at 1:1. Accompanying carers of persons with disabilities when using facilities that require payment by individual hirers/users (such as table tennis table) are also eligible for concessionary rate on a ratio at 1:1. The hirers are required to immediately top up the shortfall between the concessionary and normal rates before using the facilities if the ratio of persons with disabilities who use facilities to accompanying carers exceeds 1:1. A hirer who is found to have used a facility with any partners not eligible for the concessionary rate may be deemed to have abused the concession and his/her booking right for use of sports facilities will be suspended for a period of 90 days.
Hirers/users enjoying concessionary rates are required to produce original copy of proof of eligibility for concession, e.g. photograph - bearing student card / handbook, registration card for persons with disabilities, Senior Citizen card issued by the Social Welfare Department or identity card for verification at the check-in counter before using the facilities or during the booked session.
No distinction should be made between local and overseas individuals in granting the concessions. Both local and overseas individuals of the specific categories are eligible for the same concession.
Booking made by overseas schools and overseas subvented non-governmental or disabled organisations are not eligible for the concession.
Under normal circumstances, application from a hirer to transfer a confirmed booking to a different time will be deemed to be a cancellation and the fees paid will be forfeited.
If a confirmed booking has to be cancelled by the management owing to inclement weather or any unforeseen circumstances in accordance with Condition 10, the hirer may apply for reallocation or refund of hire charge for the unused session(s). However, the management does not guarantee the availability of any suitable session for reallocation, for reasons including but not limited to scheduled maintenance works, prevailing booking situations of the facility or any other circumstances. In such case, refund of hire charge will be arranged. The hirer shall make the application for refund within 30 days, inclusive of the day of the original booking. No booking shall be allowed for the cancelled session that has been approved for reallocation.
Prior consent should be sought from staff of the respective venue for use of ancillary facility / equipment. Venue staff will make arrangements subject to availability/ conditions of the ancillary facility / equipment. The hirer shall be responsible to meet the cost of repairing any damage caused to the facility, and of repairing or reinstating or replacing any equipment, apparatus, fitting, or other property damaged or destroyed (fair wear and tear excepted), stolen or removed during the use of the facility.
All injuries to participants or any other party, as well as damage to the facility, must be reported to the management immediately.
Except with the written approval of LCSD, the applicants, being either the sole or joint organiser of an event, shall be responsible for all the administrative work of the events including recruitment, enrolment, publicity, fee collection, employment of staff etc., in order to enjoy priority of booking.
The hirer shall indemnify and keep indemnified LCSD against all actions, claims, and demands by any person who suffers or sustains any death, injury, loss or damages arising out of or as a result of the use of the recreation and sports facility by the hirer or any person so authorised by him due to the negligence on his part or on the part of such authorised person.
At the discretion of the Department, users can be granted free use of booked facility that is paid for but not taken up by the original hirer 10 minutes after the starting time on condition that there is no other vacant facility available for booking at the same time. The free use shall only be the same use of facility booked by the original hirers. The user(s) who has been granted for such use should surrender the facility back to the original hirer immediately upon the arrival of the original hirer. Person(s) who wish to have free use of such facility should approach the booking counter and allocation is made on a first-come-first-served basis. Registration for such use of the temporary vacant facilities will commence after the start of each hour/session. Persons who have not booked or used a session of such facility on that day will be granted a higher priority. Venue manager/duty officer in-charge may cancel/suspend such free use arrangement at any time if there is suspected abuse of such free use by any person, including unauthorised transfer/sale of the use, as may be determined by the venue manager/duty officer in-charge on the spot. The arrangement of free use of booked facilities under this condition is not applicable to natural turf and artificial turf pitches.
LCSD may refuse any person from using the facility if he/she does not observe the Conditions of Use or remove any person from the facility if he/she is in breach of the Pleasure Grounds Regulation (Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132) or other regulations in force. In such event, the booking will be cancelled automatically and the paid fees forfeited.
For uses involving the erection of temporary structure (other than those provided by the venue), public admission and of high risk nature, District Leisure Manager/venue manager may require the hirer to take out a suitable insurance coverage to protect the interest of both the hirer and the Government. The prevailing level of insurance amount against the indemnity set by LCSD shall be applied in commensurate with the scale/nature of use/event.
For events involving overseas teams (including those from the Mainland), the applicant should consult the governing sports body, viz. the National Sports Association (NSA) concerned, for advice/agreement on the proposed use according to the practice of international sporting events to ensure that these events comply with the requirements of the governing sports body for the safety of the athletes and spectators.
The hirer shall not make, publish, display or disseminate event related publicity materials that contain false, biased, misleading or deceptive information. The hirer shall not expressly or by implication make reference to LCSD in any of the publicity materials without prior written permission of the Department. The hirer shall indemnify and keep indemnified LCSD and the Government and their servants and agents against all claims, demands, actions or proceedings arising from any breach or non-observance of this provision.
The hirer should not arrange any public admission during the use of the booked facility as spectators, without the prior approval of the management.
On the basis of the nature of use/activity, the management may stipulate a maximum user capacity of the booked facility on the ground of public safety and management consideration.
LCSD reserves the right to reject/cancel the booking without giving prior notice to the applicant/hirer and also to restrict the number of users and/or spectators entering the venue or to refuse entry of any person upon health ground or any other reason and/or impose further conditions for use of the recreation and sports facilities.