Hong Kong may have scorching summer heat, yet people still brave it to explore new cafes, try hotpot restaurants, and enjoy staycations at hotels featuring rooftop pools with stunning city views. While community pools may offer similar experiences, experiencing one of these unique Hong Kong pools can make the whole experience much more exciting!
Swimming is a popular recreational and competitive activity in Hong Kong, with over 10,000 competitive swimmers and millions more taking part on an informal basis. But following the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in 2013, public pools throughout Hong Kong have closed due to staffing shortages; others reported high chlorine levels which have been linked to vomiting and faeces contamination; these closures have left amateur swimmers and their families concerned that it may impede training routines significantly.
To help ensure swimmers continue training and enjoying their favorite sport, LCSD has decided to open its pools from 5 December until 15 January. As part of their commitment, they have also introduced a monthly ticket smart card system which makes using public swimming pools much simpler – each card features the cardholder’s photo and preloaded information on its validity period, meaning users simply need show their cards rather than produce proof of identity documents when entering pools.
The Hong Kong Pools are the first swimming facility in China to employ a translucent insulated tensile membrane from Birdair with an R-value of 4.90 and U-value of 1.16, designed to minimize solar glare with its curved shape that maximizes sun penetration – saving around 15% in energy costs annually.
Hong Kong is an increasingly dense city, so designing a large municipal pool that does not obscure views from residential buildings nearby was no small task. Terry Farrell of renowned Hong Kong architect was instrumental in designing the Kennedy Town Swimming Pool (Jian Ni Di Cheng You Yong Chi), located on a trapezoidal piece of land on the harbor and featuring an innovative green zinc alloy sloping roof to reduce glare as well as white plaster lining it for maximum sun reflection.
HK Pools have been at the centre of considerable debate due to LCSD’s decision to close them, which will have “catastrophic effects” on elite swimmers in Hong Kong, according to Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association. This decision is especially concerning given that no confirmed cases of virus transmission through swimming have occurred and that similar practices were not adopted elsewhere such as Britain and Australia when its spread was significantly more extensive. Furthermore, HKASA warned that closings would seriously hinder sports development across Hong Kong; pool opening is expected soon once again; currently open only to non-residents paying weekly pass fees.