Ombudsman starts probe into LCSD fitness room bookings

Ombudsman Jack Chan has launched an investigation into the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) over allegations of mismanagement concerning the allocation and utilization of indoor fitness rooms. The probe stems from a significant increase in demand for fitness room usage, with registered users surging 56% from approximately 151,000 in 2023 to 236,000 in 2025, and total annual visits rising by 50% to 7.26 million.

Preliminary findings indicate a critical shortage in the availability of mandatory training places and briefing sessions. In 2025, the LCSD provided just 25,000 places across around 1,000 briefing sessions, but received 377,000 applications. Similarly, for training courses, 58,500 places were offered against 257,000 applications. Chan emphasized that the paucity of these training opportunities is a major obstacle for broader participation in fitness sports.

The ombudsman also scrutinized the booking system for monthly ticket holders, noting that the requirement to book through the SmartPlay system and cancel at least one hour in advance may be contributing to resource wastage. Furthermore, monthly ticket holders face no penalties for no-shows, and there are no caps on daily bookings, leading to discrepancies between booked capacity and actual usage.

The investigation will also evaluate the overall utilization rates, monitoring procedures, and equipment maintenance within the LCSD fitness rooms. Chan highlighted the need for reviews and recommendations aimed at improving the efficient use of these publicly funded resources.