The Public Recreation Grounds Act

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CHAPTER 320
THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT
[PRINCIPAL LEGISLATION]
Arrangement of Sections
Section Title
1. Short title.
2. Interpretation.
3. Vesting of land in Minister.
4. Declaration of public recreation grounds.
5. Local government authorities to manage and control public recreation grounds.
6. Duty of local government authorities.
7. Powers of local government authorities in relation to recreation ground.
8. Compensation for damage.
9. Fines to be paid to local government authorities.
10. Legal proceedings.
11. Police may arrest offenders.
12. Recreation grounds established under Cap. 287 or 288.
13. Repeal.

government authorities.
10. Legal proceedings.
11. Police may arrest offenders.
12. Recreation grounds established under Cap. 287 or 288.
13. Repeal.

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1. This Act may be cited as the Public Recreation Grounds Act. 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
“local government authority” means where the area is that
of a city council or municipal council, the city council
or municipal council, constituted under the provisions
of the Local Government (Urban Authorities) Act, and
where the area is that of a town council or district council,
the town council or the district council, constituted
under the provisions of the Local Government (District
Authorities) Act; and
“recreation ground” means an area declared by the Minister
responsible for lands by order under section 4 to be a
public recreation ground. 3. It is hereby declared that, all areas of land which immediately
before the coming into operation of this Act were vested in
the Committee of Control appointed under the Recreation
Grounds (Management) Ordinance shall, on the coming into
operation of this Act, vest in the Minister and may be dealt
with by him under the provisions of the Land Act as public
land.

hall, on the coming into
operation of this Act, vest in the Minister and may be dealt
with by him under the provisions of the Land Act as public
land.

Short title
Interpretation
Ord. No. 49 of 1958 s. 23
Act No. 10 of 1968
Cap. 288
Cap. 287
Vesting of land in
Minister
Ord. No. 13 of 1928
Cap. 113
CHAPTER 320
THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT
An Act to provide for the establishment, control and management of
public recreation grounds. [1st March, 1954]
Ords. Nos. 46 of 1952
49 of 1958
[R.L. Cap. 320]
Acts Nos. 48 of 1966
10 of 1968

ontrol and management of
public recreation grounds. [1st March, 1954]
Ords. Nos. 46 of 1952
49 of 1958
[R.L. Cap. 320]
Acts Nos. 48 of 1966
10 of 1968

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THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT [CAP. 320 R.E. 2023]
4.–(1) At the request of or after consultation with the local
government authority concerned, the Minister may, by order
published in the Gazette, declare any area or areas of public
land within or in the vicinity of a municipality or township to
be a public recreation ground or public recreation ground for
the purposes of this Act. (2) At the request of or after consultation with the local
government authority concerned, the Minister may, by order
published in the Gazette, if any area of land declared by order
under subsection (1) of this section to be a public recreation
ground is required for a public purpose, or has, in the opinion
of the Minister, ceased to be used as a public recreation ground
to such an extent that its maintenance as such is no longer
justified, declare that such area of land shall cease to be a public
recreation ground, and upon the publication of any such order,
the area of land to which such order relates shall cease to be a
public recreation ground.

reation ground, and upon the publication of any such order,
the area of land to which such order relates shall cease to be a
public recreation ground.

(3) Whenever an area of land has ceased to be a public
recreation ground by virtue of an order made under subsection
(2) because such area of land is required by Government for a
public purpose, the local government authority which last had the
control and management of the public recreation ground, shall be
entitled to compensation from the Minister to the value at the
date of such order of the unexhausted improvements on such area
of land, and such compensation shall be assessed in like manner
as compensation for unexhausted improvements is assessed
under the provisions of the Land Act or of any regulations made. 5. Where an area of public land has been declared to be a public
recreation ground by order of the Minister under section 4, the
local government authority having jurisdiction over the area
in or in the vicinity of which such recreation ground is situate
shall, subject to the provisions of this Act maintain, control and
manage such recreation ground and shall have in relation thereto
all the powers and duties which are conferred or imposed upon
such local government authority by or under this Act. Declaration of
public recreation
grounds
Ord. No. 49 of 1958 s. 23
Cap.

onferred or imposed upon
such local government authority by or under this Act. Declaration of
public recreation
grounds
Ord. No. 49 of 1958 s. 23
Cap.

113
Local government
authorities to
manage and
control public
recreation
grounds
Ord. No. 49 of 1958 s. 23;
Act No. 48 of 1966 Sch.

113
Local government
authorities to
manage and
control public
recreation
grounds
Ord. No. 49 of 1958 s. 23;
Act No. 48 of 1966 Sch.

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THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT [CAP. 320 R.E. 2023]
6. It shall be the duty of every local government authority
having the control and management of any recreation
ground to ensure that such recreation ground is used for
the purpose of games, exercise and recreation and for no
other purpose:
Provided that, it shall be lawful for a local government
authority to authorise the temporary use of a recreation
ground or any portion for the purposes of any fair, exhibition,
ceremony or public entertainment, or for any purpose which
the local government authority may approve.

rtion for the purposes of any fair, exhibition,
ceremony or public entertainment, or for any purpose which
the local government authority may approve.

7.–(1) A local government authority shall have in relation
to any recreation ground which is under its control and
management the following powers-
(a) to establish, maintain and control thereon aquaria,
pavilions, piers, dressing rooms, lavatories and
such other buildings, structures or conveniences
of any nature and for any purpose as the local
government authority may consider to be necessary
or convenient;
(b) to set apart any portion of such recreation ground as
may be fixed by the local government authority and
described in a notice set up in some conspicuous
place on such recreation ground for the purpose of
any particular game or recreation, and to exclude the
public from the portion so set apart;
(c) to provide any apparatus for games or recreation in
respect of such recreation ground or to permit any
person, club or other body of persons to provide any
apparatus on such terms as the local government
authority may decide;
(d) to establish, maintain and control refreshment rooms,
cafes and restaurants on such recreation ground;
(e) to authorise any person, club or other body of persons,
subject to such terms and conditions as the local
government authority may approve, either permanently
or temporarily-
Duty of local
government
authorities
Powers of local
government
authorities
in relation to
recreation ground
Ord.

, either permanently
or temporarily-
Duty of local
government
authorities
Powers of local
government
authorities
in relation to
recreation ground
Ord.

No. 49 of 1958 s. 23
Acts Nos. 48 of 1966 Sch. 48 of 1968 s. 3

No. 49 of 1958 s. 23
Acts Nos. 48 of 1966 Sch. 48 of 1968 s. 3

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THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT [CAP. 320 R.E.

l rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.55
THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT [CAP. 320 R.E.

2023]
(i) to have the exclusive use of such recreation ground
or portion and any building structure or apparatus
established or provided that in connection;
(ii) to erect structures and pavilions on or around the
same and to provide such amenities including
refreshment rooms and lavatories as the local
authority may approve; and
(iii) to make charges to members of the public for
admission thereto or otherwise in connection
therewith;
(f) to incur expenditure and to do all other things in
relation to such recreation ground which are necessary
or incidental to the carrying out of any of the powers
and duties which are conferred or imposed upon such
local government authority by or under this Act;
(g) to make by-laws, in the case of a municipal council
in accordance with the procedure prescribed under
the Local Government (Urban Authorities) Act and
in the case of a town council or district council, in
accordance with the procedure prescribed under the
Local Government (District Authorities) Act for all or
any of the purposes following, that is to say-
(i) for the management, control and regulation of
such recreation ground and for the use of the
same by the public and for regulating the means
of ingress thereto and egress therefrom;
(ii) for the removal of any person infringing any
provision of the by-laws by any officer authorised
so to do by the local government authority or any
person or persons acting on behalf of the local
government authority under the by-laws, or by any
police officer;
(iii) for regulating foot-tracks and grazing of cattle or
other animals;
(iv) for preventing injury and damage to such
recreation ground;
Cap.

fficer;
(iii) for regulating foot-tracks and grazing of cattle or
other animals;
(iv) for preventing injury and damage to such
recreation ground;
Cap.

288
Cap. 287

288
Cap. 287

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THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT [CAP. 320 R.E. 2023]
(v) generally for carrying into effect the purposes of
this Act,
and may in such by-laws fix such reasonable penalties as it
thinks fit, but that penalty shall not exceed one thousand
shillings, for each breach of such by-laws. (2) In the case of an urban council, the provisions of the
Local Government (Urban Authorities) Act, shall apply to
by-laws made or to be made under this section as if they were
by-laws made or to be made under the said Act, and in the
case of a town council or district council, the provisions of the
Local Government (District Authorities) Act shall apply to
by-laws made or to be made under this section as if they were
by-laws made or to be made under the said Act.

(District Authorities) Act shall apply to
by-laws made or to be made under this section as if they were
by-laws made or to be made under the said Act.

(3) In the case of a recreation ground part of which is
under the control and management of one local government
authority and part of which is under the control and
management of another, the Minister responsible for local
government may, by notice published in the Gazette, specify
one of the said local government authorities which may,
notwithstanding that part of the recreation ground is not
under its control and management, exercise the powers
contained in paragraph (g) of subsection (1) in respect of
the whole of the said recreation ground and thereupon the
other of the said local government authorities shall not be
empowered to exercise the said powers in respect of any part
of that recreation ground. 8.

other of the said local government authorities shall not be
empowered to exercise the said powers in respect of any part
of that recreation ground. 8.

Where a court has convicted any person for breach of any
by-law made under this Act and it appears to such court that
such breach has resulted in damage or injury to any recreation
ground or to any structure or installation thereon, the court
shall proceed to assess the amount of such damage or injury
and having determined the amount, shall order the person so
convicted to pay the same to the local government authority
having the management and control of such recreation ground as
Cap. 288
Cap. 287
Compensation for
damage

ay the same to the local government authority
having the management and control of such recreation ground as
Cap. 288
Cap. 287
Compensation for
damage

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THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT [CAP. 320 R.E. 2023]
compensation, and in default of payment of such compensation,
the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act relating to the
recovery of compensation awarded under that Act shall apply in
respect of compensation awarded under this Act as they apply in
respect of compensation awarded under that Act. 9. A fine recovered under this Act in respect of a breach of any
by-law made thereunder shall be paid over by the Government
to the local government authority which made such by-law to
be administered by such local government authority for the
improvement of any recreation ground or grounds under its
management and control. 10.–(1) Legal proceedings for breach of any by-law relating to
a recreation ground or for the recovery of compensation for
injury or damage or to any structure or installation thereon
may be brought in the name of the local government authority
having the management and control of such recreation ground
by any person authorised in writing by such local authority so
to do.

government authority
having the management and control of such recreation ground
by any person authorised in writing by such local authority so
to do.

(2) An authorisation under subsection (1) shall be signed
in the case of a municipality by town clerk and in the case
of any other local government authority by the Chairman or
executive officer, and when so signed shall be deemed to have
been duly given for the purposes of this Act. 11. It shall be lawful for any Police Officer to arrest without
warrant any person found infringing any by-law made under
this Act. 12. Where, in pursuance of the Local Government (Urban
Authorities) Act, a town council has established any recreation
ground or, in pursuance of the Local Government (District
Authorities) Act a town council or district council has
established any recreation ground, such municipal council,
town council or district council, shall have, subject to the
Cap. 20
Fines to be
paid to local
government
authorities
Legal proceedings
Police may arrest
offenders
Recreation
grounds
established under
Cap. 287 or 288
Act No. 10 of 1968 s. 4
Cap. 288
Cap. 287

thorities
Legal proceedings
Police may arrest
offenders
Recreation
grounds
established under
Cap. 287 or 288
Act No. 10 of 1968 s. 4
Cap. 288
Cap. 287

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THE PUBLIC RECREATION GROUNDS ACT [CAP. 320 R.E. 2023]
Local Government (Urban Authorities) Act or the Local
Government (District Authorities) Act, in relation to such
recreation ground all the powers, duties and functions which
it would have under this Act if such recreation ground had
been declared to be a public recreation ground by order of the
Minister for Lands under section 4 of this Act.
13. [Repeals R.L. Cap. 107 and Ord. No. 3 of 1951].Repeal