Let X be a (metric) continuum. It is shown that X is locally connected if and only if there is special type of retraction from
2
X
{2^X}
onto
C
(
X
)
C(X)
, where
2
X
{2^X}
[resp.,
C
(
X
)
C(X)
] is the space of all nonempty compact subsets [resp., subcontinua] of X with the Hausdorff metric. Also, necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the “continuity of balls".