(With Photos)
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Hong Kong, Asia's tourist mecca, is all-set to open another scenic attraction, which is sure to draw a wealth of travellers and locals alike. A temporary waterfront promenade at the West Kowloon Cultural District site will open on Saturday (September 17) night, offering another scenic harbourside location to view the grandeur of Asia's world city.
With the cultural district's development still pending, the Housing, Planning & Lands Bureau has accepted the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee's proposal to build the promenade to offer public access to the waterfront at the southern tip of West Kowloon.
It will be managed by the Leisure & Cultural Services Department and will open daily from 7am to 11pm.
Open view, open mind
The committee's Harbour Plan Review sub-committee chairman Vincent Ng said the walkway offers prime harbour-front open space.
"This site is a rare place where people can get close to the waterfront. We think it is a very suitable location to build a temporary promenade for the public to stroll along and enjoy the nice view of the harbour," he said, adding that as the promenade was completed quickly, visitors are welcome to suggest views to further improve the area.
Mr Ng said a utilitarian approach had been adopted for waterfront land use in the past, comprising cargo-handling areas, pump rooms and roads. However, more thought is now being put on the public's quality of life.
"We want to have a waterfront accessible to pedestrians. So we advocate the building of waterfront promenades for people to enjoy the harbour. This promenade in West Kowloon is the sub-committee¡¦s first achievement," he said.
Artsy overtone
Government¡¦s Senior Architect Raymond Fung said as the project is located on a future cultural venue and is temporary, these two elements have been incorporated into its unique design.
"Instead of ordinary park lighting, 70 lanterns have been erected along the 600-metre path and the 400-metre promenade. On each lantern there is a built-in aeolian bell and artists' paintings are used to decorate its sides to present both visual and audio art effects," he said.
Borrowing the idea from the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, Mr Fung said visitors can sign their names on colourful palm prints in the promenade's timber boardwalk, marking it as an avenue of the people.
As it is a temporary project, Mr Fung said cost effectiveness is paramount.
"Recycled containers are used as food kiosks, toilets and offices. Inexpensive wooden planks are used to build the deck. And used benches have been taken from other parks," he said.
Easy access
Getting to the promenade is easy. Take KMB bus Route 8 from the Star Ferry pier in Tsim Sha Tsui, or green minibus route 77M from Tsim Sha Tsui East.
Or visitors can simply walk 10 to 15 minutes from the bus stop at the West Harbour Crossing toll plaza or the MTR's Kowloon Station. There is a car park adjacent to the promenade.
The facility also offers a new venue to moon-gaze as it will open at 7.30pm on September 17, the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It will stay open until midnight that evening and the following night.
Project pipeline
Other projects the Harbour-front Enhance Committee is working on include the ongoing public participatory programme Central Harbourfront & Me, or the 'CHarM project'.
"Public views and participation are being solicited to generate a design for the Central ferry pier area, after which we will have a design output and proceed with implementation," Mr Ng said.
"We are considering utilising the temporary waterfront for public enjoyment at other locations, like Wan Chai after the relocation of the cargo-handling area, and the old Kai Tak runway."
Ends/Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Issued at HKT 19:51
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