The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Wan Chai North today (May 4) to view the newly constructed Exhibition Centre Station of the East Rail Line cross-harbour extension to understand the preparatory work for the commencement of service of the extension on May 15. She also visited the reprovisioned facilities nearby that were part of the construction works of the railway project.

     Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan; the Chairman of the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), Dr Rex Auyeung; and the Chief Executive Officer of the MTRCL, Dr Jacob Kam, visited the platforms and concourse of Exhibition Centre Station and received a briefing from representatives of the MTRCL on the facilities and features of the station. Exhibition Centre Station is a three-level underground station on the extension of the current East Rail Line, connecting Hung Hom and Admiralty Stations, and is one of the newly constructed stations along the Shatin to Central Link. Mrs Lam noted that various elements had been integrated into the design of the station, including artworks by local artists displayed at the station concourse and platforms, exhibition panels detailing the East Rail Line's history of over 100 years and exhibits showcasing the challenges posed to the construction of the cross-harbour extension, such as the display of the casing of a World War II bomb discovered in the course of excavation work. In addition, the station's various exits were connected to public facilities such as a network of footbridges, a public transport interchange and Harbour Road Sports Centre, providing greater convenience to railway passengers, in particular when mega events would be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

     Mrs Lam then visited Wan Chai Swimming Pool of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. To facilitate the construction of Exhibition Centre Station, Wan Chai Swimming Pool and Harbour Road Sports Centre were reprovisioned next to their original sites. The original buildings were only demolished after the completion of reprovisioning works. The new swimming pool and the new sports centre, with five storeys, opened in 2015 and 2017 respectively. Adopting environmentally friendly designs, such as installation of solar panels on the rooftop, the buildings were awarded the BEAM Plus New Buildings Gold rating by the Hong Kong Green Building Council.

     Afterwards, Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee, toured the Police Officers' Club in Causeway Bay, which was also reprovisioned in the course of the construction of the railway project. The original Police Officers' Club was built in the 1980s and demolished in 2015. The club was reprovisioned at its original site and reopened in late 2021 to continue to provide activity venues as well as a range of sports, recreational and dining facilities for police officers and their families.

     Mrs Lam said, "The commencement of the East Rail Line cross-harbour extension on May 15, coupled with the full commissioning in June last year of the Tuen Ma Line which covers the Tai Wai to Hung Hom Section, marks the completion of the whole Shatin to Central Link project and an important milestone in the railway development of Hong Kong. The Shatin to Central Link project has encountered various challenges since works commenced in 2012. I would like to express my gratitude to the MTRCL, the construction team, contractors and various government departments for their unflagging efforts and perseverance in the face of difficulties to ensure smooth project completion. After the commissioning of the East Rail Line cross-harbour extension, passengers can directly travel from the New Territories North to the business and trading, exhibition and financial centre in the vicinity of Wan Chai North and Admiralty. The East Rail Line has four interchange stations and connects to five existing railway lines, providing members of the public with a more integrated railway network, commuting convenience and a more closely knit community, and strengthening Hong Kong's public transportation system with the railway as the backbone."

Ends/Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Issued at HKT 19:00

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