Picture of the Day: Wan Chai Waterfront Extension

Boxing Day views of the Convention Centre and beyond

 

The Victoria Harbour water front on Hong Kong island is becoming more and more accessible. In mid-October the Belcher Bay harbourfront opened in Kennedy Town, and now a patch in between Wan Chai and Causeway Bay has opened to the public, east of the bus terminus by the Wan Chai Star Ferry.

Chocolate Rain has painted fun characters

A friend had posted a picture on social media the other day so we went to check it out.

It's a small area right now, but it's very colourful with lots of illustrations by local design brand Chocolate Rain. Instead of steel gates lined by the water to prevent people from falling in, instead there are relatively thin steel cables hung between posts to allow more view of the water.

There's even a maze painted on the ground as well as other drawings, making it another version of "Instagram Pier" -- the latter being a real working port complete with cranes and well-worn shipping containers and stacks of pallets, making it industrial and edgy. This new area is perfect for young children to hang about, though if the skaters find out about it, they'll be all over this new concrete space...

With the pandemic children have taken to playing with scooters, while teenagers and young people are showing off their tricks on their skateboards. 

Steel cables prevent people from going into water

Nevertheless, we're liking these new extensions every few months. They add a few more kms to our walks!

Public Space Opens in Kennedy Town

A girl and a boy hanging out at the new promenade

 

By the Belcher Bay bus terminus, there is a nice walkway that led to... nowhere. 

Until now.

After dinner I went out for a walk and was surprised to see the giant yellow water barriers were removed to reveal a giant public space and a small dog part to boot!

There's a public washroom at one corner and piles of painted pallets, benches for people to sit on and even chairs. How novel!

The walkway on the left now has more space

The government prides itself on completing this project ahead of schedule. On a plaque it explained construction started in the second half of 2018 and was supposed to be completed in 21 months.

"Traditionally the Promenade should be open to the public only when it is fully completed. That said, having regard to keen public expectation in getting close to the Harbour, the Government has adopted the latest 'incremental approach' advocated by the Harbourfront Commission and strived to first complete and open the 5-metre boardwalk in the first quarter of 2019.

"Belcher Bay Promenade is the first completed project under the 'incremental approach' by the current Harbourfront Commission. The arrangement allows the public to enjoy the boardwalk 19 months ahead of the original schedule, testifying the effectiveness of the phenomenon."

This doesn't really make much sense, implying the project was finished in two months. In any event we're just glad it's finally open and it will be interesting to see how the public, particularly residents in the area take to the space.

A small dog park for canines to socialize

For daytrippers visiting Kennedy Town, they will find more things to photograph and another reason to take their pet Fido there. Tonight lots of dogs were running around the area. It's going to be the new hangout spot other than Instagram Pier.