Fenwick Pier () was located at 1 Lung King Street (),

Wan Chai Wan Chai is situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area n ...

Northwest,

Hong Kong Island Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong. Known colloquially and on road signs simply as Hong Kong, the island has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km2, . The island had a population of a ...

. Managed by Servicemen's Guides Association (the SGA), a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, Fenwick Pier had been in operation at the coastline of Wan Chai since 1953 serving military

sailors A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...

from all over the world. Fenwick Pier had been seen as the lighthouse of hospitality, answering questions about

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...

and ensuring a worry-free stay and reliable purchase for these unique sea-based visitors to Hong Kong.

Club membership

Bound by the Club Ordinance, the SGA has been operating as a private club and is a membership based non-profit organization. Members of the public could enjoy services at Fenwick Pier after applying for membership of the SGA, which is simple, easy, and free of charge – only name, email and signature are required.

History

*1887: George Fenwick established Fenwick & Co., a

shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance ...

in 1887. *1953: The SGA began operation with a desk on the sidewalk next to

Fenwick Street Fenwick Street () is a street in Wan Chai, Hong Kong with a length of about 450 metres. It starts from Johnston Road and ends at the junction of Fenwick Pier Street and Harbour Road Harbour Road () is a road in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong. It run ...

, until the Government donated the land on which a 28 foot by 20 foot building was started. *1964: The Pier had to be rebuilt after typhoons Wanda and

Ruby A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called ...

dealt severe blows to the building. *1965: The rebuilt Pier opened in June. *1967: The Government decided to reclaim the seafront for the construction of a new express highway and requested the SGA to move out. After negotiation, the Government granted about 30,000 square feet on the newly reclaimed land to the SGA. *1970: The present Fenwick Pier building was completed. *1974: The extension of Fenwick Pier opened. *1994: The Fleet Arcade, a 4-storey shopping centre was launched. *1997: The Government revised the tenancy agreement of the land at Fenwick Pier from 5-year short-term tenancy to a quarterly short-term tenancy. *2016:

Town Planning Board The Town Planning Board () is a statutory body of the Hong Kong Government tasked with developing urban plans with an aim to ensuring the "health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the community through the process of guiding and co ...

approved the SGA's redevelopment plan of Fenwick Pier. *2021: The HK Government notified the SGA in January 2020 that the lease for Fenwick Pier is to end, and that the SGA is to evacuate the site by the end of 2021. Fenwick Pier has sustained two periods of devastation by typhoons. On 1 September 1962, Wanda made a direct hit on Fenwick Pier causing extensive damage to the main building. Another typhoon,

, struck on 5 September 1964. On both occasions, the SGA moved their operation to the basement of the Sailor's Home and Mission to Seamen. The damaged Pier was then rebuilt and while rebuilding, the SGA continued to operate in the U.S. Servicemen's lounge across the road from the Pier for nine months. The rebuilt Pier opened on 5 June 1965. At the end 1967, the HK Government decided to reclaim the seafront for the construction of a new express highway and requested the SGA to relocate. After negotiation, the Government granted about 30,000 square feet on the newly reclaimed land to the SGA. The first and second phase of the new Fenwick Pier building opened in 1970. It included a restaurant, a money exchange, a film processing concession, a gift shop; lounges with typewriters, telephones and billiard tables; chaplains' offices, storerooms and the information booth. The Fenwick Pier extension was completed in 1974 with enlarged area for servicemen to relax. In 1994, the redeveloped 4-storey Fleet Arcade opened to provide more shopping facilities and services. In April 1997, the Government revised the tenancy agreement at Fenwick Pier from a 5-year short-term tenancy to a quarterly short-term tenancy.

Land resumption

Fenwick Pier became landlocked in 2016 due to reclamation. The

Government of Hong Kong The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, commonly known as the Hong Kong Government or HKSAR Government, refers to the executive authorities of Hong Kong SAR. It was formed on 1 July 1997 in accordance with the Sino- ...

notified the SGA in January 2020 that the lease for Fenwick Pier is to end, and that the SGA is to vacate the site by the end of 2021. The Government of Hong Kong plans to relocate the Kong Wan Fire Station in Wan Chai to the Fenwick Pier site, while the current site of the fire station will be used for the extension of the

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld–Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbou ...

Services

For visiting international military sailors, they could enjoy free local sim cards, transportation shuttles, information booth to answer questions in the sailor’s native language, free guide books, etc. At Fenwick Pier, the SGA has served sailors from 14 countries in the past decade, with two to 28 vessels and 1,280 to 35,400 sailors arriving each year.

Fleet Arcade

The 4-storey Fleet Arcade () opened in 1994. It provided visiting sailors and marines with a place to rest and enjoy shopping and recreational facilities, as well as a chance to explore the excitement of Hong Kong. Sailors and members could enjoy a wide range of services at the Fleet Arcade, such as eatery, supermarket, barber shop, tailor shop and souvenir shops."Grand Opening of the Fleet Arcade at Fenwick Pier". February 07, 1994

References

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