The Hong Kong Park is a

public park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities and other incorporated places that offer recreation and green space to r ...

next to Cotton Tree Drive in

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...

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 ...

. Built at a cost of HK$398 million and opened on 23 May 1991, it covers an area of and is an example of modern design and facilities blending with natural landscape.

History

Part of the site was known as Cantonment Hill in early colonial days in 1841. At the upper part of the former location of the Victoria Barracks, built between 1867 and 1910, the barracks were handed to the government in 1979. Glenealy Junior School occupied part of this site up until 1988. After the school vacated the site, the area was turned into the present park. Hong Kong Park was officially opened on 23 May 1991 by Sir David Wilson, the

Governor of Hong Kong The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kon ...

at that time. It covers an area of 8 hectares and is an outstanding example of modern design and facilities blending with the natural

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...

. The construction of the park was a joint project by the

Urban Council The Urban Council (UrbCo) was a municipal council in Hong Kong responsible for municipal services on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon (including New Kowloon). These services were provided by the council's executive arm, the Urban Servic ...

(dissolved in 1999) and the

Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, having been founded in 1884. In 1959, it was granted a Royal Charter and renamed The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (). The institution reverted to its original name ...

(renamed the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 1996).

Historic buildings

* Flagstaff House (1846), since 1984 housing the Flagstaff House Museum of Teaware A few historic buildings of former Victoria Barracks were also conserved in the park, including: * Cassels Block (early 20th century), former barracks for married British officers. Now housing the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre since 1992 * Rawlinson House (early 20th century), former house of the British Deputy General, converted in the 1980s into Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry and the office of the park. * Wavell House (early 20th century), former quarters for married British officers, converted in 1991 into the aviary support centre (Education Centre). These historic buildings are graded as Grade II Historic Buildings. The park can be easily reached by walking through the Pacific Place and its nearby escalator.

Facilities

Hong Kong Park captures the natural landscape in the busy and crowded business centre. Its main feature is Edward Youde Aviary which is Hong Kong's largest aviary while the Vantage Point is another great place to see the "bird exhibition". There is also a

greenhouse A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic conditions are grown.These ...

(Forsgate Conservatory) which holds "plant exhibition" such as "Orchid Exhibition" temporarily. There are also many modern gardens, including Garden Plaza and

Tai Chi Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. ...

Garden. To suit the sport-lovers, a sport centre and a squash centre were also built in Hong Kong Park.

Awards

* The design of the park won Honour Award for Urban Design (1998) of Hong Kong Chapter, the American Institute of Architects. * The park was awarded as one of the Top Ten Buildings of the 90s by a building journal in March 2000.

Gallery

Image:Hong Kong Park.jpg, Hong Kong Park is surrounded by skyscrapers in the highly urbanised central business district File:Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre.jpg, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre in Hong Kong Park Image:HongKongParkGreenhouse.JPG, The

in Hong Kong Park Image:HK Park rataviary.jpg, Inside an

aviary An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds, although bats may also be considered for display. Unlike birdcages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages. Avi ...

at the central Hong Kong Park Image:Bali starling hkg.jpg,

Bali starling The Bali myna (''Leucopsar rothschildi''), also known as Rothschild's mynah, Bali starling, or Bali mynah, locally known as jalak Bali, is a medium-sized (up to long), stocky myna, almost wholly white with a long, drooping crest, and black tip ...

in aviary at Hong Kong Park File:Artificial Lake in Hong Kong Park.jpg, Artificial Lake in Hong Kong Park File:Turtles in Hong Kong Park.JPG, Turtles in Hong Kong Park File:Hong Kong Park statue.jpg, Statue of an anonymous World War I soldier from statuary collection of Eu Tong Sen. Also visible is the

Battle of Hong Kong The Battle of Hong Kong (8–25 December 1941), also known as the Defence of Hong Kong and the Fall of Hong Kong, was one of the first battles of the Pacific War in World War II. On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, forces of the ...

memorial plaque dedicated to all the defenders of Hong Kong in December 1941 through John Robert Osborn. File:HK Central 香港公園 Hong Kong Park memory of John Robert Osborn bronze statue sign Nov-2013.JPG , Memorial plaque dedicated to all the defenders of Hong Kong in December 1941 through John Robert Osborn and to commemorate the British Garrison at Hong Kong.

References

External links

*
The Hong Kong Visual Art Centre
{{Parks in Hong Kong 1991 establishments in Hong Kong Central, Hong Kong Glenealy School Protected areas established in 1991 Urban public parks and gardens in Hong Kong