King's Park, Hong Kong

Aerial photo of Kowloon c.1930. King's Park is at upper half of the photo
King's Park in 2011

King's Park (Chinese: 京士柏 or 皇囿) is an area in Ho Man Tin in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is named after King Edward VII of the United Kingdom.

Location

It is bounded approximately by Waterloo Road to the north, the East Rail Line line to the east, Austin Road to the south, and Nathan Road to the west. There is an elevated portion which is considered the boundary with Yau Ma Tei.

Topography

The northern areas is hilly, while the southern section is relatively flat.

Uses

The area is zoned for Government, residential and recreational use, and there are no commercial outlets.[1]

The hill north hosts the meteorological station of Hong Kong Observatory, the Blood Transfusion Centre of Hong Kong Red Cross and Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

From 1967 until June 1995, the 15-storey British Military Hospital (BMH) was also based in the area, on a site to the east of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It was closed in 1995 as the British Garrison scaled down from more than 10,000 personnel to about 3,000 as 1997 approached.[2] The 7.4 hectares (18 acres) site had an estimated market value of HK$5.6 billion in 1995.[3]

The site on which the hospital buildings once were was sold by 1999,[4] and is now a private housing estate,[5] whilst the fields which once surrounded the hospital have been largely preserved[6] due to the lobbying efforts of a group of sporting associations. The Kings Park Sports Association (KPSA) was then formed, with Hong Kong Rugby Football Union as one of its core members.[7]

In 1987, land to the south of the BMH was developed into Wylie Court, a residential estate for civil servants. The Civil Service Club is located nearby.

The southern portion of King's Park is a flat piece of land, hosting various recreation clubs and green sports grounds, including King's Park Hockey Ground, Kowloon Bowling Green Club, YMCA Recreation Ground, the United Services Recreation Club, Kowloon Cricket Club, and Gun Club Hill Barracks, are located south of Gascoigne Road.

The headquarters of Hong Kong Girl Guides Association is situated at Gascoigne Road near its eastern side.

References

  1. ↑ Draft Yau Ma Tei Outline Zoning Plan Approved, Hong Kong Government, Accessed 13 June 2007
  2. ↑ Naomi Lee, Garrison hospital's bones fit to be picked, The Standard, 19 August 1995
  3. ↑ $5.6b military hospital to house unemployed Filipino maids, The Standard, 20 September 1996
  4. ↑ Note for panel on Financial Affairs, Legislative Council of Hong Kong
  5. ↑ Eli Lau, Firms buy Parc Palais flats for $66m, The Standard, 10 September 2004
  6. ↑ King's Park Sports Ground - 11 Wylie Path, Ho Man Tin, Location Database, Film Services Offices
  7. ↑ Tim Noonan, Triumph over concrete Goliath - a true Hong Kong Story, South China Morning Post, 28 March 2004 Accessed 13 June 2007
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