The East Coast Park Precinct (Phase 1), located at the harbour front in Fortress Hill on Hong Kong Island, officially opened late last year in September. It’s become one of my favourite places to take the dogs to watch the sun set and hear the sea hitting the breakwater. I’ve included some information below from the Hong Kong government website and a number of images taken over the past few weeks. The park is a great addition to Hong Kong, especially in this dense urban environment.
Phase 1 of the Precinct, with an area of about 9,800 square metres, is located to the west of Watson Road. It was previously a works area for the Central-Wan Chai Bypass (CWB) project. The Precinct is also one of the 13 works projects under the HK$6.5 billion dedicated funding for harbour front enhancement.
The entrance to the Precinct is underneath the CWB flyover. Adopting the design concept of “Windows”, the architect infused window frames of different sizes into the design of balustrades, outdoor installations and a low kerb, offering a distinctive scene for visitors as if it is being viewed through a window. A lawn area, benches, shelters and more are also provided for public use.
In addition, to help children play freely while their parents are enjoying the spectacular view of Victoria Harbour, there are paintings on the ground for riders of balance bikes, while the architect has introduced slides and safety floor mats as part of the sloping seawall above the sea level in the Precinct. The Precinct is also a pet-friendly site where pet owners and their pets on leashes are welcome to visit. The site is open to the public 24/7.
One major feature of the Precinct is that it provides the first breakwater officially open to the public within Victoria Harbour. The breakwater is approximately 100m in length, allowing members of the public to enjoy the stunning shoreline of Hong Kong from a new angle at the inner Victoria Harbour. Visitors can also take in a nearly 360-degree panoramic view of Victoria Harbour from the end of the breakwater. The CWB East Vent Shaft above the breakwater was designed specifically to be in harmony with the harbour vista and was the winning entry of an exterior design competition.
Design work for the remaining part of the Precinct has already commenced, and the project is aimed at being opened to the public in phases from 2024 in tandem with the Boardwalk underneath the Island Eastern Corridor project.
