| Hong Kong Park | |
| Alt Name: | 香港公園 |
| Location: | Central, Hong Kong |
| Area: | 8ha |
| Operator: | Leisure and Cultural Services Department |
| Open: | Year round |
| Publictransit: | Tram stop (25 m) Peak Tram terminus (30 m) Admiralty station (200 m) |
Hong Kong Park is a public park next to Cotton Tree Drive in Central, Hong Kong. Built at a cost of HK$398 million and opened on 23 May 1991, it covers an area of 80000sqm and is an example of modern design and facilities blending with natural landscape.
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 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.
The construction of the park was a joint project by the Urban Council (dissolved in 1999) and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (renamed the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 1996).
A few historic buildings of former Victoria Barracks were also conserved in the park, including:
These historic buildings are graded as Grade II Historic Buildings.[1]
The park can be easily reached by walking through the Pacific Place and its nearby escalator.
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 (Forsgate Conservatory) which holds "plant exhibition" such as "Orchid Exhibition" temporarily. There are also many modern gardens, including Garden Plaza and tai chi Garden. To suit the sport-lovers, a sport centre and a squash centre were also built in Hong Kong Park.