District governance: Citywide makeover brings fresh vibes

In the heart of Tsuen Wan, taking a walk through the footpaths around Lo Tak Court is reminiscent of the unique charm of traditional walled villages. The Government is committed to enhancing the community’s streetscapes by beautifying public spaces and streets. Led by the Deputy Chief Secretary, the Task Force on District Governance actively supports various local initiatives. One of them is aimed at creating a pedestrian-friendly environment to elevate the public’s walking experience. In this regard, the Highways Department has implemented streetscape improvements in Lo Tak Court in Tsuen Wan, the Outlying Islands Ferry Pier in Central and in the vicinity of MTR Tai Wai station, introducing thematic designs to pedestrian facilities that reflect the character of the districts. Inspiring nostalgia Located on the original site of Ho Pui Village in Tsuen Wan, which was demolished in the 1960s, Lo Tak Court comprises multiple pedestrian streets and serves as a bustling food hub in the district. The area’s beautification design adopts the Tsuen Wan Walled Village theme as it features uniquely decorated lampposts and flower beds that revive the historic village’s architectural traits and landscape. "The design of thematic wallpapers for planters resembles the furniture and decoration of an old walled village, giving pedestrians an impression of looking back into the room from the courtyard," Highways Department Landscape Architectural Assistant Angela Lam explained. She added that wallpapers on lampposts adopt the concept of brick walls, tile roofs, and decorative ceilings of the old walled village. It may not be spring yet, but cotton trees are still blossoming in the form of paintings adorning the columns of footbridges. Miss Lam highlighted that the original site near Tsuen Wan MTR station, adjacent to Lo Tak Court, was named Muk Min Ha Tsuen, which in English means cotton trees. Nowadays, many cotton trees still bloom every year outside the station, attracting various small animals, such as birds and squirrels. This scenery has been incorporated into the paintings on the columns of footbridges and manhole covers, making them popular photo spots in Lo Tak Court. Street beautification projects unveiled in Central and Tai Wai also showcase the districts unique cultural charm. The Outlying Islands Ferry Pier in Central evokes the nostalgia of Lamma Island's fishing village culture with its soft blue tint. Adding to the atmosphere are designs incorporating the windsurfing sail of Hong Kong’s first Olympic gold medallist Lee Lai-shan and Cheung Chau’s famous lucky buns. Outside Tai Wai MTR station, paintings of egrets along the river channels to Tolo Harbour are a common sight, alongside depictions of city wildlife like masked palm civets and leopard cats, as a nod to urban waterways and rural life. Fantastic makeovers Hong Kong's 18 districts are set for a makeover as the department is taking various measures to refine the urban scenery. It also plans to renovate or refurbish two pedestrian footbridges and subways in each district in two phases, covering repairs, repainting, and upgrades to handrails and lighting for improved safety and comfort. The first phase, which has already begun, is projected to conclude gradually by year-end. Highways Department Landscape Architect Sandra Ng said that the design concepts will be customised to highlight the individuality of each district. Drawing on the example of the footbridge construction across Hip Wo Street in Kwun Tong, Miss Ng emphasised that the design is themed on mountain trails inspired by the nearby hiking route Shum Wan Shan, known as the Kwun Tong Back Garden. “On the main walls, we are featuring a view from the peak of Shum Wan Shan, showing the view of Kowloon Peak and Shun Lee Estate. Also, the walls along the barrier-free access will display continuous graphics of shrubs and trees to match the hiking theme. “We hope to introduce this unique and precious Kwun Tong Back Garden in the district to more members of the public.” Miss Ng pointed out that a pedestrian subway in Sha Tin will also be revamped with a design integrating the district’s landmarks, such as Tsang Tai Uk and Lek Yuen Bridge, with visuals of rowing boats and cyclists along the Shing Mun River. Such improvements, she revealed, embrace a blend of motion and stillness, and a sense of urban vitality. The department expects the second phase of the renovation to start in early 2025 for gradual completion by the middle of the year. Road improvements Meanwhile, it has launched the Expanded Footpath Repaving Scheme to repave a total of 40 sections of public footpaths spanning over 16,700m, encompassing locations such as Queensway in the Central & Western District and Salisbury Road in the Yau Tsim Mong District. The department stressed that it thinks carefully about overall pavement conditions to enhance citizens’ walking experience when it comes to planning such maintenance and repair work.