The entire Water Sports and Recreation Precinct in Wan Chai will officially open on December 21, when visitors will be able to access Phase 4 of the leisure space for the first time. This phase completes the Island North promenade that connects Kennedy Town and Fortress Hill over a nine-kilometre-long stretch, making it the city’s longest harbourside walkway.
The highlight of the latest phase of the precinct are the two MTR train cars that previously ran on the East Rail Line. These cars, known as Fly Head trains, still have some of their original features, which visitors can see when they walk into them via the new ‘Harbour Station’. A section of one of the cars was converted into multi-purpose spaces for community activities like workshops and exhibitions.
Other features of the precinct include a stepped train platform, a viewing deck, and a circular multipurpose square from which visitors can get panoramic views of Victoria Harbour. The venue also has a railway-themed Christmas decorations, complete with an illuminated tree, corridor, and platform. The Fly Head trains are open from 10am-10pm, while visitors can enter the other facilities of the precinct 24/7. The precinct is a pet-friendly space where visitors can bring their pets on leashes.
The government opened the Water Sports and Recreation Precinct in phases, starting in 2020. Over the past three years, various facilities have been unveiled to the public, such as the first harbour steps at Victoria Harbour at which the public can rent paddle boats, the themed harbourfront space called HarbourChill, and a floating restaurant.
Earlier this year, the government unveiled new harbourfront recreational spaces in Kowloon: the Cha Kwo Ling Promenade and the Tsui Ping Seaside, as well as the Cheung Sha Wan Promenade. Authorities plan to create more such spaces and eventually complete a 34-kilometre promenade by 2028.
Header image credits: GovHK
