First real homes gave star and cyclist their starts in life

Hong Kong actor and singer Andy Lau Tak-wah may have come a long way from his early days spent in the then squatter areas of Diamond Hill but still memorable for him was his family's move to a busy but very much safer home to Lam Tin Estate.

In a booklet commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Housing Authority, Lau recalled those days living in the squatter area in Diamond Hill and running a convenience store with his family.

"There were a lot of memories, but the sense of a threat and unseen danger often permeated the hut, especially its being prone to fire, giving people a sense of the precariousness of life," he said.

That last, ever present danger became a prophecy fulfilled when a fire in the 1970s eventually put paid to his family's hut and forced his family to move to block 15 of Lam Tin Estate.

"There was no water and electricity supply at our hut in Diamond Hill, but that was not the case at our new home, as our living conditions improved by a lot," Lau said.

After moving into public housing, Lau said his father continued working as a fireman, while his mother bought three electric sewing machines to put garments together with his three sisters.

"Life was still busy, but cozy, and the most precious thing was the feeling of stability," Lau said.

"It is now half a century since I moved into Lam Tin Estate [in the 1970s], and it was the Housing Authority's golden jubilee that gave me the opportunity to reorganize these scattered memories and relive the memories of this period in my youth," Lau said.

Also going down memory lane was star cyclist Wong Kam-po, who had lived in Lek Yuen Estate in Sha Tin for two decades.

Wong said the public estate has been the home that became deeply rooted in his memory despite his having moved out some 20 years ago.

"No matter how far I go riding on a bicycle, there are times that I miss my home [in Lek Yuen Estate]," he said.

The fountain at the estate entrance has been a landmark of the neighborhood, and authorities have preserved it at the request of residents, Wong said.

Wong said the cycling track in front of the public estate was where his cycling ambitions first took shape.

And To Fung Shan, which is near the estate, had been where his thoughts took shelter whenever he felt lost.

"When I was young, I loved to look out the window at To Fung Shan. It felt so distant and mysterious, but as I grew up, I realized that it was only a 15-minute bicycle ride from my home," he said.

"It was a calm and quiet place where I could see my home and feel safe and completely relaxed. It was a haven for me, and when I was lost, I would come up here to enjoy the beautiful scenery, get over my stress, and think about my life."