URA closes Free Space at Kwun Tong: Playground equipment to support new housing projects

The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has announced the closure of Free Space at Kwun Tong Town Centre, with most playground equipment being transferred to two light public housing projects managed by the Housing Bureau.

In a blog post on Sunday, URA’s managing director Wai Chi-sing explained that the Free Space facilities were designed as temporary solutions, responding to public concerns regarding resource waste following their closure just a year after opening.

“We had indicated that these facilities and their uses were intended to be short-term while transforming the final phase of the Kwun Tong Town Centre development into Free Space,” Wai said. 

“The goal was to provide public access during the preparation for re-tendering, rather than leaving the land idle.”

To support the needs of the Kwun Tong Town Centre 2.0 project, the authority closed the children’s playground, three-on-three basketball court, and Urban Town Lab 2 in mid-November last year. 

The remaining areas of Free Space will gradually close later this year, depending on construction progress.
Wai assured the public that the pedestrian walkway connecting Kwun Tong Road and Yue Man Square will remain open to facilitate access to the commercial center and its surrounding areas.

Since its launch, Free Space has hosted over 50 community events, including the “Year of Dragon Kwun Tong Night Bazaar,” outdoor Christmas markets, and carnivals, attracting more than 1.5 million participants. 

“These events have effectively increased foot traffic, fostered local vitality, provided a business environment, and promoted the regional economy,” he said.

Wai also said that the recreational and sports facilities in Free Space are in good condition, with two light public housing projects under the Housing Bureau set to take over most of them. 

The Yau Pok Road project in Yuen Long, which is scheduled to open at the end of March, has already received two basketball hoops delivered by the URA’s team earlier last month.

(Cheng Wong)