Read More
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall is operating as a temporary heat shelter with upgraded facilities and a dedicated female-only zone to cater to residents' needs, as the Hong Kong Observatory issues Very Hot Weather Warnings for consecutive days.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
The center has replaced its cumbersome old water boilers with new hot-and-cold water dispensers and installed multiple new air conditioning units, according to Sham Shui Po District Officer Oscar Wong Ho-yu.
To further reduce indoor temperatures from direct sunlight, a heat-insulating film developed by a local university research team has been applied to the glass doors in the main lobby.
Additional tables and chairs have also been set up, providing a convenient resting spot for residents returning from the nearby wet market to sit and place their groceries.
Wong added that the center provides mats, mattresses, and blankets, and the spacious venue allows the number of bed spaces to be easily expanded to 30 or 40 based on actual demand.
Meanwhile, a dedicated ladies-only zone has been enclosed using partitions, with the entrance designed with an indirect path to keep the area hidden from the main doors.
In addition to offering cooling essentials such as ice towels and fever-cooling patches, the shelter has taken the district's diverse demographics into account. It now provides halal-certified cup noodles and biscuits, ensuring appropriate food choices for ethnic minority residents.
According to data from the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, heat shelters opened for 73 nights last year, logging approximately 13,000 registered users.
Currently, nighttime attendance at the shelters located in Shek Kip Mei and Wong Tai Sin averages around a dozen people each, while daytime attendance remains in the single digits.
