Work starts to revitalize Kowloon City park

Stacy Shi

Revitalization works on Carpenter Road Park in Kowloon City are set to commence today, according to Wai Chi-sing, the managing director of the Urban Renewal Authority.

The project, expected to be completed in 2027, will cover an area of 34,000 square meters and cost approximately HK$700 million. It will be carried out in two phases, with the first phase scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, followed by the second phase in 2026.

As part of the park's revitalization, several new features will be introduced. These include an additional government complex, diverse fitness facilities, a practice cycling track for children and an elevated walkway that will provide visitors with a panoramic view of the entire park.

Wai said the authority has taken into account the opinions of consultants, over 610 nearby residents, frequent park-goers, district councillors and experts in order to optimize the layout of the park and create more open spaces.

"We will take advantage of the original topography of the park in a tiered layout to create more open space," he said.

Also in collaboration with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the authority plans to establish a common space on the eastern side of the park. This area will feature a covered multiple-purpose piazza, which will serve as a venue for small-scale cultural and entertainment activities.

To enhance accessibility, the revitalization project includes the construction of a new elevated walkway that will connect the north and south sections of the park near the entrance of Tung Tau Tsuen Road.

This walkway aims to provide the public with a bird's eye view of the nearby parks.

Wai said: "This walkway aims to connect to the new government complex, so as to facilitate residents to travel between Mei Tung Estate, the complex and the Lung Shing area to further enhance the accessibility of the park."

Regarding recreational facilities, in addition to the basic installations such as slides, swings and climbing frames, the team responsible for the revitalization project plans to utilize the space beneath the elevated cycling tracks. This area will be transformed into a shaded environment where additional fitness facilities will be set up to cater to users of different age groups.

During the revitalization period, certain sections of the park and pedestrian passages will be temporarily closed. To mitigate any inconvenience caused, the authority will provide two new temporary pedestrian passages.

One of these passages, connecting Junction Road, Kowloon City Plaza and the Lung Shing area, is already open to the public. The other temporary pedestrian link, connecting Mei Tung Estate, Carpenter Road Park, Kowloon City Plaza and Kowloon Walled City Park, will only be opened after necessary facilities are removed and the road section is formed.