Reinventing Kai Tak Covid facility

The Kai Tak community isolation facility should be redeveloped into an international arts and sports hub, providing spaces for the development of cultural and creative industries, intangible culture and hostels, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said.

Speaking to the media yesterday, DAB lawmaker Starry Lee Wai-king said the 80,000-square meter facility with 3,000 units - which has been left idle - is costing the government HK$400,000 a month for maintenance.

As the construction of Kai Tak Sports Park draws to a close, she said now is a good time to restructure and reshape the facility into an international exchange arts and sports hub. It can also become a tourism spot, Lee added.

The party took reference from mainland arts and cultural parks such as the 798 Art Zone in Beijing, a closed factory that now houses various exhibition spaces and cultural creation stores.

It suggested dividing the facility into six functional areas, including a youth cultural and creative zone to assist cultural start-ups, venues for intangible cultural heritage workshops and guesthouses.

It also proposed that the government develop a water sports center to promote environmental protection and an exhibition area to showcase Kai Tak Airport's history.

"The redevelopment will maximize the use of existing resources and minimize unnecessary expenditure. It can also provide resources for artists to facilitate development and exchanges and the multi-faceted growth of youth," Lee said.

Regular promotions will be held, as they are conducive to the long-term and sustainable development of cultural creation and enhance Hong Kong's international image while stimulating jobs and nurturing talents.

"Redeveloping the facility is also in line with the principle of 'tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong' put forward by Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Xia Baolong," she said.

Lee said the project could create synergy with the nearby Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and Kai Tak Sports Park to become a cultural and creative tourism area.

But the party's Kowloon City District Council member Pun Kwok-wah said the transportation facilities in the Kai Tak area are inadequate and called the government to expedite the development of a green mass transit system.

In response, the Development Bureau said it shared the same views on developing the community isolation facility, planned for use as a tourism node and open space, for short-term uses.

"Noting that the DAB's proposal involves short-term uses covering sports, arts and district history, the deputy financial secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun will coordinate with relevant bureaus to explore the feasibility," it said.

Meanwhile, after inspecting the sports park construction site last Friday, Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said he believed that the center would become a popular venue.

"With the completion of this important infrastructure, I hope the long-standing problem of venue shortage in Hong Kong can be effectively alleviated while attracting more international mega-events to be held in HK."

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com