Kowloon Park

Kowloon Park

Introduction

Located in the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui area, during the Opium Wars, this was the site of the Kowloon and Kwun Chung Forts, which were urged to be built by Lin Zexu. It later became British military barracks. After being turned into a park by the Urban Council, it became the “green lung” of the Kowloon Peninsula. It was officially opened in 1970. By 1989, it was rebuilt at a cost of three hundred million Hong Kong dollars, covering 13.47 hectares. The park provides visitors with a comprehensive range of active and passive recreational facilities. Due to topographical constraints, active recreational venues are concentrated in the northern part of the park, while passive recreational areas are mainly located in the south.

Both active and passive facilities are available outdoors and indoors. For outdoor facilities, the park features an adventure playground, which is a playground converted from the fortresses and gun emplacements on the hillside of the park, giving visitors the sensation of being in a military camp. There is also a Chinese-style garden, which includes a two-tiered lotus pond connected by a stone waterfall, and an elegant traditional Chinese pavilion in the pond. The park also has an observation tower, a conical structure built atop the pump house. The observation tower, situated at the highest point of the park at 37 meters above sea level, offers visitors panoramic views of the surroundings when they reach the top. In addition to the above, the park’s outdoor amenities also include a fitness trail, maze garden, rooftop garden, sculpture corridor, and sculpture garden, offering a feast for the eyes.

As for indoor facilities, there are both indoor and outdoor swimming pools as well as an indoor stadium. The swimming pool is located in the east wing of the park building and can accommodate 1,530 swimmers. Its annual attendance exceeds one million. Kowloon Park Swimming Pool is not only one of the best-equipped swimming pools in Hong Kong, but also the only venue in the Kowloon area suitable for hosting large-scale or international swimming competitions. The stadium is located in the west wing of the park building. The main arena covers an area of 1,760 square meters, making it one of the largest fully air-conditioned stadiums in the Kowloon area, suitable for various types of sporting events. Additionally, in one corner of the park stands the Hong Kong Mosque, one of the larger mosques in Hong Kong. Along the roadside side of the park, there is also a row of newly built shops modeled after American-style stores, called “Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard.” The rooftops of the shops are also designed as gardens, blending seamlessly with the park, adding a unique touch.

Transportation

MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Exit A1.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong