First section of East Coast Boardwalk in North Point to open this Sunday to offer new perspectives and experiences to enjoy Victoria Harbour (with photos)
The western section of the East Coast Boardwalk underneath the Island Eastern Corridor (IEC) in North Point will open to the public at 6am this Sunday (January 26). It will connect the East Coast Park Precinct (ECP) and the North Point Promenade (NPP), extending the connected harbourfront to North Point from Kennedy Town on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, with a total length of 11 kilometres (km).
The Acting Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong; the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; the Chairman of the Harbourfront Commission, Mr Ivan Ho; the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Michael Fong; the Project Manager (South) of the Civil Engineering and Development Department, Mr Victor Chan; and the District Officer (Eastern), Mr Simon Chan, officiated at the opening ceremony of the western section of the Boardwalk today (January 23). Mr Wong said that the Boardwalk is a signature harbourfront enhancement project of the Government and an important part connecting the Island North harbourfront. He expected that the Boardwalk would become a new landmark for the public and visitors to enjoy a variety of activities and appreciate the unique glamour of Victoria Harbour.
The Chairman of the Harbourfront Commission (HC), Mr Ivan Ho, said that the Boardwalk represents an important milestone in harbourfront development. The construction of the Boardwalk was not a simple process but a success of concerted discussions among the Government, the HC and the public over a decade , balancing the views expressed by sectors of the community. He mentioned that, as the final piece of puzzle to link up the harbourfront on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, the Boardwalk is of great significance to the connection of the harbourfront and provides more possibilities for harbourfront development in future.
The Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Michael Fong, said that to overcome technical difficulties such as height restrictions, narrow waterways, and lack of land access, the engineering team had introduced a number of innovative elements to construct the Boardwalk, including adopting prefabricated boardwalk decks, thereby reducing the construction period and costs, and effectively enhancing construction safety.
With a total length of about 2.2km, the Boardwalk is divided into the eastern and western sections. It is a critical harbourfront facility defining the shoreline of Hong Kong Island North by ingeniously utilising the space underneath the IEC. The Boardwalk's western section to be opened soon has a length of about 1.1km, of which some 700 metres serve to link the ECP and the NPP, while the remaining 400 metres comprise the enhanced NPP. The Boardwalk's eastern section will connect Hoi Yu Street in Quarry Bay from the NPP and is expected to be completed progressively in the second half of this year. Upon the full opening of the Boardwalk, there will be a continuous harbourfront of some 13km long, spanning from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan.
The Boardwalk will be a 'harbourfront shared space', with a shared path where the public may carry out various activities such as walking, jogging and cycling, thereby creating a vibrant and diverse atmosphere. In addition, an exclusive pedestrian walkway is also available side-by-side to provide an additional option for pedestrians. Another feature of the Boardwalk is the movable bascule bridge and the movable swing bridge, introduced for the first time in Victoria Harbour. These bridges allow vessels to access the coastal waters bounded by the Boardwalk when necessary, maintaining accessibility of the Boardwalk while accommodating operational needs. Other facilities along the Boardwalk include cascade seating for watching the sunset, a play area, fitness equipment, and a fishing platform. The Tong Shui Road Public Pier has also been preserved and revitalised, while the NPP has been enhanced to include more open areas and leisure facilities. The western section of the East Coast Boardwalk will open 24 hours a day, except for the movable swing bridge, which will open from 6am to 11pm.
There are three access points to the western section of the Boardwalk (see Annex), namely: (1) through Tong Shui Road (about a 3-minute walk from Exit A1 of North Point MTR Station); (2) through Provident Garden and the movable swing bridge; or (3) through the Watson Road entrance to the ECP and the passageway (about a 15-minute walk from Exit A of Fortress Hill MTR Station).
