Victoria Park, Hong Kong

Victoria Park (zh-t|t=維多利亞公園) is a public park in Hong Kong, named after Queen Victoria. It is located in Causeway Bay, in the north of Hong Kong Island, between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations. It is part of the Eastern District, along the border with Wan Chai District. Victoria Harbour is in the north of the park, while Hong Kong Central Library locates in the south. In the early 2000s the park underwent a major revamp.

History

The park was previously a typhoon shelter known as Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter, part of Victoria Harbour, used to protect fishing boats and yachts during typhoon seasons. In the 1950s, the shelter was reclaimed and a park was built there. The typhoon shelter was then relocated at the north of Victoria Park.

In recent years, there has been a tradition for thousands of Indonesian domestic workers to congregate in and around the western end of Victoria Park every Sunday (their usual rest day of the week). There is also a parallel, older tradition for Filipina domestic servants to congregate in Statue Square in Central, Hong Kong.

Features

There is a sitting statue of Queen Victoria, at the main entrance of the park. This statue was founded in Pimlico, London and was originally located on Statue Square. This statue, together with other ones from the square, were displaced to Japan to be melted by the occupying Japanese during World War II. After the war the statues were brought back to Hong Kong, and Queen Victoria's statue was restored in 1952 and placed in Victoria Park.

The park includes various sports facilities, swimming pool, central lawn and children areas. The tennis central court in the park is often used to host international tennis tournaments. There are several pools of water located in the garden area that are often used by the locals for remote-controlled toy boats.

Events hosted

Lunar New Year Fair

A Lunar New Year Fair (年宵市場) is held there annually in the days preceding Chinese New Year. Some other large events are also held in the Park, such as Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo and Hong Kong Flower Show.

Protests

A vigil attracting thousands of people is held there every year on June 4 to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square Crackdown. The park is also often being used as various demonstrations, such as the July 1 marches and 124 March.

City forum

A city forum, sponsored and broadcast to the public by Radio Television Hong Kong, is usually held in the park every Sunday. The forum attracts tens of pro-Beijing old men yelling outside the forum venue, especially when there are pro-Democratic politicians participating in the forum. Such old men are usually referred to by the general public as the "Uncles of Victoria Park" (維園阿伯）.

Transport

The transport there is very convenient as it is just next to the busy district Causeway Bay. Visitors can reach there by MTR, getting off at either Causeway Bay MTR station or Tin Hau station. Dozens of bus routes and the trams can reach there as well.

External links

* [http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/parks/vp/en/index.php Official website of Victoria Park]
* [http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9706/04/tiananmen.images/ Images from a vigil in Victoria Park, commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations]