Victoria Peak Garden

Victoria Peak Garden (zh-t|t=山頂公園) is a Chinese style garden, managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It was once an alternate home for the Governor of Hong Kong. The residence, Mountain Lodge, has been demolished, but the park remains as an attraction at the Peak.

It is a vantage point which captures an over 300 m high angle shot of the magnificent view of the Victoria Harbour and an exotic night scene of Hong Kong. The original landscape remains in the garden. Unlike most of the public parks in Hong Kong, dogs and other pet animals are allowed in the garden.

Future development

The Hong Kong government announced on 25 September 2005 that the site will be redeveloped along with the rest of the Peak area. [http://www3.news.gov.hk/ISD/ebulletin/en/category/infrastructureandlogistics/050922/features/html/050922en06001.htm]

The ample open space, vast amount of grassy lawn and stream course at the site will be preserved. To bring out the heritage elements, the garden will be enhanced with Victorian style features including gazebos, benches, sun-dials and colourful flowers. Artifacts from the Victorian era, such as stone pillars and carvings, will be displayed to enrich the visitors' experience.

The new pavilion will comprise four pergolas at the corners and Victorian colonnades to link up the pergolas. This will offer ample shade and a resting place for the public. The existing kiosk and toilet will also be reconstructed to boost the garden's Victorian ambience.

The $142.6 million tourist district improvement project, scheduled to finish around the end of 2007, will help create three new tourism nodes - Mount Austin Playground, Gate Lodge and Peak Garden, on the Peak.

This will help relieve over-crowdedness at the commercial core area, lengthen visitors' stay and bring potential benefits to the city's economy, with the projected number of visitors to the prime tourist spot going up from 4.5 million last year to 5 million in 2007.

ee also

*List of urban public parks and gardens in Hong Kong

External links

* [http://www.fso-tela.gov.hk/accessibility/eng/locations_details.cfm?Photo_Num=00021 The Film Services Office]