Covering Open Space in Hong Kong (Civic Exchange edition)

COVERING OPEN SPACE IN HONG KONG Special edition for The Jockey Club Civic Exchange “Reconnecting Open Space” Programme

Organised by

Funded by

Project Partner

In This Issue 04

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Background

Hidden Treasure

KEEP OFF THE GRASS!

“Covering Open Space” Journalism Education Initiative

Public Open Space in private development fails to attract public use

Controversy on fences at public parks

What is Public Open Space?

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Magic Lanes

Running around the city

Active community engagement revives hidden open space

Urban planning that gets people off the couch

25 A playground designed by kids, for kids The government consulted children in Tuen Mun on how to build a playground that’s safe and fun

Letter from the Editor After the 10-month-long journey with Civic Exchange, The Young Reporter presents you with our special edition - Covering Open Space. This magazine is produced as part of the “Covering Open Space” Journalism Education Initiative. The Initiative is organised by Civic Exchange in collaboration with The Young Reporter, an English news publication run by students of International Journalism in the Journalism Department at Hong Kong Baptist University since 1969.

By Hong Kong government’s standard, every individual is entitled to 2m2 of open space averagely, deriving from the accessible recreational spaces shared by everyone like parks and public sports pitches. In fact, each Hongkonger has only 2.7m2 of open space, much lower than other Asian cities like Tokyo (5.8 m2), Seoul (6.1 m2), Shanghai (7.4 m2) and Singapore (7.6 m2), according to Civic Exchange’s 2017 study titled “Unopened Space: Mapping Equitable Availability of Open Space in Hong Kong”.

However, the effective open space per capita is very unevenly distributed by districts. According to the statistics of Civic Exchange, in neighbourhoods like Mong Kok and Wanchai, there are only 0.6m2 to 1m2 per person, while Sai Ying Pun has between 1.1m2 to 2m2 per person, barely meeting the standard.

Therefore, we hope to cover stories about different aspects of open space to see how the society can bring greater environmental, health and social benefits for Hong Kong residents.

The experience covering open space issues has been fruitful and inspirational. As we look into the city where we study and live in, we discovered a hidden stadium in private developments at the West Kowloon reclamation site which meant to be a public open space and a playground in Tuen Mun designed by kids, for kids. We also visited one of the first parks in Yuen Long where the grass is not fenced off and a “Magic Lane” in Sai Ying Pun that connects the local community. Read our special edition to embark on a tour with us around public open spaces in the city.

Sincerely, Holly Chik Chiu-wai Editor-in-chief

Editor-in-Chief

Editors

Holly Chik

Alexandra Lin Jade Li James Allen Kenji Chan Lloyd Hewitt-Robinson Raphael Blet Robert McGain Sammi Chan Windy Li Yolanda Gao

Deputy Editors

Angie Chan Caroline Kwok Michael Shum Michelle Ng Art Directors

Candice Wong Dorothy Ma Erica Chin Erin Chan Distribution Officers

Ezra Cheung Social Media Editors

Elisa Luk Melanie Japson Sharon Pun Multimedia Editors

Elly Wu Kobie Li Maggie Liu Scout Xu Wing Li Yoyo Chow Zinnia Lee Advisers

Jenny Lam Robin Ewing

Reporters

Akane Nakasuji Amy Ho Anna Kam Brison Li Cara Li Fifi Tsui Hailey Man Izefia Nie Karen Kwok Katherine Li King Woo Maisy Mok Melissa Ko Nadia Lam Oasis Li Phoebe Lai Rachel Yeo Shane Wang Stephanie Ma Tomiris Urstembayeva Vanessa Yung Vimvam Tong Wallis Wang William Tsui Yetta Lam

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Background The Jockey Club Civic Exchange “Reconnecting Open Space�

Programme (the Programme) is a public engagement project that aims to evaluate and raise societal awareness on the quality of open space in Hong Kong. The initiative is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and led by Civic Exchange, an independent public-policy think tank that aims to inform policy and engage stakeholders in addressing environmental and development challenges in Hong Kong. This one-year project includes an 18-district-wide public opinion survey, capacity-building programmes for tertiary and secondary students, a workshop, a public forum, and a research report on creating inclusive open space in the city.

Between February and March 2018, Civic Exchange conducted a public opinion survey on open space and found that Hong Kong residents from different age groups have diverse and sometimes conflicting needs. Preliminary results also show that there is a need to introduce more inclusive open-space design and management, especially in pocket parks and small sitting-out areas.

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“Covering Open Space” Journalism Education Initiative This magazine is produced as part of the “Covering Open Space” Journalism Education Initiative (The Initiative). The Initiative is organized by Civic Exchange in collaboration with Hong Kong Baptist University’s The Young Reporter student publication.

Between January and October 2018, Civic Exchange engaged over 50 journalism students from Hong Kong Baptist University to create multimedia stories about open space issues in Hong Kong. Students gained insights into the latest research, trends, and data sourcing knowledge about open space through one-on-one mentorship and expert guidance from Civic Exchange. In May 2018, Civic Exchange also published an “Open Space Handbook” - an educational resource to help journalists, journalism students, urban planners, and the public learn more about the definition, benefits, and importance of open space in Hong Kong.

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What is Public Open Space?

The concept of public open space can be vague and is viewed differently in different cultures. In the broadest sense, however, urban designers think of public open space as any space which is outdoors and can be accessed by anyone without paying a fee or meeting any requirements. Parks, squares, streets, street markets, footbridges, and country parks are some examples of public open space.

Why Does Public Open Space Matter?

Public open space is often neglected because it doesn’t have any commercial value. However, it brings about a wide range of environmental, health, and social benefits. For example, more open space means cleaner and cooler air and better ventilation in the city. Overseas studies also found that elderly people in Japan who live near walkable, green open space in Japan live longer than those who do not. Studies from several countries including the Netherlands and the UK found that people who live in areas with more green open space are happier and have lower rates of depression and anxiety.

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Open Space Provision in Hong Kong Figures provided by the Planning Department show that there were about 1,932.9 hectares of countable open spaces in 2012.

Countable open spaces refer to recreation grounds managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Housing Authority, public open spaces in private developments, and private open spaces in large residential developments.

There is on average 2.7-2.8m2 of open space per person in Hong Kong, but such space is unevenly distributed. In old urban areas, the level of open space provision can be much lower: in Mong Kok, it is only 0.6m2 per person. Compared to other advanced Asian cities, Hong Kong has a low level of open space per person.

Find out more from the Open Space Handbook

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Magic Lanes: Active community engagement revives hidden open space Sheung Fung Lane in Sai Ying Pun is privately owned as part of a residential establishment, connecting Second Street to Third Street in flights of steep stone stairs that run between the buildings. Potted plants and works of pottery sit in a small but well-maintained green shed next to the street, while greenery lined the iron railings of the stairs.

It is one of many narrow paths and shortcuts in the district, but Sheung Fung Lane has been transformed into a place that brings the community together by an organisation called Magic Lanes.

“Instead of letting the government decide what community open spaces should look like, we want to reverse this topdown structure to strengthen the bond between everyone,”

Reported by Katherine Li Edited by Dorothy Ma

said Benjamin Sin, a social worker from Caritas who started to cooperate with Magic Lanes after seeing one of their community events.

He explained that when the government creates an open space, people have different types of complaints, such as poor maintenance, not enough seats, or they are not visually appealing.

But Magic Lanes allows the community to decide what they want to see in their open space.

While the government operates on a fixed budget which makes it difficult to make changes, residents can pitch in to create their own Magic Lanes projects on a more flexible budget.

“Before we came, Sheung Fung Lane was an abandoned pathway,” said Hendrik Tieben, an architecture professor at Hong

Kong University and one of the founders of Magic Lanes.

“Trash was disposed at random, water leakage was serious, and domestic pets often excreted waste here which made the smell unbearable.

Since this space wasn’t unusable, just uncared for, we thought we shouldn’t let it go to waste,” he added.

The journey to engage the community was not easy for Magic Lanes.

Mr. Sin said two years after the project began in 2013, the new metro line was extended to reach Sai Ying Pun and that led to rising housing costs. Many residents who did not own a property moved away, as foreigners and families with high income replaced them. That tore apart the original community.

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This particular stairway — Sheung Fung Lane — is a cheerful hidden place where the community is redefined, thanks to the organisation, Magic Lanes.

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We want to reverse this top-down structure to strengthen the bond between everyone.

Benjamin Sin, Social worker from Caritas Mint and basil are hung along the iron railings, not simply for decorations, but also repel animals with their odour.

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they used to. Residents would voluntarily hold meetings to find solutions to problems.

“We worked through this problem by listening to different needs and allowing them to work together on the project,” said Mr. Sin. “We try to be as inclusive as possible, so we even reached out to elderly people who live in cubicle homes just across the lane and invited them to take part.

When everyone had a say and got to participate, they began to understand each other better which gradually narrowed their differences.”

Mr. Sin felt that it was difficult to engage the community to start with because Hong Kong people are used to being passive and simply watch the government set up spaces for them.

“We had to reach out to the more active members of the community first, especially people with specific interests and talents that they wanted to share,” Mr. Sin said.

“They voluntarily contributed their time to hold painting lessons or storytelling sessions, and we could see the number of participants increased. Once the community got used to us and trusted us, we started to hold larger events, then started to encourage them to drive the changes in their environment,” he continued.

Mr. Tieben feels that the community cares a lot more about their environment now than

“Residents actually came up with many creative methods,” said Mr. Tieben. “For example, a few women who are interested in plantation have planted certain herbs that animals don’t like along the lane, which quite effectively solved the problem of animal waste.”

Cultivated plants and brightly-coloured pottery works on display in the community shed, which was created with recycled materials. (above)

Plants enthusiasts of the community taking their plants outdoors again after the onset of Typhoon Mangkhut. (below)

Mr. Tieben also said that residents can often see and solve problems together without having to complain to the government and wait to be given a solution. For instance, residents have recently identified the problem of inconvenient garbage dumping, therefore they are actively working to find a solution so that they no longer have to place their garbage at the foot of the stairway.

Recently, during a Mid-Autumn Festival gathering, the community has transformed the lane into a magical place of hanging lanterns and neon lights. Volunteers decorated the space, held ceramic painting activities, and gave handmade purple taro mooncakes for all visiting residents.

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The ceramic workshop to paint bunnies drew flocks of children.concentration. (down)

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When everyone had a say and got to participate, they began to understand each other better which gradually narrowed their differences.

Hendrik Tieben, Co-founder of Magic Lanes

“I really enjoy artistic activities like this one,” said Finnie Law, a resident who lives in one of the two buildings flanking Sheung Fung Lane, as she painted a piece of bunny-shaped ceramic sky blue.

“I’ve always thought this lane could be put to better use when I see it on a daily basis. And now that I know this is possible, I think it would be great if we can take natural advantage of the stairs and use it as a stage for community musical performances,” she said.

sometimes I wonder about the sustainability of such organisations because the impact it makes depends on how long it’s going to remain here.”

Ms. Wu is very pleased to see her child participate in events like the drawing competition, not to get an award, but to find happiness and have a sense of community outside the online world. She hopes that organisations like Magic Lanes can reach a wider audience.

Mr. Tieben believes that involving students to envision

and create designs is a way of keeping Magic Lanes alive.

“We have invited design and urban studies students to explore possibilities, and we hold student tours to help them understand how our community collectively puts together our space to share,” said Mr. Tieben.

“We hope to be able to continue our work under the government’s financial support, but ultimately we want to inspire more young people to carry on our work in other places as well,” he added.

Although she has lived there for 27 years, Ms. Law was not aware of Magic Lanes until that Mid-Autumn Festival evening. She promptly signed up for the ceramic workshop and got her family to participate in the activities.

“I have enjoyed many Magic Lanes activities, such as nostalgic storytelling, painting competitions for children, and pottery lessons,” said Peng Wu, a community resident and mother of an eight-yearold girl. “I do believe that they have brought this community closer and changed how we perceive our surroundings, but

Upon Mid-Autumn Festival, the welcoming and warm ambience given by neon lights and traditional lanterns attract residents to Sheung Fung Lane.

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Hidden Treasure Public open space in private development fails to attract public use Reported by Nadia Lam Edited by Erin Chan

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The MTR Corporation Limited owns and manages the Kowloon Station Podium Stadium in Union Square (photo) that is open for public use but is difficult to locate. Photo credit: Diego Delso, WikiCommon

Surrounded by skyscrapers and residential buildings, Union Square is a commercial and residential area at the West Kowloon reclamation site. While its 82,750-square metre shopping mall is open to the public, there is also a hidden stadium out of the public’s sight.

The Kowloon Station Podium Stadium on the podium floor of Union Square, has an outdoor court for badminton or basketball and an indoor area for squash or table tennis, according to a Lands Department document in June 2018.

But few people visit the stadium or are aware of its existence. To get there, visitors need to take a

ten-minute walk around Union Square to find the temporary signs, which was put up a few months ago only after a report

by RTHK pointing to how difficult it was to locate it, showing directions to the stadium.

Mr. Wang has lived in the Union Square for 10 years, but only found out about the existence of stadium five years ago after asking a security guard.

“I wanted to know how to book a place to play basketball, so I asked a security guard and he told me about the stadium,” Mr. Wang said.

“I would not know the stadium is there if I didn’t ask about

it. And even after the security guard gave the instructions, it still took me five minutes to locate the place,” he added.

The stadium is privately-owned but open for public use. To use the facilities, users need to contact the management company to make reservations and to pay the fees as set by the company.

According to a 2011 Development Bureau document, titled Public Open Space in Private Developments Design and Management Guidelines, public open spaces should have “clear indication of maps, location and signage that would help inform the public of the available space and help them identify

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the space and its vicinity.” The Kowloon Station Podium Stadium has none of those.

The problems with Kowloon Station Podium Stadium is only one of many examples of the controversy on open space in Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, under the Building Ordinance, the design and construction of private developments is subject to control.

When part of the private

development is allocated for public use, bonus gross floor area may be granted in return.

This was meant as an incentive for developers to provide public facilities, such as community halls, elderly centres, public open spaces, pedestrian passage and transport terminus within their developments.

The Hong Kong Public Space Initiative conducted a research, which covered 93 public open space in 18 districts, from June to September this year. They rated the spaces in terms of how private they were and

The location of the stadium is not indicated on the map.

T hi sw

ay t o

the “ hid

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adium...

accessibility. They found that spaces with free, easy access, basic infrastructure and non-restrictive security control had a higher usage.

Canon Wong, the Deputy Secretary General of the Hong Kong Public Space Initiative, suggested that the government can use mobile applications to enable members of the public to explore the potential of open spaces.

“It (mobile apps) can allow the general public to navigate undiscovered open space in Hong Kong, ” he said.

Mr. Wong said that adding new road signs pointing to these public spaces is useful but does not increase usage significantly.

Kowloon Station Podium Stadium, he believes is not easily accessible, and that gives the public little incentive to use it. The booking system, Mr. Wong added, should also be user-friendly, for example, by incorporating it into the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s online booking system.

Temporary signs showing the direction to the stadium following a media report on how difficult it is to locate the facilities.

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Urban planning that gets people off the couch

Jeff Tsang Pui-san, a 19-yearold Hongkonger, seldom exercises. His only exercise is his daily commute, running for about 10 minutes from his home to the metro station.

“I live in Cheung Sha Wan, a densely populated district.

Although there is a sports ground near my home, it is usually occupied by people training as well as athletic meets,” Mr. Tsang said. “When it is opened to (the) public, it would be packed with people.

This makes it difficult for me to jog there.”

Mr. Tsang’s level of physical activity is far below the standard recommended by the Hong

Kong government, that is, to exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

Like Mr. Tsang, one-third of the respondents in a survey conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong said they rarely or did not exercise in the past six months.

Yet according to the Planning Department, 2.3 % of the land, equivalent to twice the size of Hong Kong International Airport, is zoned for recreation and sports.

An international study conducted by Professor James Sallis of the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of

California found that urban planning is important in trying to encourage people to exercise.

The findings also indicated residents who live in activity-friendly environments could achieve 68 to 89 minutes more physical activities a week than others.

The report said that people who live in walkable neighbourhoods that are densely populated, have interconnected streets, and are close to shops, services, restaurants, public transport, and parks, tend to be more physically active than those in less walkable areas because a less car-dependent lifestyle means people are more likely to walk.

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Reported by Nadia Lam Edited by Kenji Chan and Yoyo Chow Apart from safety, jobs and access to services, Paul Zimmerman, a district councillor who specialises in urban design, said health should be a critical factor in urban planning. “We should be grateful. People live very long in Hong Kong and this is partly because of the fact that we exercise. We do not sit in cars all day compared with people in the United States. When people sit in cars, the obesity rate goes up a lot,�

Mr. Zimmerman said.

He also added the mountains and waterfronts in Hong Kong are easy to access, encouraging people to hike.

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Only 2.3 % of land, equivalent to twice the size of Hong Kong International Airport, is zoned for recreation and sports.

Planning Department

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For example, according to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, it only takes a 15-minute walk to get to Kwun Tong Promenade from Ngau Tau Kok MTR station.

But Mr. Zimmerman pointed out that unlike Europe, Hong Kong has limited sports grounds due to insufficient land supply.

According to the Civil Engineering and Development Department, only 40% of land in Hong Kong is flat and there are 25 sports stadiums in total.

But in Europe, even though only 6.7 % of the EU-28’s land area is for services and residential land use in 2015, more

than two-fifths of this total was devoted to residential use (44.5 %) and to recreation, leisure and sports use (43.2 %), according to Eurostat data.

Christy Yiu Kit-Ching, a champion long-distance runner, thinks otherwise. “There are enough sports facilities in Hong Kong. For example, there are three sports grounds near Tai Po,” she said.

“When the sports ground is open for public use, there are a lot of people,” she said. “This interferes with runners. Some people may not jog but block the tracks. I once saw some kids play ball games on the track, which is really dangerous”.

“I run on streets too. But the roads are too narrow and runners may crash into pedestrians,” she added.

Planning Department’s recommended minimum width for footpaths is 4.5 metres. When public facilities such as electrical control panels and bus stops are on the street, it leaves pedestrians with little space to pass.

Mr. Zimmerman also said the road design in Hong Kong is not suitable for runners.

“Our road networks are really short, and the number of vehicles per kilometre on the roads is very high. Most of the roads are busy, which do not allow

Long distance runner, Ms Christy Yiu Kit-ching hopes that sports grounds in Hong Kong can be more training-friendly for athletes.

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Locations of the 25 sports grounds in Hong Kong

Source: Leisure and Culture Services Department, Map data ©2018 Google

you to run along the road. The pavement would be congested,” he explained.

The government’s Annual Traffic Census 2016, shows that the number of vehicle-kilometres per day was 37.41 million. Mr. Zimmerman suggested some of the private clubs can allow some public access to encourage more people to do sports.

He also said the waterfront should be open to the public.

Ms. Yiu also agrees. “Waterfronts are really nice for jogging, especially the Kwun Tong Promenade, which caters for the working class. Some of my friends jog there during lunchtime,” she said.

Ms. Yiu wants the government to allocate different places for walkers and runners to avoid conflict and thinks that recreational parks can be improved, for example, with better lighting and anti-mosquitoes facilities.

Jeff Tsang thinks more recreational space might stop him from being a couch potato.

“When there are more sports facilities available near my home, I believe that this could motivate me to do more exercise,” Mr. Tsang added.

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KEEP OFF THE GRASS! Controversy on fences at public parks

Reported by Melissa Ko & Wallis Wang Edited by Erin Chan and Jade Li

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The extensive grassy slopes at Yuen Long Park offer a peaceful and relaxing place for residents to chill out.

Step into any public park in Hong Kong and you are likely to be greeted by warning signs such as “keep off the grass”. But that’s not the case at Yuen Long Park.

breathtaking panorama of the neighbourhood and views of Ping Shan, Ha Tsuen, Shap Pat Heung and Tin Shui Wai in the New Territories.

Located on the hill of Shui Ngau Ling, this is one of the first parks in the city where the grass is not fenced off.

“I always come here with my friends on Sunday because it’s near my home, free and close to nature,” Jade Reyes, a Filipino domestic helper working in Yuen Long said.

Visitors can spread out their picnic blankets and spend time on the soft lawns. The park features a seven-storey red pagoda from where visitors can appreciate the

On a typical Sunday, Ms. Reyes would ramble across the park for a while before chilling out with her hometown friends on

a picnic blanket, and it is only a 15-minute walk from where she works.

“No fences, no obstacles. All I want to do here is to enjoy the fresh air and natural surroundings,” she added.

According to a survey conducted

by Civic Exchange, an independent think tank independent public-policy think tank, lawns to sit on are the most desired open space amenities among young people.

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The mastermind behind Yuen Long Park is Dr. Gavin Coates, a British architect and senior lecturer at the University of Hong Kong’s faculty of Architecture.

He has been designing recreational space for about 30 years.

He pointed out that parks should be created for people to use freely and serve as safe places for children and families, but people in Hong Kong are used to rules in public places.

“Hong Kong is a strange city where people have been taught to keep off the grass since they were young,” said Dr. Coates.

“It’s something about a deeprooted mindset among people.”

But he added that the type of grass in Hong Kong is much weaker than those in Europe because of the climate.

“It’s comparatively hard to turn grass seed into lush and beautiful lawns here because the winter is too dry and the summer is just too hot, just like Singapore,” Dr. Coates explained.

Fences, he explained, might keep people off the grass in order to allow the plants and to maintain the parks.

Lawnmap, is an interactive website that displays information on the location and status of about 130 usable lawns around the city. The website’s operators have raised concerns on whether the government should control the use of public space by putting up fences.

“The government could eliminate unnecessary control over the parks and educate the public how to use the shared places appropriately instead of controlling what people do,” the website claims.

Ip Wing-yu, a spokesperson for the LCSD, explained that the they manage more than 1,500 parks and gardens of varying sizes. “Lawns of a substantial size have been provided to meet the needs of the public for relaxation,” she said.

“The lawn is open for public use. People can sit, walk or lie on the lawn areas and conduct activities on the lawns as long as such activities do not cause

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We will keep seeing maintenancedriven management decisions as long as the LCSD has a limited budget and manpower

Carine Lai, researcher and project manager at the WYNG Foundation

damage to the grass or cause nuisance to other users,” the LCSD stated.

Carine Lai, open space researcher at civic exchange said the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has the right to keep people off the grass, but there may be better ways to manage the parks.

“Even when people are allowed to walk on the grass, the LCSD sometimes turns on the sprinklers at lunchtime to deter people from using it,” said Ms. Lai. Although this is changing, we will keep seeing maintenance-driven management decisions as long as the LCSD has a limited budget and manpower, she said.

Ms. Lai pointed out that some large parks, such as Kowloon Park do not have lawns and members of the public can only walk along designated footpaths.

“There are more publicly accessible lawns in parks than in the past, but there is still room for improvement,” she said.

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A playground designed

BY KIDS, FOR KIDS

Photo credit: LCSD

The government consulted children in Tuen Mun on how to build a playground that’s safe and fun

Reported by Rachel Yeo Edited by Erica Chin

Imagination is the start of any creation, and this is exactly what the Tuen Mun Park children’s playground embodies.

“To address the demand for more challenging and interesting play spaces for children, the LCSD, in collaboration with the Architectural Services Department, adopted the winning schemes of the Inclusive Play Space Design Ideas Competition as a prototype to build an innovative inclusive playground in Tuen Mun Park,” said Koren Chan, an information officer from LCSD.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department manages about 600 leisure venues with outdoor children’s playgrounds, but the design of the children’s park in Tuen Mun is the result of consulting local children on how to improve the quality and inclusivity of play spaces in the city.

The competition was organised

by Playright Children’s Play The facility is set to open in the Association, a local non-profit fourth quarter of this year, ac- organisation which promotes cording to the LCSD. children’s right to play. Since its inception in 1987, the organisaThe playground is divided into tion has aimed to change public the north and south sections, play spaces in Hong Kong. with seven play theme areas.

Some of the themes are in- Chris Yuen Hon-cheong, a spired by reptiles, mountains, Play Environment consultant and even lotus flowers. at Playright, proposed the idea of consulting the children in

Tuen Mun district on how to create different components for the playground.

Under the Junior Playground Commissioner Incubation Programme, children were invited to become Junior Playground Commissioners.

Over 14 months, two schools in Tuen Mun, a secondary and a special needs school, sent a total of 17 students to take part in 59 consultation sessions.

The Junior Playground Commissioners went through inclusive play component design workshops, play space training and experiential workshops through playground visits. The sessions were designed to be child-friendly and include activities such as drawing and model making. The kids had ample opportunities to inter-

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The “Artist at Play” playground in Seattle, an example of a children’s playspace that was created with children’s comments. Photo credit: Playright

act with project designers from the Architectural Services Department.

“The purpose was to introduce the idea of an inclusive playground, to let [the children] experience what a playground should be, and to let them share what they thought would suit them,” Chris Yuen said.

While making a playground inclusive and fun, safety was also vital in renovating the Tuen Mun playground.

Groundwork, a local architectural firm which advocates for children’s play, was hired by the Architectural Services Department as the consultant for the project. The firm had conducted experiments for children through a series of games to collect their opinions on their ideal play spaces.

Groundwork played a critical role in helping the government set playground design guidelines for Tuen Mun Park.

By adopting guidelines from

the United States and Europe which are more relaxed than Hong Kong standards, it is possible to create facilities that are creative, yet still safe.

The Architectural Services Department adopted Groundwork’s revised guidelines to install more unconventional facilities to the playground.

One of these facilities is a 7.6m tall slide, while most slides in Hong Kong are typically around 1.8m.

“We scrutinised the standards and we realised that there are no restrictions for the height,” said Manfred Yuen, the founder of Groundwork.

“If the slide is tall, there needs to be certain provisions to make it safe. You can make the slides into a tube so the kids don’t fall out, [add a] protective barrier, then it will be fine,” he added.

Both Groundwork and Playright are thankful that the government is generally open-minded in adopting new

ideas to improve playgrounds, although they believe more can be done in the long-term.

In recent years, the government has appointed Playright for different advocacy, training and consultancy projects.

“The government recognises the needs and wants to make changes in order to respond to public’s request for more playful playgrounds,” he said.

Manfred Yuen also believes the government can improve future projects by adjusting its procurement process. One example is to consider accepting bids from contractors who are passionate about offering high-quality projects at a rightfully more expensive cost. Selecting the cheapest bidders all the time is not effective in creating long-lasting play spaces.

“The future contender for these projects must consider value versus money or time spent versus money,” Manfred Yuen explained.

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Children testing out the facilities in the playground during a site visit led

by ArchSD. Photo credit: Playright

needs and local culture,” said Chris Yuen.

Manfred Yuen agreed because he believed children and adults have completely different perspectives of the world.

“Previous projects were mostly interpreted by experts. Some of them are so bad [in designing place space] as they were mostly [using] the architect’s view and they wanted the kids to validate their views,” he said.

“We should, in the long run, develop our own standards because we are now using British and American standards. So they might not always be applicable to our context,” he added.

So can the creation of Tuen Mun children’s playground be replicated in other districts?

The LCSD states that they “will evaluate the feedback on the pilot project together with relevant works departments to see how the experience gained from this project can be adapted or adopted when planning for new park projects or modernising existing venues.”

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The Tuen Mun Park children’s playground is only the beginning of improving play spaces for children. In the long run, members of the public need to continue to voice their opinions for changes.

... Children are the pillars of our society.

If we don’t care about them, then we don’t have a future.

“At the end of the day, Hong Kong is still a democracy, so the public’s voices were heard and I think our society is progressing,” said Manfred Yuen.

“It’s symbolising the fact that we do treasure our future generations and children are the Manfred Yuen, pillars of our society. If we founder of Groundwork don’t care about them, then we don’t have a future,” he added.

Chris Yuen emphasises that the inclusion of “play consultants” in play space design is more important than copying the current design of Tuen Mun playground. It is also important to have professionals to make decisions from a children’s perspective to effectively rethink public play spaces for social inclusion.

“We do not expect the government to just simply replicate the innovation in play equipment because every community should be considered individually to meet different

Groundwork has conducted a series of experiments to collect opinion on what children want in a playspace. Photo credit: Groundwork

The Young Reporter Civic Exchange edition 2018

Printer Department of Journalism School of Communication Hong Kong Baptist University

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Civic Exchange or The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.