Thank you for your continuous love and support for the Newsletter. Six years have passed since the first issue in October 2018. In this span of time, the Kowloon City District, you, the reader and all of us have undergone big changes. Each issue is a labour of love from the team of editors, hoping to breathe some new life into it and for you to observe and explore our city in different ways. The some 20 pages of the Newsletter is not only about the history, culture, art and design of the district, but also a fuse for the ignition of interest to the community.
The only constant is change itself. As Kowloon City Themed Walking Trail draws to a close, so does the Newsletter with this issue. It is time to encourage people in the community and other enthusiasts to brainstorm their image of a ideal neighbourhood for the local residents.
季刊 第二十五期 Newsletter Issue.25 10-12.2024
編輯：丘前朗、張禮皓
Edited by Frandie Yau, Michael Cheung 設計排版：林紫茵
Designed by Traci Lam 編審：陳詠琳、鄭詠恩
Reviewed by Gwyneth Chan, Vivian Cheng 督印人：何穎儀
Supervised by Joyce Ho
印量：8,000 8,000 copies in print
出版日期：2024年12月
First edition Dec 2024
九龍城主題步行徑辦公室：
九龍馬頭涌真善美村低座一樓
Office: 1/F, Lower Block, Chun Seen Mei Chuen, Ma Tau Chung, Kowloon
躍變．龍城體驗館：
九龍譚公道115號運通大廈地下5號舖 Kowloon City in Transformation Information Centre：
Shop No.5, Ground Floor, Wan Tung Building, No. 115 Tam Kung Road, Kowloon
The team would like to thank all participants and interviewees for their support. The project combined research and interviews to create a story of everyday life in the old walled city that is presented via sound. Citizens who have never experienced the lawlessness in the city can be immersed in it to know the other side to the crime-filled region. People related to the city can likewise reminisce their days via the project.
We cordially invite you to the Kowloon Walled City Park, where you can find ten information spots for 'Sound Stories: Immersion in Old Kowloon Walled City' around the outsides of the Park until the 31st December. Enjoy the stroll in the Park with sounds in the historic city!
徵集得獎 Awardees of Collection
主題：舊事新景
Facebook人氣獎
早前步行徑於社交平台上邀請公眾參 與，投選最喜愛的社區攝影作品，獲最 多讚好之十幅作品正式出爐。
兩位熱愛社區的年輕人奪得「編輯最 愛」一獎，從他們的眼中能看見一份熱 血，同時對未來帶着一絲期盼。
Earlier, we invited public to vote for their favourite photos on social media platforms, and ten with most like were selected. Congratulations to the awardees and thank you to all who participated. The “Editors' Favourite” was given to two young people who love their community. In their eyes are enthusiasm and a sense of hope for the future.
looking up can see the Lion Rock. The mountain in this view was right between old and new buildings, creating a unique image composition. Stopping here to think made them realise the idea of fusion between the old and the new: although renovations are taking place, the Lion Rock is still here with us - the spirit of Hong Kong is still embedded within the mountain. With this, they snapped the picture.
“We did take a different set of photos in other places, but we gave up.” Surprisingly, they took their pictures with only a phone camera. David points out that while the hardware is important, what is more precious is the community connections shown within the photograph. The non-local delivery worker in one of their photos is an example of liveliness in the city. The popularity of takeaways stemmed from the epidemic and recent technological advancements, which are slowly becoming a new norm. The worker represents racial diversity, pumping new energies into this old place. When asked about the urban renewal, the two replied in unison that they hoped for renewal to preserve the unique culture, such as the diverse backgrounds of residents and the relationships amongst them, and to improve living conditions for a more comfortable space.
Renewal are an important part of prolonging the life of a city. It is still unknown if the outcome of it can be their ideal version. ‘If they survived World War II, they can also avoid the redevelopment, right?’ they remarked. The novelty brought by urban renewal has to be based on the people.
The city is undergoing changes, and they are not necessarily regrettable.
Changes are opportunities for the community. Many cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam, Kyoto and Shanghai are examples of the unique fusion of historical and modern buildings. A change is not only superficial, but it must also make the community more suitable to live in, features more distinct and more lively.
It is very important for the people to live happily and healthily - this is what makes a community ideal. A carefully planned division of space, public facilities and community interactions satisfy the needs of life while fulfilling the body and mind, being truly happy from the inside out.
Kowloon City is facing huge urban changes. In the midst of this, we can think of how an ideal community would look like. Three members of the community from different walks of life - Luke, McKay and Sidney - have coincidentally formed ties with the district. Let us explore the emotions and imaginations towards Kowloon City from their perspectives.
社區導賞團體「街坊帶路」創辦人之一， 多年來致力推廣街坊主導的社區導賞團。
先後與九龍城主題步行徑策劃多次地膽導 賞培訓班及地膽導賞團，反應熱烈。
As one of the founders of the community tourism organisation Kaifong Tour, he has been promoting community tours tirelessly for years. Luke has also coordinated several training programmes for community tour guides training and community tours with the Kowloon City Themed Walking Trail, which were all well-received.
Luke believes that the Kowloon City District symbolises changes, which is not only about the urban renewal of the city itself, but also the variety of members who make up the community. 'People (residents) here are very fluid. They don’t all reside here, but they lived here at some point in time,' he remarked. Deducing from Luke’s work, those who actively participate in community tours are often not long-term residents or raised in Kowloon City. Although Luke is not a resident, he always returns to the district because of the memorable bits and pieces gathered from both his work and off-hours. Luke often passes by the path between Kowloon City and Kai Tak when he jogs. He gains different perspectives even at the same location following different times - just as one would see various sceneries when having a walk versus a jog.
Followed by a ‘sense of belonging’, he explains that in his eyes, important values such as the preservation of history for posterity and the tight bonds within the community are well kept in Kowloon City under the curtain of change. From the rich history to the tightknit community of today, connections have always been the core of the City. Maintaining such dynamic bonding is the core topic for residents and members of the community.
Speaking of the ideal community, he mentions ‘the forging of community connections’ and ‘the preservation of the district’s features’ as the starting point. Luke first poses his imagination with a public recreational space like a big grassland, where residents can enjoy homely comfort by simply lying down. Also, he mentions that as a “spot of green” in a forest of packed buildings, this space should be free of the awkwardness normally felt between strangers, like a homely community courtyard for the people.
Luke mentions a “community mall” as well, which is indispensable to the community. This kind of mall, compared to conventional profit-making malls, acts as a platform to support interaction among residents. The small talk between the customers and the shop owners is what Luke hopes to do during his community tours. Not only are products and services seen in these malls, but shop owners can also carry the interaction of residents while exhibiting their business strengththe epitome of crowd participation, which brings up a sense of well-being.
With only a couple sentences of Mandarin, McKay came to Hong Kong to work all the way from the United States six years ago. He has stayed at numerous places before residing in Kowloon City. Recently, he has started to introduce the unique culture of Kowloon City to his family, friends and even locals as a tour guide.
McKay has set foot in almost every corner of Hong Kong in his six years here, only to finally settle down in Kowloon City District. He is particularly attracted by the district’s authenticity, unity and excitement. One time when McKay was going out during the Songkran celebrations, he was splashed right in the face when not even a moment had passed. The white powders that with blessings and friendly smiles, which washed away the barriers between them. He adds that from time to time, local shop owners recognise him and teach him how to speak Cantonese when he goes shopping. It is the occasional small talk that make McKay feel the friendliness of the people.
In the eyes of a non-local, a 'super-friendly' community removes this foreign barrier and closes the gaps between one another, which is demonstrated by Kowloon City District. As McKay’s top tier community, it is also incredibly convenient: it is quick to cross the harbour or to reach other districts from Kowloon City. In contrast to other places which he has lived in, Kowloon City strikes a careful balance between history, culture and pace of living, empowering connections amongst neighbours.
In the face of change within the community, McKay expresses a bit of excitement as he looks forward to a new look and new facilities. However, he worries nonetheless as this change may make neighbour ties pass. He places great importance on the authenticity between the people, which is a crucial pillar in forming Kowloon City’s unique atmosphere.
'There should be parks filled with flowers and trees, and recreational spaces in a community,' remarked McKay. He shared a time when he and his girlfriend were on a date and were passing by Carpenter Road Park, where only a road separates it from residential buildings nearby, allowing people to enjoy the nature that it offers within walking distance. In the park he also saw people gathering around, workers taking breaks, children playing games, all of which demonstrated the authenticity of everyday life - a must-have in a community. As the features of Kowloon City, one should be valued on the old town and the genuine relationships. In terms of entertainment, McKay believes that the 'old way of living', comprising more antique shops and districts, is the top attraction for visitors, local or foreign alike. If these shops can be brought together as a market, it will be a sure way to attract people.
Kowloon City is the cradle for unforgettable moments for McKay. Every time he sees reports of the City’s story on the internet, his pride as one of it is again ignited. It is not only because of this pride, but also of the genuine enthusiasm and love for this place that drives McKay to actively share with others the reason he lives here.
園林設計師Sidney去年與友人開展社交 媒體專頁「Public Space Users」，關 注港九大小公共社區空間。他們透過觀 察、體驗、思考與討論，以繪畫補完空 間的不足。發掘那些被忽略的空間之 餘，同時亦凝聚志同道合一同探索。
Sidney, a landscape designer, started a social media page 'Public Space Users' last year with his friends that is dedicated to public spaces throughout Hong Kong. Through observation, experience, thought and discussion, they devise solutions to what is lacking in those spaces via painting. This also dives deeper into those which are neglected, and have attracted like-minded for the cause.
Sidney says he is still not familiar with Kowloon City, as he is not originally from there. Recently the urban renewal issue and various films have got him to know more about this place. He said, 'The biggest thing I feel here is the harmony between the new and the old, and the diversity of it.' He also adds that in the past, 'an old place' was all that Kowloon City was to him. The everyday lives of the people here create a parallel with the novelty that has slowly formed over the past few years. Contrast can be seen as one walks the road from Kai Tak to To Kwa Wan, where two distinct types of development are shown. Caring for urban spaces, Sidney mentions the limitation of building heights as imposed by Kai Tak Airport, which seemed to symbolise both conformity and diversity regardless of rich and poor. This is exactly why one can look up and see a big piece of the sky as the sparse buildings bring about a moment of breather, knitting a close community.
A wish to preserve a community
From not being familiar to walking in the streets of Kowloon City, the unique public spaces have intensified Sidney’s impressions. He scored the district 7 to 7.5 out of 10, as he directly pointed out that the lack of facilities which are designed with the user in mind led to the deduction of points. He hopes that the future urban renewal can reclaim the lost points, with the premise being that they preserve the feeling and the human elements of the current community. Otherwise the renewal will just be a lazy copy of that of other districts splattered onto Kowloon City, losing its attraction.
According to Sidney, public spaces are a musthave in an ideal community. An ideal public space has a high degree of freedom. Users can freely come and go and find a comfortable place to relax regardless of it being indoors or outdoors. At the same time, this space is user-driven, meaning that outside factors will not affect their desire to enter it. Moreover, he points out that public spaces are essential to connecting people. The streetscape and the shops of the Kowloon City district allow for interactions between local residents, creating the current community and experience. If the future renovations can incorporate more diverse spaces, this greatest feature can surely be enhanced.
With this, Sidney bravely asserts an ideal community that is a 'bicycle city'. Although bicycle is an invention of the 19th century, it has regained traction in developed countries. In some European cities, not only is cycling a low-stress way to spend a day, it is also friendly to the people and the environment. Sidney mentions that biking is a feeling-based activity and one can freely stop for a break when they are cycling through the city. Hong Kong is very convenient in its transportation, and the idea of high efficiency is often surpassed again and again. However, inspiring from how people experience life and culture with cycling when they are in a foreign place, a change of perspectives can lead us to think if we can offer people a downshifting lifestyle similar to 'bicycle city', coupled with the concept of a '15-minute living circle', we could already be pioneering a new, restraint-free way forward.
理想公園有甚麼？
商場形式可以如何變？
加創意、狂想像，如果我揸主意，我想加......
What does an ideal park have? How can the form of malls change? Be creative and think big! If I were in charge, I would like to add…
I want to gather like-minded friends to hold a themed party in the park every month. This includes but not limited to events like ‘Halloween’ or ‘Board Game Day’. Additionally, I would like to add some mist-cooling devices in the park because summers in Hong Kong can be boiling.
As for the shopping malls, I would like to play hide and seek because ever since watching the show ‘Running Man’, I have always wanted to try it. Also, I would like to add more chairs in all the public areas of the shopping malls. It can be tiring during shopping and I couldn’t find a chair to rest in. Sitting in a shop would be awkward and could disturb others' business.
If MTR stations were no longer connected to shopping malls but instead linked to local community parks, you would first walk through a lush green space. Kowloon City District would welcome everyone returning home or those exploring the area with joyful laughter.
If the form of shophouses can be re-created in today’s shopping malls, it could be their living spaces. Compared to the past private spaces, the current use of these public spaces could foster a community-oriented atmosphere, creating a world that promotes local connections.
What would you like for a park to have? How can malls change? Parks and malls have seemingly become necessary for life in the modern world. A few prompts are already enough to start an infinite train of thought about the community in our minds. If you are like those who love to dream and care for the community, scan the QR code and tell us about your thoughts right now!
