LOCAL
Bishop Hill reservoir restored The public called for reservation of the century-old underground reservoir in Sham Shui Po. Katrina Lau reports A Romanesque underground reservoir was discovered late last year, while undergoing a demolition project by the Water Supplies Department. The reservoir, known as Bishop Hill’s current site, was planned to be taken down and repurposed for water supply usage. Located near Shek Kip Mei in Sham Shui Po, the Bishop Hill service reservoir was first recorded in 1904. The cavernous chamber features a 4,300 square feet underground area with hundreds of brick pillars, water pipes and stylistic arches. The dismantling of the reservoir didn’t catch any attention until images online sparked publicity. Citizens alerted district councillors while hikers and photographers flocked to the site for photos. The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors along with several members of the Antiquities Advisory Board urged officials to engage the public on preservation plans and recover the demolished parts. Inside the building site, metal fences and pieces of broken brick were found.
Most did not know what the reservoir looked like underneath the surface and the latest images on social media unveiled the fascinating architecture and preservation sentiments. Both the public and local historians voiced their concern for the latest unearthed relic, stating that Bishop Hill reservoir is a one-of-a-kind discovery. While reservoirs in Hong Kong were built after World War II, a water pipe in the cistern was found to be labelled ‘1909’, marking the reservoir as a pre-war artefact. Amidst the public’s objections, the Water Supplies Department has called off the demolition. Meanwhile, officials have also started recovering structures. The Antiquities and Monuments Office has sent staff to the site for preliminary inspection and assessment in order to explore preservation plans. Paul Chu Hoi-shan, an architect and member of the Antiquities Advisory Board, says “it’s a positive thing that people are concerned about antiquities and monuments in our city. Such valuable monuments should
not be left unseen and destructed untold.” Conservationists and heritage-minded citizens hope that the government will come up with a transparent plan to preserve the monumental site. As further stabilisation work is needed before the site can be opened to the public. The department warns citizens to not trespass due to safety reasons.
hongkongliving.com | 15
