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ZIM CITY
The community deserves compensation
Paul Zimmerman on the shrinking of Cyberport waterfront park
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The Legislative Council has just approved of a budget of over $5 billion for the expansion of Cyberport.
The expansion will include the construction of Cyberport 5, which will start in the fourth quarter of 2021 and is expected to be completed in 2025. This decision will result in the loss of 20 percent of the park area for a new building, access road and elevated walkways. Besides offices and conference facilities, the new building will offer alfresco dining, public toilets and water fountains.
With the loss of a large area of the park for the new building, the community deserves compensation. Under the approved budget, Cyberport will take permanent ownership of the waterfront park. To date it has maintained the area under a short-term tenancy. Funding has
Photo: Legislative Council been included only for re-turfing the lawn and repaving the promenade. However, residents and park users want more. Our cartoon shows popular requests for waterfront enhancements including an extension of the promenade to Sandy Bay, a skate park, a roof over the burning hot concrete pier and more kid and pet facilities.
The presentation by Cyberport to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong included conceptual drawings which provoke other questions. Why an elevated walkway in the park area? Is the road through the park for emergency access only? Why replace grass with a lot of concrete without shade?
Cyberport has committed itself to consulting the community and district council. The master layout plan for the building will have to be approved by the Town Planning Board. The Lands Department will incorporate requirements in the leases for the park and the building.
Tell us what you want in the park at paulzimmerman.hk or send us an email at info@paulzimmerman.hk. We will collate all comments and questions for presentation to Cyberport and relevant Government departments.
Paul Zimmerman is CEO of Designing Hong Kong and Vice-Chairman of the Southern District Council. He has been acting as Chairman of the Single-Use Beverage Packaging Working Group and their ‘Drink Without Waste’ initiative since 2017.
