Kowloon Park is located on the Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong. It lies on the grounds of an old British military base and has been opened for recreational activities for the public since the year 1970. It sits on the location of the old Whitfield Barracks. The park cost about $300 million dollars to re-build in 1989. It is one of the most visited sites in Hong Kong today and overlooks the beautiful harbor. The park occupies a large portion of the land, approximately 33 acres. It is very easy to reach and is only 30 minutes away from Star Ferry via bus.
History
When the park was opened by Governor David Trench in 1970, it was well received by the public. It offers a lot of room for people to play, relax and have fun. It features beautiful gardens, tall trees and lush grass. There are also paved walkways which are well maintained.
Activities
You can see a lot of people jogging and walking around the park. Since the weather is usually nice in Hong Kong, people like to congregate at this park. It is common to see people resting on the grass or sitting on benches after a long day at work or sight-seeing. The park is large enough for a small game of football or handball. Children under nine years of age can enjoy one of the two playgrounds located on the park grounds. The gardens around the park are the perfect place for a stroll or take pictures.
Facilities
Bird watchers can enjoy seeing over 38 species of winged creatures in any of the seven enclosures right inside the park. There is a maze garden and a sculpture garden which are ideal places to explore and relax in. The beautiful Banyan Court is perfect for those who want a bit of shade and a place to rest. There are chess tables for those who are up for a challenging game. On Sundays, there are stalls set up around the park meant for public enjoyment. These are located near the sculpture garden and are usually for martial arts demonstrations.
Kowloon Park has a large aquatics sports facility center. It has four large pools, which includes a large Olympic-sized swimming pool. All of the pools are heated. There are also three outdoor pools that are irregularly shaped which are linked together through waterfalls. This site, which is often used for major swimming competitions, can accommodate up to 1,500 guests at a time. There are also nearby facilities which can be used for other sporting events such as basketball, volleyball and table tennis. The Sports Center is also often used for ballroom dancing events, squash and social activities.
