Welcome Message
Welcome to the website of the Harbourfront Commission.
Victoria Harbour holds a special place in the hearts of the residents and visitors. It is an embodiment of the city’s history, culture and aspirations. This magnificent harbour has witnessed the remarkable transformation of Hong Kong from a fishing village to a thriving metropolis, symbolising our resilience and determination. Beyond its role as a working harbour, some sections of the Victoria Harbourfront have now become public open space for leisure and recreation, where people come together to relax and mingle.
Our vision is to develop with the community the Victoria Harbour as a valuable public asset and identity of Hong Kong which will bring pride and enjoyment to our fellow citizens. With the support of Harbour Office of the Development Bureau, the Commission accords priority to public interests. We invite relevant stakeholders, including members of professional industries, non-governmental organisations, local community and private sectors to offer views on the planning, design, development and management of harbourfront areas, with a view to creating harbourfront sites that can best meet the needs of the general public.
Year 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of our harbourfront development. The Government first established the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee in 2004, and accepted the Committee’s recommendation to establish the Harbourfront Commission in 2010. Continuous efforts have been made to foster and facilitate the development and enhancement of the Victoria Harbourfront. Through a series of public engagement campaigns and interaction with the general public, we would like to record the milestones of our harbourfront development over the years together and pass on our vision, our experience and spirits therein.
To make our harbourfront more vibrant and attractive, we have experimented a variety of new design and management models in recent years. The “incremental approach” aims to connect different parts of the promenade as quickly as possible, such that the public can access to the harbourfront sites and enjoy the public open space around one to three years ahead of the original plan. Meanwhile, we have introduced the “Habourfront Shared Space” to encourage inclusive harbourfront experiences through open management under the “vision-driven” approach. We have engaged local illustrators and artists to add colours to our harbourfront with creative installations and play equipment, etc.
Moreover, to bring people closer to the water, we have progressively introduced the “fence-free design”. We started off with removable fence and low kerb, then the sloping sea wall, followed by the introduction of the fence-free breakwater in the East Coast Park Precinct and then to the harbour steps in the later stage of the Water Sports and Recreation Precinct and Revitalized Typhoon Shelter Precinct. We will strive to incorporate more water-friendly elements in upcoming harbourfront projects.
We will continue to make available in the near future more harbourfront spaces with a brand new look, including the Hung Hom Urban Park as well as more public open spaces by private developers in Kai Tak and Yau Tong. The Boardwalk underneath the Island Eastern Corridor is also expected to be completed by phases from late 2024 onwards. Upon the completion of various projects, the total length of promenades is expected to extend to 34 kilometres by 2028.
I hope that the Commission can serve as a platform to engage with the community, as well as to bring people to the harbour and the harbour to the people. We value your views and suggestions. Commission meetings are open to public and papers are available in the public domain. Please visit here if you want to know more about the Commission’s work.
Let’s work together to achieve, through collective wisdom, our shared vision to create an attractive, vibrant, accessible and sustainable harbour of vitality for the people.
Ivan Ho
Chairman
Harbourfront Commission