Open harbour beckons as final boardwalk section opens

The eastern section of the East Coast Boardwalk in North Point opened on Monday, with the completion of its final kilometre allowing for an unbroken run from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan along Hong Kong Island’s 13‑kilometre harbourfront. Harbourfront Commission chairman Ivan Ho described the 13-kilometre project as a significant milestone for the development of one of city's most iconic features. He also pointed out that the East Coast Boardwalk was designed to promote the concept of a “harbourfront shared space” and encouraged users to respect one another. “Both the eastern and western sections of the East Coast Boardwalk have shared paths," Ho told an RTHK radio programme. "That means there are parts of the promenade where we encourage people to share space, whether it’s cycling or jogging. “Some conflicts have occurred on the western section, such as between elderly people and children. We anticipated that would happen. "This is all part of the learning process, people need to learn to be inclusive, respect others and accommodate different uses of the space.” Ho also said catering facilities would be introduced later, with the tendering process expected to take months. Several open spaces along the promenade will be available for public use, where people can apply to host exhibitions, art events or other community activities. Ho said discussions were going on with the Eastern District Council and district officer to work out suitable arrangements.