Taking a leisure walk along the Victoria Harbourfront to enjoy the beautiful scenery has become a favorite pastime for many local residents. Creating a more accessible harbourfont and enabling the public to get closer to the Victoria Harbour has always been one of objectives we are working hard to achieve. The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) is studying the feasibility of building a boardwalk underneath the Island Eastern Corridor (IEC) in North Point. The proposed boardwalk will allow the public to walk continuously along the waterfront from North Point to Quarry Bay, and would not be interrupted by high-rise buildings or major roads.

Now, it is not easy for people to get close to the harbourfront in North Point due to the presence of commercial, residential buildings and government offices.  In the Hong Kong Island East Harbour-front Study completed by the Planning Department in 2012, it was proposed that a 2km-long boardwalk underneath the IEC, stretching from Oil Street in North Point to Hoi Yu Street in Quarry Bay be built to enhance the connectivity along the North Point waterfront. The proposal was well received by the public by then.

However, as the boardwalk will involve reclamation works as defined under the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance (PHO), based on past Court judgments, government departments must establish that there is an overriding public need with compelling justifications before relevant works could commence.  To take forward the proposal, the CEDD is carrying out Stage 1 Community Engagement Exercise to collect public views on the proposal.

The boardwalk, if implemented, is expected to bring benefits socially, economically and in terms of the people’s livelihood.  The benefits will include (i) enhancing connectivity: the boardwalk will bridge the missing link between the waterfront in Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay with an easy access to adjoining areas, and enable integration of scattered open spaces along the waterfront; (ii) social needs: the boardwalk will serve as a community facility, encouraging the general public to exercise, walk or jog, and to lead a healthy lifestyle; (iii) economic needs: the boardwalk is anticipated to attract more visits to the harbourfront.  Increase in pedestrian flow will energize economic activities in the surrounding areas, including the older areas of North Point; and (iv) environmental needs: the boardwalk project will also renovate columns and piers underneath the IEC to improve the environment and the view from there.

In addition, in Stage 1 Community Engagement Exercise, we also hope to gauge public views on the inclusion of other facilities into the boardwalk, such as cycle tracks and viewing and fishing platforms.  We would like to know more about their choices and views for further consideration.

Taking into account the PHO, we proposed to fully utilise the existing piers and protection structures of the IEC to support the construction of the boardwalk.  Except a few necessary piled dolphin structures, no new land will be formed by reclamation. The sea area covered by the boardwalk is mainly the area underneath the IEC.  We will continue to study the details carefully to ensure the suggestions can meet the public needs and comply with relevant statutory requirements.

The Stage 1 Community Engagement Exercise will last until the end of March. You are welcome to express your views on the thematic website and the Facebook page, so that we will know your needs and requests.