Bourree Lam takes in the hopes, sights, and events of the Green – Through the Kai Tak River initiative

If you lived in Hong Kong pre-1998, you probably know the Kai Tak nullah well – by its smell. The waterway’s unmistakeable stench used to greet every air passenger to land at the Fragrant Harbour’s old airport. For residents, it was the scent of home “sweet” home. Visitors, on the other hand, probably had a different impression.

For more than a decade no one has been able to agree on what to do with Kai Tak. For several years grassroots activists led by Chinese University architecture professor Wallace Chang Ping-hung have been resisting government plans to concrete over the nullah, and are pushing for the strip
to be turned into a green corridor instead. “We see the potential for this  to be a public space,” says Chang. “Existing green and cultural assets should be used for the future.”

One of those involved with Chang’s Kai Tak River project is Martha Bolmark, a Swedish exchange student who studied at the university. Bolmark turned her Masters thesis into a logistical proposal for redeveloping Kai Tak. “We see the potential,” she says. “There’s the globally relevant topic of public space, and also a very local aspect of heritage [preservation].”

With the Development Bureau and local district council involved, the green dreams of a new age of architecture in which community is key and skyscrapers are scrapped might come true for this Kowloon community. That is, if they can stop the concrete.

To appreciate what these groups are up against, take a stroll through the area. For the next two months the Kai Tak River project is hosting a range of events as part of October Contemporary.

IN THE AREA

Boardwalk
Until 2001, illegal sewage discharge and pollution made the river stink. The Drainage Services Department has since put a stop to that, and diverts rainwater through the nullah to the sea. So should the government still pour concrete in? A proposed 1.5km boardwalk would certainly create plenty of public space.

Nga Tsin Wai village
This 600-year-old walled village is still inhabited, with elderly residents eating communally and giving each other haircuts under outdoor canopies.

Morse Park
Morning tai chi, jazzercise and strollers can be seen in this trail-filled park with giant trees. Though currently boxed in by high LCSD fences, the district council recently passed a proposal by Chang’s group to remove the iron bars so that the park can be integrated with the community.

Choi Hung Plaza
The abandoned Choi Hung Plaza is a curious sight. 1980s red signage still hangs in front of the desolate building ripe for habitation by artists, film-makers or other creative types. A small abandoned cinema nearby has been proposed to fill the void in Hong Kong’s art-house cinema scene.

Bridge to Kai Tak
Passing under Prince Edward Rd West, pedestrian bridges on the side of the river could connect San Po Kong with the old Kai Tak airport aite by providing an underpass.

Tung Kwong Road
Notice the schools of fish swimming in the water? And the herons swooping down to the nullah? Since the cleanup, fish and birds have begun to repopulate the waterway. An added bonus for humans: the water lowers the air temperature by two degrees or so.

Greenery
Numerous majestic old trees stand in front of Lee Kau Yan Memorial School. The principal of the school, a long-time resident, has included the topic of how to develop the area in the school curriculum from Form 1, to get the kids thinking about their living space.

Pipes of history
Just before the Sha Tin Pass are several thick black pipes that cross over the river. These are relics of the industrial age, historical pipelines that date back to the 1950s.

ALSO IN THE AREA

Stone House  The stone-and-granite house of actor Roy Chiao, who appeared in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, is a Grade III historic building.

Former Royal Air Force Hanger
This pre-war airplane depot is also a Grade III historic building.

EVENTS

Talk
Story of Kai Tak River 1a Space, Oct 10, 6.30pm-7.15pm. Wallace Chang Ping-hung and Lam Man-fai share the history of the area.

Exhibition
Green – Through the Kai Tak River 1a space, Oct 11-Dec 13. Artists weigh in on the development debate with soundscapes and installations.

Participation
Windmill Festival Kai Tak River, Nov 14-16. The festival includes windmill-making booths and the shortlisted designs of a competition to make windmills from recycled materials.

Forum
City Planning and the Cultural Landscape Cattle Depot Artist Village, Oct 31, 6pm-8pm. Roundtable forum exploring how intelligent city planning can contribute to Hong Kong’s rich cultural landscape.