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69-450: The 7 Mallory Street , formerly Comix Home Base and Green House , is a block of ten tenement houses located at 1–11, Mallory Street and 6–12 Burrows Street , Wan Chai , Hong Kong . Its former name derives from the green colour painted on the external walls of the building. It is one of the few remaining tong-lau of the balcony type in Hong Kong. Because of its historic significance,

138-578: A comprehensive 17th-century military book. While the harbour was charted in later maps, the first map depicting it in detail is an 1810 marine chart prepared for the East India Company by Daniel Ross and Philip Maughan, lieutenants of the Bombay Marine . Some of the first recreational activities to take place in the harbour were water competitions such as swimming and water polo in the 1850s, undertaken by members of Hong Kong's first sports club,

207-578: A direct link by road. Prior to the tunnel's opening in 1972, local drivers and pedestrians depended solely upon the Star Ferry services to cross the Victoria Harbour . Linking the main financial districts on both sides of Victoria Harbour, the tunnel carries 123,000 vehicles daily. On the other hand, the thoroughfare Queen's Road East , an extension from Queen's Road West at Kennedy Town, through Queen's Road Central at Central, Queensway at Admiralty, takes

276-459: A lunar month. The Wan Chai Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple is the biggest Sikh temple in Hong Kong. The Asia Area Office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , along with chapels where multiple congregations meet throughout the week, is on Gloucester Road . Wan Chai offers historical conservation sites including Old Wan Chai Post Office , Hung Shing Temple and Pak Tai Temple . Many of

345-531: A southerly route to provide an alternative east–west road link. Due to Wan Chai's early involvement in the British colonial administration, road names were often taken from previous Governors , such as Hennessy Road , and notable people (Gloucester Road, Jaffe Road, Lockhart Road, Johnston Road, Fleming Road, Luard Road, O'Brien Road, Marsh Road, Stewart Road, McGregor Street, etc.). Thoroughfares, Roads and Streets: The MTR Island line runs beneath Hennessy Road ,

414-495: A thoroughfare, in the locality. Due to the large size of Wan Chai, more than 50 entry/exit gates and 8 entrances/exits are set up. An extension project was carried out in the early 2000s; it created two additional entrances/exits, one of which connects to the footbridge network from the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre to the station. Then this footbridge is also interconnected with covered corridor of buildings along

483-462: Is a higher education institution that trains musicians, performers, actors and dancers, as well as a public venue for drama, concerts, dance, and musicals productions. Every year the academy produces a number of Broadway musicals , including Singin' in the Rain , Saturday Night Fever , and Annie . The Arts Centre, just opposite to the academy, houses a studio theatre, art galleries, rehearsal rooms,

552-590: Is a major tourist attraction of Hong Kong. Lying in the middle of the territory's dense urban region, the harbour is the site of annual fireworks displays and its promenades are used as gathering places for residents and also tourists. The first reference to what is now called Victoria Harbour is found in Zheng He 's sailing maps of the China coast, dated c.1425, which appear in the Wubei Zhi ( A Treatise on Armament Technology ),

621-662: Is a natural landform harbour in Hong Kong separating Hong Kong Island in the south from the Kowloon Peninsula to the north. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony in 1841 and its subsequent development as a trading centre. Throughout its history, the harbour has seen numerous reclamation projects undertaken on both shores, many of which have caused controversy in recent years. Environmental concerns have been expressed about

690-494: Is a typically Taoist temple. Inside, there are Buddhist Kwun Yum chapels next to the main altar. People coming to worship Hung Shing Ye could also burn joss sticks to Kwun Yum as well. Villain hitting is another blended ceremony, combining in different proportions Confucianism , Taoism , and folk religion . Some old female "psychics" perform this ancient ceremony under the Canal Road Flyover in particular days of

759-417: Is generally considered to be the line formed between the westernmost extremity of Siu Chau Wan (小酒灣) and A Kung Ngam . The western boundary is generally considered to consist of a line drawn from the westernmost point of Hong Kong Island to the westernmost point of Green Island , thence a straight line drawn from the westernmost point of Green Island to the southeasternmost point of Tsing Yi , thence along

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828-583: Is intenselly weathered . Victoria Harbour is known for its panoramic night view and skyline, particularly in the direction towards Hong Kong Island where the skyline of skyscrapers is superimposed over the ridges behind. Among the best places to view the harbour are the Peak Tower atop Victoria Peak , or from the piazza at the Cultural Centre or the promenade of Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon side. Rides on

897-743: Is located at the Wan Chai Police District Headquarters, 1 Arsenal Street. within the Hong Kong Police Headquarters Compound. Maggie Farley of the Los Angeles Times said in 1996, referring to the then Wan Chai Police Station , that the police headquarters was "a stolid, whitewashed building with square pillars and breezy verandas". Esquel Group has its head office in Harbour Centre  [ zh ] (海港中心), Wan Chai. Jademan (now Culturecom )

966-470: Is no bridge crossing the harbour, but there are three cross-harbour road tunnels: Cross-Harbour Tunnel (opened 1972), Eastern Harbour Crossing (1989), and Western Harbour Crossing (1997). The three tunnels act as important linkages between the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Four Mass Transit Railway routes also run under the harbour. From west to east, they are: The Star Ferry has been crossing

1035-536: Is now more diverse with bars, pubs, restaurants and discos . A number of the raunchier bars still remain, however, their doorways festooned with women from Thailand and the Philippines . The famous novel and film The World of Suzie Wong sets many scenes in this area. The bar district has been popular with visiting sailors and navies, when Fenwick Pier, west of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ,

1104-481: Is one of the busiest commercial areas in Hong Kong with offices of many small and medium-sized companies. Wan Chai North features office towers, parks, hotels and an international conference and exhibition centre. Wan Chai is also well known for its famous night life which has evolved over decades. As one of the first areas developed in Hong Kong, the locale is densely populated yet with noticeable residential zones facing urban decay . Arousing considerable public concern,

1173-649: Is the sole ferry operator in the area. Frequent services cross the Victoria Harbour from HKCEC , Wan Chai to the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui . In light of more convenient and competitive cross-harbour public transportation, the Star Ferry continues to provide an inexpensive option to local commuters. Numerous shipping companies, such as the Anglo-Eastern Group , also have their headquarters in Wan Chai. Wan Chai's Gloucester Road , an east–west trunk route along

1242-637: The Guinness Book of World Records . The sticker pictures on 50 poles of the bridge have been colloquially called the "50 landscapes of Wan Chai" ( 灣仔五十景 ). Lovers' Rock reclines on the hillside of Bowen Road near Shiu Fai Terrace , mid-levels Wan Chai. The rock received its name since it resembles a small, thin column sticking out of the rock base. This special-looking rock is said to have granted happy marriages to its devoted worshippers. Many people are attracted by its reputation. Throughout Wan Chai's history, construction styles have changed according to

1311-463: The 1950s , the pro-Communist underground cell network Hailiushe (海流社) established their headquarters at the rooftop of a multi-story house on Spring Garden Lane . This group was successfully raided by the Hong Kong police . Prostitution had been one of the oldest occupations in Wan Chai. There are numerous historical accounts of women trading sexual services for western merchandise, especially with sailors from trading ships visiting this area. In

1380-653: The 1960s , Wan Chai became legendary for its exotic night life , especially for the US servicemen resting there during the War in Vietnam . Despite rapid changes of Wan Chai's demography due to reclamation and redevelopment, the presence of sex workers operating among ordinary residential areas has continued to be a distinctive feature. Some of the lifestyle was illustrated in past movies such as The World of Suzie Wong . Wan Chai's HKCEC has been home to major political and economic events. It

1449-597: The Legislative Council of Hong Kong . The next reclamation project in Wan Chai was the Praya East Reclamation Scheme . The coastline was extended to today's Gloucester Road. The reclamation after World War II from 1965 to 1972 pushed the coastline further out to the areas around Convention Avenue and the Wan Chai Pier . The 1990s Wan Chai Development project added additional land, on which

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1518-500: The MTR station and the lack of human traffic led to its operational difficulties and many exhibitions were only attended by the arts industry participants. The URA stopped its operations upon the expiration of its contract period in July 2018 and renamed it to 7 Mallory Street . Currently, only the shops and restaurants on the ground floor and second floor are operating their businesses there, while

1587-588: The Second World War , the hospital was revitalised as the Ruttonjee Hospital and became one of the main public hospitals in Hong Kong. The district was home to several well-known schools. One of these schools was established by the famous traditional teacher, Mo Dunmei ( 莫敦梅 ). Started as a shushu ( 書塾 ) in 1919, the school was renamed Dunmei School ( 敦梅學校 ) in 1934 after him. It taught classical Chinese writings and Confucian ethics. In 1936,

1656-542: The Star Ferry , including the route between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui , are another way to view the harbour and cityscape. As the natural centre of the territory, the harbour has played host to many major public shows, including the annual fireworks displays on the second night of the Lunar New Year . These shows are popular with tourists and locals alike, and the display is usually telecast on local television. To enhance

1725-825: The Urban Renewal Authority can compensate enough to put them in a new space of equal size. Other concerns involve the loss of building character that make up part of that Hong Kong cultural identity . After the completion of the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation Feasibility Study in 1989, the Land Development Policy Committee endorsed the idea of an ongoing series of reclamation. The reclamation comprises three discrete development areas to be aligned by public parks, namely, Central, Tamar and Exhibition. The urban development of each cell would be further divided into five subsequent phases. As of 2014, reclamation for

1794-764: The Urban Renewal Authority , and in 2007 the Lands Department took over the ownership of the house. The house was later renovated and officially opened on 18 July 2013 as the Comix Home Base by the Hong Kong Arts Centre and was no longer known as the Green House. Aedas as Design and Documentation Architect was awarded a Medal of the Year of Hong Kong by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects for its design of

1863-501: The Victoria Harbour , Central ("centre ring" in Chinese), Sheung Wan ("upper ring"), Sai Wan ("western ring") and Wan Chai are collectively known as the four rings ( 四環 ) by the locals. Wan Chai literally means "a cove" in Cantonese from the shape of its coastal line, however, due to drastic city development and continual land reclamation , the area is no longer a cove. Wan Chai was

1932-505: The British colonial authorities. These incidents caused rising tension that would eventually lead to the Arrow War . The harbour was originally called "Hong Kong Harbour", but was later renamed to "Victoria Harbour", to assure shelter for the British fleet under Queen Victoria . The subject of pollution came to the fore in the 1970s with the rapid growth of the manufacturing sector. The water club races were stopped in 1973 due to pollution in

2001-661: The Central area has been completed: the area is largely taken by the new government offices and the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (its old building in the heart of Central has been reverted to its original use as the Supreme Court). The Hong Kong Immigration Department has its headquarters at the Immigration Tower in Wan Chai. The Hong Kong Police Force operates from the Wan Chai District; their headquarters

2070-631: The Chinese Methodist Church ( 香港基督教循道衛理教會 ) moved its building from Caine Road, Mid-levels Central, to Hennessy Road ( 軒尼詩道 ), Wanchai, a thoroughfare of the district running from west to east. This church building became the landmark of the district. In 1998, this building was demolished and replaced by a 23-storey building. During the Japanese occupation in the early 1940s, many bombardments took place in Wan Chai. There were abundant incidences of cannibalism , starvation , torture and abuses of

2139-480: The Goethe-Institut and a restaurant overlooking the Victoria Harbour . The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), a HK$ 4.8 billion convention centre with an extension completed in 1997, covers over 16 acres (65,000 m ) of newly reclaimed land that added an extra 38,000 m of functional space to the existing convention centre. It remains a venue for international trade fairs, some of which are among

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2208-534: The Metropark Hotel in Wan Chai were quarantined, suspected of being infected or in contact with the H1N1 virus during the global outbreak of swine flu . A 25-year-old Mexican man who had stayed at the hotel was later found to have caught the viral infection. He had traveled to Hong Kong from Mexico via Shanghai. Wan Chai's coastline has been extended outwards after a series of land reclamation schemes. Early in 1841,

2277-570: The Victoria Harbour, and ends up at Wan Chai Pier. The East Rail line was extended from Hung Hom to Admiralty in 2022 as part of the Shatin to Central Link project, with a newly built station near the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre. Its exits connect to the footbridge network in Wan Chai North which also leads back to Wan Chai station. Tram services run between Shau Kei Wan on

2346-537: The Victoria Recreation Club. During the Taiping Rebellion , armed rebels paraded the streets of Hong Kong. On 21 December 1854, the Hong Kong police arrested several armed rebels who were about to attack Kowloon City . On 23 January 1855, a fleet of Taiping war boats was on the verge of a naval battle against Chinese imperial war boats defending the harbour. The Chinese defenders were ordered away by

2415-431: The architectural movement at the time. In the 1950s and 1960s , an increasing number of girlie bars and nightclubs were opened in the red-light district by Jaffe and Lockhart Road . The establishments entertained visiting sailors landing at Fenwick Pier . Beyond Gloucester Road is the commercial area developed in the late 1970s and 1980s, a time at which Hong Kong underwent economic development at full speed. At

2484-480: The biggest in the world: the annual Hong Kong Book Fair in July, food fair and festival, technology exhibitions, and cosplay competitions. The area towards the western end of Lockhart Road , including a small part of the parallel Jaffe Road , is one of Hong Kong island's two main bar districts (the other being the more upmarket Lan Kwai Fong in Central). Once considered primarily as a red light district , this area

2553-576: The coastline was located at Queen's Road East (the area of Spring Gardens and Ship Street). The first reclamation took place and new land was sold to Minister of Foreign Affairs of the British Colony. The project was privately funded and the government did not take part. Soon after, in 1858, the Minister and his salesmen sold the land back to the Chinese after Sir Robert Brown Black was named President of

2622-639: The current HKCEC stands today. Wan Chai is a major hub of foreign and Chinese cultural institutions in Hong Kong. It is home to the French Alliance Francaise , German Goethe-Institut and the British Council (until 2001). Near the waterfront, there are the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Hong Kong Arts Centre , two of the most popular venues for theatrical and cultural performances in Hong Kong. The Academy for Performing Arts

2691-400: The eastern and northern coastal lines of Tsing Yi to its westernmost extremity, and thence a straight line drawn true north towards the mainland. There are several islands within the harbour: Due to land reclamation, the following are former islands that are now connected to adjacent lands or larger islands: The geology around of the harbour is made of a granitic copula which in parts

2760-400: The effects of these expansions, in terms of water quality and loss of natural habitat. It has also been proposed that benefits of land reclamation may be less than the effects of decreased harbour width, affecting the number of vessels passing through the harbour. Nonetheless Victoria Harbour still retains its founding role as a port for thousands of international vessels each year. The harbour

2829-535: The end of November every year, the outer walls of buildings in the central business districts on both sides of the harbours are dressed with Christmas-related decorations, and replaced with Lunar New Year -related ones by January. Victoria Harbour is home to most of the port facilities of Hong Kong , making Hong Kong amongst the world's busiest . An average of 220,000 ships visit the harbour each year, including both oceangoing vessels and river vessels, for both goods and passengers. The Kwai Tsing Container Terminals in

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2898-400: The entire playground is used for carnival fairs, three-player drill basketball contests and hip hop dance competitions. Wan Chai's places of worship represent Buddhism , Taoism , Catholicism , Protestantism , Christianity, Mormonism , Sikhism , and Islam . Despite the wide variety, many religious structures are located in close proximity to each other. Hung Shing Temple , for example,

2967-600: The first home to many Chinese villagers living along the undisturbed coastlines in proximity to Hung Shing Temple . Most of them were fishermen, who worked around the area near Hung Shing Temple overlooking the entire harbour. Hung Shing Ye , the God of the Sea, was one of the deities worshiped by the locals. With the growth of the British Hong Kong administration, centred in old Victoria (modern Central), Wan Chai attracted those on

3036-401: The fringes of society, such as "coolie" workers, who came to live on Queen's Road East . A focal point of development at that time was Spring Gardens , a red-light zone . By the 1850s, the area was already becoming a Chinese residential area. There were dockyards on Ship Street and McGregor Street for building and repairing ships. The edge of Sun Street , Moon Street and Star Street

3105-620: The front of their minibus windshields. Wan Chai is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 12. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and the following government schools: Hennessy Road Government Primary School ( Chinese : 軒尼詩道官立小學 ) and Sir Ellis Kadoorie ( Sookunpo ) Primary School ( Chinese : 官立嘉道理爵士小學 ). 22°16′47″N 114°10′18″E  /  22.27972°N 114.17167°E  / 22.27972; 114.17167 Victoria Harbour Victoria Harbour

3174-415: The government has undertaken several urban renewal projects in recent years. There are various landmarks and skyscrapers within the area, most notably the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Central Plaza and Hopewell Centre . Wan Chai originally began as Ha Wan ( 下環 ), literally meaning "a bottom ring" or "lower circuit". As one of the earliest developed areas in Hong Kong along

3243-489: The harbour since the late 19th century. The operated ferry routes today are: Central to Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui, the Wan Chai/Central to Hung Hom services closing in 2011 for lack of patronage. Other regular ferry services also operate in the harbour. The Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company used to operate numerous cross-harbour routes between various piers of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Many of

3312-763: The harbour, a year after the former RMS Queen Elizabeth burned and sank at the Tsing Yi island anchorage. Studies also showed excessive nitrogen input from discharges of the Pearl River Delta into the harbour for decades. After completion of the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation Feasibility Study in 1989, the Land Development Policy Committee endorsed a concept for gradual implementation of this additional reclamation. It consists of three district development cells separated by parks, namely, Central , Tamar and Exhibition . The latest proposed reclamation, extending along

3381-505: The houses are listed as Grade II historic buildings . The property where the tenement house is currently located was first owned by the American firm Messrs Burrows and Sons. It was later owned by Lawrence Mallory. A timber yard and boat building yard previously occupied the site. It was later occupied by warehouses, timber and coal storage and several other small industries. Around 1905, Hong Kong Land Investment Company took possession and in

3450-528: The local population by the Japanese soldiers, including the illegal use of child labour. Senior residents could recall vividly how they survived the hardships: this oral history became an important, first-hand source of the harsh living conditions in Hong Kong under the Japanese period. The Dunmei school was closed during the Japanese occupation period. After the war, the school continued to provide Chinese education for children from families of higher income. During

3519-423: The medium-sized shopping centres are named in numerals, such as Oriental 188, 328, and 298 Computer Centre. These numbers might have come from the earlier days when all prostitution houses were numbered, as they were referred to as "big numbers" ( 大冧巴 , dai lum bah ). There are many commercial complexes and office skyscrapers in Wan Chai. The HK$ 4.4 billion 78-storey skyscraper Central Plaza currently stands as

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3588-423: The mid-1920s, the company demolished the former buildings and developed 10 tenement houses on its former site in two phases, with the first phase been completed between 1916 and 1922. At first the tenement house had no name, but after the government took over the building in the later years, its outer walls were painted green, hence the name Green House . In 2005, Green House became the first preservation project of

3657-483: The network's extreme south. More recent tourist attractions include the Golden Bauhinia Square , the site of a daily flag-rising ceremony. This ceremony is enhanced on 1 July ( Handover of Hong Kong ) and 1 October ( National Day of China ). A 3-storey pergola exhibition is built opposite to Li Chit Garden . Tai Fat Hau footbridge also holds an art display of the fingerprints of 30,000 citizens slated for

3726-554: The northeastern part of the island and Kennedy Town on the west, with a circular branch serving Happy Valley and the Happy Valley Racecourse. The tram route runs across Johnston Road and Hennessy Road . Most buses travel in Wan Chai from Admiralty to Causeway Bay via Hennessy Road or, in the opposite direction, Johnston Road and Gloucester Road. Red taxi (urban) services are available to hire in Wan Chai. These can be pre-booked by telephone; however, hailing on

3795-575: The northern coast, is connected to Cross-Harbour Tunnel , the first undersea tunnel in Hong Kong. This tunnel is connected to the south by a direct viaduct from its landing point on Hong Kong Island to the Aberdeen Tunnel towards the southern coast. Connecting Hong Kong Island at Kellett Island (the site of the Royal Navy Club) to a reclaimed site at Hung Hom Bay in Kowloon , this tunnel provides

3864-565: The popularity of the harbour as a sightseeing location, the government introduced a show dubbed A Symphony of Lights . Also recently opened was the Avenue of Stars , built along the promenade outside the New World Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui . Modeled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , it honours the most illustrious people the Hong Kong film industry has produced over the past decades. By

3933-536: The preserved buildings. Upon its opening, the Comix Home Base had a record total of 250,000 visitor records in 2013. There are more than 40 educational groups with more than 2,000 people, including primary and secondary school students, who had visited the base and attended its comic activities. In the past five years, 545 exhibitions and events were held there, with a total attendance of more than 1 million people. However, due to its location being further away from

4002-503: The routes are now operated by First Ferry . Some of the piers no longer exist because of reclamation projects, or many of the routes became unprofitable. Currently, the company continues to operate vehicular ferry services for vehicles carrying dangerous goods that are prohibited within tunnel crossings. For international passenger traffic and traffic to mainland China and Macau , there are two ferry terminals, namely Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal and Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal , and

4071-448: The same time, buildings like the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts , HKCEC , and Central Plaza were constructed on the newly reclaimed land. Skyscrapers in Wan Chai include: Many of Wan Chai's older buildings now face a serious problem of urban decay . To tackle the problem, the government has launched a series of urban renewal projects to bring new life into the area. Many local residents have relocation worries such as whether

4140-575: The size of the waterbody, with its chairman, Christine Loh , quoted as saying that the harbour "...is a precious national asset and we must preserve it for future generations. I believe an insightful and visionary chief executive would support our stance and work with us to protect the harbour". Reclamation work also led to the demolition of Queen's Pier and Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier , structures of historic significance, to massive public opposition. Victoria Harbour covered an area of about 41.88 km (16.17 sq mi) in 2004. The eastern boundary

4209-700: The street is a more common way of getting a taxicab. Vehicles that carry a green plate at the front of their cars are able to carry passengers across the Victoria Harbour to Kowloon. There are, however, areas with restricted kerbs and designated pick-up and drop-off points in the area. There are two types of minibuses in Wan Chai, the green minibus and the red minibus. In general, green minibuses operate on scheduled service with fixed routes and published fares. Red minibuses run with government licence but on non-scheduled services, casually connecting regular travellers and commuters to specific urban areas across Hong Kong Island . Drivers of red minibuses will display fares in

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4278-423: The third and the fourth floor once occupied by Comix Home Base had remained vacant since then. Wan Chai Wan Chai is located in the western part of Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island , Hong Kong . It is bounded by Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west, and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called Wan Chai North. Wan Chai

4347-437: The third tallest building in Hong Kong. Small but free art exhibitions used to be held on the second floor all year round, whereas the first floor connects Wan Chai's footbridge network: the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre at the network's extreme north, Wan Chai Pier , China Building, Harbour Centre, Central Plaza, Immigration Department Tower, Wan Chai Court, Wan Chai MTR station and Johnston Road (the tram line) at

4416-553: The waterfront from Sheung Wan to Causeway Bay , faced public opposition, as the harbour has become a pivotal location to Hongkongers in general. Activists have denounced the government's actions as destructive not only to the natural environment, but also to what is widely considered one of the most prized natural assets of the territory. NGOs, including the Society for Protection of the Harbour , were formed to resist further attempts to reduce

4485-473: The western part of the harbour is the main container handling facility, operating round the clock. Some 19.8 million containers (measured in TEUs ) were handled by the region in 2016. Some 400 container ships serve Hong Kong weekly, connecting to over 500 destinations around the world. For many years until 2004, Hong Kong handled the most containers TEUs but slipped to sixth place on declining volumes by 2016. There

4554-541: Was formerly headquartered in Harbour Centre. Geographically, Wan Chai is the crossing point between the Central and Western District ( West Point / Central ), and the Eastern ( Causeway Bay / North Point ) district. Its thoroughfares connect the main developed areas along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island . The transport infrastructure is efficient, convenient and highly accessible. The Star Ferry at Wan Chai Pier

4623-710: Was in use as a military pier. Southorn Playground on Johnston Road (the tram line) is a meeting place for the locals in Wan Chai, particularly the senior residents. During the prime years of the British colonial administration, coolie workers would convene at the playground in the morning to await employment opportunities. In the evening, the playground became an open-air pitch where people sold food, performed magic and kung fu . Some of those trademark activities still exist through today: senior citizens socialise and play Chinese chess , young people at school play football and basketball , ad-hoc street basketball games that attract flocks of spectators and players. Occasionally,

4692-645: Was the original site of the first power station in Hong Kong, operated by the Hongkong Electric Company , which began supplying power in 1890. One of the first waterfront hospitals was the Seaman's Hospital , built in 1843, which was funded by the British merchant group Jardine's. It was then sold to the British Royal Navy in 1873 and subsequently redeveloped into the Royal Naval Hospital . After

4761-399: Was the site of the Hong Kong handover ceremony in 1997, in which the last governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten , formally concluded the British chapter and transferred Hong Kong to China . The WTO Ministerial Conference in 2005 was also one of the largest international events hosted in Hong Kong, with delegates from 148 countries participating. In May 2009, 300 guests and staff members at

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