1.3 Foreword - Mr Vincent NG Wing-shun, Chairperson of the Harbourfront Commission for 2023/24

Established in 2004, the former Harbour-front Enhancement Committee was to advise the Government on the planning, design, construction, operation and management matters of the Victoria Harbourfront. The relevant work was taken up by the Harbourfront Commission in 2010.

The harbourfront along both sides of Victoria Harbour has a total length of 73 kilometers. It has always been our vision to connect the harbourfront into a continuous promenade to be enjoyed by the public. But it has never been easy and certainly could not be done in one go. Instead, we did it like assembling a jigsaw puzzle, fixing each piece whenever we can and doing it with patience.

The longest promenade section on Hong Kong Island's north shore has a length of 9 kilometres to this day. People can walk all the way from Kennedy Town to Fortress Hill along the harbourfront. The boardwalk underneath Island Eastern Corridor is under construction and is expected to be opened in phases from 2024 to 2025. By then, all harbourfront sections along the island's north shore will be substantially connected, with a 13-kilometre promenade stretching from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan.

In recent years, we have adopted the “incremental approach” to expedite the opening up of harbourfront public spaces. Harbourfront spaces, more stripped back than traditional parks, are adorned with pop-up installations that will be replaced from time to time. Local designers and artists are encouraged to participate in the process. The harbourfront, with its ample space and no designated uses, provides flexibility for holding a diverse array of activities. In early 2022, we went further to promote the brand “Harbourfront Shared Space”, under which the harbourfront has become a place for holding water sports competitions and waterborne installations, in addition to strolling, jogging, dog walking, fishing, watching the sea or sunset, cycling and skateboarding. In early 2023, outdoor food & beverage facilities have been added to further enhance the vibrancy of the harbourfront.

We also encourage the private sector or non-governmental organisations to take part in managing the harbourfront spaces in order to create a diverse and vibrant harbourfront. Various pop-up events and activities, such as carnivals, food festivals, art exhibitions, kart racing, open-air bazaars and music concerts, can be held at the harbourfront. To achieve this, we need to go beyond the planning framework of traditional parks and bring creativity into play. This will ensure there is sufficient room, a more flexible management mode, and an enhanced water-land interface at the harbourfront. By doing so, we can then realise our vision of “making every harbourfront section special and adorned with surprises”.

At present, the total length of the opened promenades on both sides of Victoria Harbour has reached 27 kilometres. Over the years, fragmented sections of the harbourfront have been connected to become “one Victoria Harbourfront”.  We are making continuous efforts towards extending the total length of connected promenades to 34 kilometres by 2028, thereby shaping the Victoria Harbourfront into a place that offers unlimited possibilities and boundless happiness to the public.

Over the past 20 years, we have made steady and significant progress in harbourfront development. To realise our vision of building a vibrant, attractive, accessible and sustainable harbourfront, we have overcome numerous obstacles and challenges, and we have remained composed and determined to move forward one step at a time throughout the process. Today, we are heart-warmed to see the lively scene on our harbourfront, as well as to hear the joyful laughter of visitors. This remarkable achievement is a testament to years of untiring collective efforts made by successive Chairmen and members of the Harbourfront Commission (including those of the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee, its predecessor) and the Harbour Office team under the Development Bureau. Our hard work did pay off.