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Queen's Pier

Queen's Pier, named after Queen Victoria, was a public pier in front of City Hall in Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong. For three generations it served not only as a public pier in day-to-day use but also as a major ceremonial arrival and departure point. The pier witnessed the official arrival in Hong Kong of all of Hong Kong's governors since 1925; Elizabeth II landed there in 1975, as did the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1989.

Queen's Pier
Queen's Pier at night, 2006
LocaleEdinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong
Characteristics
History
DesignerModern utilitarianism
Opening date1925
Renovated1954
Closure date2008
Queen's Pier
Traditional Chinese皇后碼頭
Simplified Chinese皇后码头
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinHuánghòu Mǎtóu
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationWong4 hau6 ma5 tau4
JyutpingWong4 hau6 maa5 tau5

The second and final pier structure, built along the newly reclaimed waterfront, was designed in a modern utilitarian style and was opened by Maurine Grantham, wife of Governor Alexander Grantham, in June 1954.

On 26 April 2007, the pier was closed by the government to enable land reclamation, soon after the adjacent Star Ferry pier was closed. There was fierce opposition by conservationists, who carried over their campaign to preserve the landmark. Police officers evicted some 30 protesters from the site on 1 August 2007; activists filed for a judicial review, and the High Court hearing began on 7 August. On 10 August, the court dismissed the request.

Finally, the Queen's Pier was completely demolished in February 2008. Its base piles were also removed in March 2008. In 2008, the government's attempts, post dismantling, to create the appearance of public support for reassembling the pier at the new waterfront were criticised by conservationists.[1]

History edit

 
Full length of Queen's Pier, c.1930

A former wooden pier at the site known as "Queen's Statue Wharf" was replaced in 1925.[2] It was a ceremonial landing area for the British royal family visiting Hong Kong, and for successive governors to assert their authority on arrival. The first governor to land there was Cecil Clementi, in November 1925. The preceding governor, Reginald Stubbs, boarded the Victoria from the pier at the end of his term on 31 October 1925.[2]

1925 pier edit

 
Queen's Pier (right), Clementi's inauguration in 1925

The 1925 pier was originally named "Statue Pier", but was renamed "Queen's Pier" in honour of Queen Victoria on 31 July 1924.[2] It was a sheltered pier made of concrete and steel, with round pillars and arches, built on the waterfront at Pedder Street[citation needed] on the site of the present Mandarin Oriental Hotel[3] at a cost of HK$20,000.[4] Intended to be opened in time for the arrival of Edward, the Prince of Wales, construction delays postponed its completion until October 1925.[2] It was demolished in January 1955.[5]

1954 pier edit

As part of post-war reclamation, the old pier was demolished. Work commenced in February 1954 on a new pier on the new waterfront designed in a modern utilitarian style.[2] The structure was described as a U-shaped plan, with an open-sided superstructure. It consisted of tiled reinforced concrete base and pillars, and was modelled after previous piers in the area. Its flat roof was also made of concrete, topped with bitumen waterproofing.[2] Five sets of stairs allowed boat passengers to board and disembark, three located on the north side, one on the east and one on the west.

The pier was considered "an integral part" of the ceremonial cluster including City Hall and Edinburgh Place which was being formed at the time, and the entrance to the City Hall formed an axis with the Pier to lend a sense of occasion to visiting dignitaries. The secondary design goal was to maximise public access to the very limited open space in Central in contrast with the city bustle.[5]

The pier was opened by Lady Maurine Grantham, wife of Governor Sir Alexander Grantham, on 28 June 1954.[6]

Function edit

The pier's primary role was ceremonial. It was the traditional landing place of successive governors, who would arrive at Central on board the official Governor's Yacht which would dock at Queen's Pier. From the 1960s, governors would inspect a guard of honour at Edinburgh Place, followed by the swearing-in at City Hall.[2]

HM The Queen landed there on 4 May 1975 on her first visit, after arriving by plane at Kai Tak Airport.[7] The Prince and Princess of Wales landed there in November 1989.[8]

The pier's secondary role was as a public pier, where pleasure craft were allowed to dock.[8] Tour boats offering a view of the Kowloon side of the harbour used the pier for passenger boarding. Up to 1978, it was the finishing line for the annual cross-harbour swimming race. As the ceremonies declined, the pier's secondary purpose became the main one: people met and strolled in the area,[9] and others fished.

On 26 April 2007, the pier was closed in order to facilitate land reclamation in Central.[10]

Demolition edit

 
Old Star Ferry Pier (front left) and Queen's Pier (front right) in 2005. The new piers (background left) now in full operation.

From the outset, the fate of the pier has been intimately linked with the Central Reclamation project which was unveiled in 1989 but not explicitly spelled out as such. However, the scale of reclamations has only been slightly cut back following significant legal battles.[9]

In conjunction with the proposed demolition of the Queen’s Pier and the adjacent Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier necessitated by Phase III of the Central Reclamation project, the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) commissioned a heritage impacts survey in 2001.[11] The Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB), in two separate meetings in March 2002 and December 2006, reached the same view of not raising objections as to the demolition of the Queen’s Pier. Instead, the Board asked the Government to preserve relics of the Queen’s Pier for reconstruction on the reclaimed harbourfront.[11]

Government's position edit

Following the controversy and the demolition of the Star Ferry Pier in Edinburgh Place in early 2007, activists declared Queen's Pier the next battle-ground against the conservation policy of the Government of Hong Kong. The criticism received over its handling of the Star Ferry Pier caused Michael Suen, the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, to propose a piece-by-piece relocation of the pier to a new location on the reclaimed waterfront during a Legco session on 21 March 2007.[12] The Government later unveiled four design options for such relocation.[13] The intended closure of the pier was 26 April 2007.

At the end of January 2007, the government declared it would postpone the demolition of Queen's Pier until a consensus could be reached on the course of action; consultations with the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers, and the Conservancy Association were held.[14] The Institute of Architects, whose members opposed dismantling the pier, originally maintained the pier should remain untouched. However, it was reported that after meeting the government, the Institute and the Conservancy Association were persuaded by the government that the pier could first be dismantled, and then reassembled at another location after completion of the reclamation. This change of heart was heavily criticised by Winston Chu, founder of the Society for Protection of the Harbour.[15] The HKIA clarified that their opposition had not in fact changed.[16]

Chief Executive Donald Tsang said that being overzealous in saving the past may hurt Hong Kong's competitiveness, and called on activists to take a more balanced view toward economic growth and conservation. Soon after Tsang's re-election as Chief Executive, on 26 March, the Government pressed ahead with plans to dismantle and move the entire pier, piece by piece, enabling the reclamation to go ahead.[17]

The government said that the in-situ preservation, though apparently viable on paper, would risk irreversible damage to the pier. Furthermore, it argued that important underground facilities such as the Airport Railway Extended Overrun Tunnel would be affected, saying a natural curvature of the track was required.[12] "Setting aside the technical difficulties and the huge risk involved in the works, underpinning for the construction of the extended overrun tunnel would cost about HK$500 million and take more than two years to complete".[12]

Appearing before a public forum at the pier on 29 July, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor repeated the government's insistence that keeping the pier was not an option. She said she would "not give the people false hope".[18] Although Lam's performance in public debates was praised,[19] the Secretary for Development's conflict of interest as the head of the Antiquities Advisory Board was criticised. Lam said the AAB did not have governmental authority, and that it had not suggested keeping the pier in its totality.[18]

Dismantling and storing edit

At the end of July 2007, the Development Bureau issued a paper for the Legislative Council's lands and works panel. Hoardings were erected by the end of July, and the target date for completing "preservation works" was set as November. It was suggested for the pier's pitched roof to be disassembled into halves and the 34 concrete columns to be cut at roof and deck level. The pieces would be labelled and then lifted by a crane barge and transported to the government's explosives depot in Kau Shat Wan, Lantau Island, where it would be stored under guard.[20]

District councils edit

The government polled 16 District Councils, fourteen of which voted in support of relocating the pier to the new water-front. However, in July 2008 activists cried foul when eight councils revealed that the preservation of the pier in its existing location was not put forth as one of the options; the vice-chairmen of two councils which voted to support also objected that their decision may have not been an informed one as not all possible options were on the table. The chief town planner said that the omitted proposal "was not an efficient option and would create unnecessary construction waste".[21]

After it was revealed in August 2008 that the government was behind the 13 concerted District Councils' motions in 2008 supporting the relocation of the pier to the new waterfront, Albert Ho condemned the government of tampering with District Councils to "create public opinion." Convenor of the Urban Design Alliance doubted the openness of consultation, saying that "the government had engineered its results". Dr Li Pang-kwong, of Lingnan University, said that the problematic framework of the councils has led them to work too closely with government. He said the 'copy and paste' Queen's Pier motions passed by 13 councils to support government decisions was a rubber-stamp, and a clear sign that councils lacked independence.[1]

Conservationists' position edit

Ron Phillips, original designer of the pier, backed preservation, saying that any loss of the City Hall and the adjacent open space would be something "future generations will come to regret".[5] The Hong Kong Institute of Architects denounced the government's insistence that dismantling and reassembling of the pier was the only feasible option, in disregard of the pier's "grade 1" status. The architects concluded that the "technical difficulties were not irresolvable, and the government's reasons for not revising the current infrastructural design were not at all convincing".[16]

Environmental groups were angered by the government's technobabble, and for inflating the costs and technical difficulties of keeping the pier at the original site.[14] The proposed 40-metre-wide road, planned in the 1980s, was now "obsolete", and would make the waterfront "inaccessible to the public[22] ". Albert Lai, Chairman of the Hong Kong People's Council for Sustainable Development, drew attention to the fact that the budgeted spending for infrastructure over the past three years of HK$90 billion contrasted poorly with HK$90 million spent on acquiring and renovating heritage sites.[23]

The Civic Party accused the government of misleading the public: the development plans for the North Island Line precluded the restoration of the pier before 2016.[22] Christine Loh criticised Donald Tsang for failing to grasp the economical, cultural and social importance of heritage.[23]

Local Action, a loose alliance of protesters on site, described the pier as a cornerstone of Hong Kong identity. By linking the pier with earlier social movements in late 1960s and early 1970s, it argued that the place was a symbol of Hong Kong civic activism and therefore should not be demolished.[24]

Preservation campaign battlefronts edit

Public and media edit

In September 2004, legislator Law Chi-kwong took a swim in Victoria Harbour bearing a plaque saying "Goodbye to the Queen", to protest the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation, particularly the loss of Queen's Pier.[25]

 
Banners erected by protesters, tents on the rooftop

Soon after the unsuccessful attempt to save the Star Ferry pier in early 2007, a campaign to preserve the pier in situ was launched.[26] Ahead of the closure, members of the public, environmentalists, and some lawmakers arrived to tie blue ribbons to indicate their desire to preserve the harbour. On 22 April, about 100 protesters once again rallied at the pier, launching farewell voyages in a last-ditch attempt to urge the Government to reconsider:[15] a petition of over 400 signatures from the Arts community was collected.[27]

 
The hunger strikers' encampment, day 3

An occupation of the pier was started by ten activists on the designated closure date. The campaign was boosted by the appearance of Chow Yun-fat early on the morning of 28 April to sign the petition, and to appeal pre-emptively to the police not to hurt protesters.[28] Some activists, like Chu Hoi-dick, have been involved in the Star Ferry pier protest, and took turns to maintain a round-the-clock presence.[29] Leung Chun-yiu spent three nights a week at the site, despite working a full-time job, vowing to block the demolition non-violently in any way he could.[30]

On 27 July, three students, as part of a group called Local Action started a hunger strike at the pier.[31] Hunger striker Chan King-fai said: "The government wasn't chosen by us. All we can do is to use our humble and limited voices."[31] The government responded with a communications offensive, announcing that Secretary for Development Carrie Lam would appear on RTHK's City's Forum and at a public forum on 29 July at the pier.[31]

On 30 July, the Government ordered an end to the "unlawful occupation" of government land by midnight. Activists vowed to defy the order; a candlelight vigil held at the pier was attended by 200 sympathisers. The Government did not risk a violent confrontation immediately on the expiry of the eviction deadline.[32] In an operation which lasted ten hours during daylight hours on 1 August 2007, 300 Police officers cleared away the 30 or so protesters from the site, amid scuffles.[33] Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor complained that its observers were denied access to the area during the eviction.[34]

Legislative Council edit

An application for HK$50 million to fund the dismantling and relocating of the pier was scheduled for debate by the Public Works sub-committee on 9 May 2007, the same day the Antiquities Advisory Board would hold a public hearing to decide on the historical grading of the pier.[14] Government stressed the timing was "a coincidence",[35] and steadfastly refused to defer the vote pending an outcome of the AAB vote.

On 9 May, after an hour-long heated debate, the government was forced to withdraw its motion[35] due to the lack of support. Choy So-yuk, from the usually pro-Government DAB, called for the vote to be postponed, and the Liberal Party equally did not back the Government.[36] However, Government ministers declared that it had "no plans to list the pier as a declared monument", and insisted that there was "no direct relationship between the grading and whether we will demolish and relocate the pier".[35] During the debate, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services also said that even if the site was pronounced a first-class monument, there remained no legally binding prohibition against its demolition.[35] Liberal Party chairman James Tien said that, in failing to muster support to implement its policies, "the Government is like a crab with weak legs".[36]

The government claimed that its handling of the issue had been "in line with pledges made by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen during his recent re-election campaign" to regain the moral high ground regarding heritage preservation, following the mistakes of the Star Ferry saga.[37] Civic Party legislative councillor Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung said that there was "no sincerity [from the government] to preserve historic venues".[35]

The public works subcommittee approved the Government's re-submitted request for funds to dismantle and relocate Queen's Pier on 23 May in a 10–7 vote.[38] Choy So-yuk, who voted against the appropriation on 9 May, abstained. She revealed that she had been lobbied by Michael Suen and Donald Tsang; party whips did not allow her to cast an opposing vote.[38] The Hong Kong Institute of Architects said it "regretted the funding approval".[16]

Antiquities Advisory Board grading vote edit

On 6 March 2007, the AAB agreed on a review of the Pier’s grading and commissioned the AMO to conduct a study on the historic and heritage value of the Pier.[11] Subsequently the Board convened an open meeting on 9 May 2007, in which the Board adopted the AMO’s report. The AAB by simple majority recommended the Pier to be graded as a grade I historic building on the grounds of historical significance and social value.[39][40] Twelve members voted for Grade 1 listing, and ten voted for Grade 2 listing. However, the status is not-binding on the Government.[41]

After the hearing, an activist from 'Local Action' declared the AAB's decision a victory for the people, and warned the government "not to treat the voice of the people lightly".[35] In spite of conservationist campaigns and the AAB’s grading recommendation, then-Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands Michael Suen stated that the Pier must be removed from site before relocation;[42] Suen further stated that the AAB’s recommendation had no bearing on the Government’s action.[43]

Legal challenge edit

As Lands Department officials arrived on 30 July to put up notices ordering an end to the "unlawful occupation" of government land, the activists filed for a judicial review,[44] claiming that the decision of the Secretary for Home Affairs not to declare the structure a monument was unreasonable and illegal.[45] The High Court set the date for the case to be heard as 7 August.[46] Judge Johnson Lam said that the case about the future of Queen's Pier should be heard as there is great public interest in the outcome and justified a one-week respite for the site.[45]

On 10 August, the High Court dismissed the request for judicial review, thus giving the go-ahead for the government to demolish it. The judge ruled that the applicants had failed to establish that the government had acted perversely.[47]

Institute of Planners controversy edit

The Hong Kong Institute of Planners, the majority of whose members work in government departments, had backed the in-situ preservation of the pier. There was uproar in May 2008 when it made an apparent U-turn in a position paper submitted to the government backing the relocation to a waterfront location, based on a sparsely attended meeting. It then submitted a revised paper presenting that a majority of its members supported such a move as a conclusion prior to the completion of a survey. A former vice-president of the institute questioned how the institute had become allies of the government.[48]

Possibility of reinstatement edit

In 2021, it was revealed that the government was looking at a reinstatement of the pier away from the Central Harbourfront area.[49]

Popular culture edit

The pier is featured in the following programmes and videos:

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Olga Wong; Joyce Ng (24 June 2008). "'Rubber stamp' council lashed over pier vote". South China Morning Post. p. A3.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "A Historical and Architectural Appraisal of Queen’s Pier, Central (Annexe B3) 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Antiquities and Monuments Office, Government of Hong Kong SAR. Retrieved 15 December 2007
  3. ^ Martin Wong, "Ship has sailed for another landmark", South China Morning Post, 18 December 2006, page 1
  4. ^ "Final stages of Central reclamation, new Queen's Pier gets a cover", 工商日報, 12 February 1954 (in Chinese)
  5. ^ a b c Liz Heron, "Save Queen's Pier, says architect of City Hall complex", South China Morning Post, 13 May 2007, page 4
  6. ^ Sara Z Al-Sudairy, Royal landing site valued by public 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 2 August 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  7. ^ Raymond Yao, "The Royal seal of stability", Far Eastern Economic Review, 16 May 1975. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  8. ^ a b Buddle, Cliff (2 January 2021). "Queen's Pier belongs in Central and should return there". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  9. ^ a b Ying, Koon-kau (2020). "Heritage Preservation Versus Development: The Case of Queen's Pier". In Yung, Betty; Yu, Kam-Por (eds.). Land and Housing Controversies in Hong Kong: Perspectives of Justice and Social Values. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. pp. 127–144. ISBN 9789811552656.
  10. ^ "In Hong Kong, no looking back at Britain", International Herald Tribune, 26 April 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2007
  11. ^ a b c "Memorandum for Members of the Antiquities Advisory Board on Grading of Queen's Pier, Central, Hong Kong" (PDF). May 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  12. ^ a b c Winnie Chong, "New spot for pier at old location" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 22 March 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  13. ^ Diana Lee, "Harbor option for Queen's Pier" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 4 May 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  14. ^ a b c Audrey Parwani, "Anger over plan to dismantle pier", South China Morning Post, 27 March 2007, page B1
  15. ^ a b Una So, "Groups accused of backtracking on Queen's Pier 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 23 April 2007
  16. ^ a b c Press Statement: Approval of Funding for Dismantling and Reassembling Queen's Pier by LegCo Public Works Subcommittee at its Meeting held on 23 May 2007 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Hong Kong Institute of Architects, 7 June 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  17. ^ Pier preservation plan proposed 19 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine, HK Government, 26 March 2007
  18. ^ a b Una So, "Death knell on pier" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 30 July 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  19. ^ Scarlett Chiang & Anson Douglas, "Lam scores well in heated debate" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 30 July 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  20. ^ Diana Lee & Scarlett Chiang, Queen's Pier to be cut up and stored at month's end 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 19 July 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  21. ^ "Councils not told of third option before vote", Pg C3 South China Morning Post, 15 July 2008
  22. ^ a b Audrey Parwani, "Don't kid the public on when the pier will be rebuilt, party says", South China Morning Post, 7 June 2007, page C4
  23. ^ a b Jonathan Cheng, "Protect heritage and growth, urges Tsang" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 29 January 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  24. ^ Ku, Agnes Shuk-mei (2012). "Remaking Places and Fashioning an Opposition Discourse: Struggle over the Star Ferry Pier and the Queen's Pier in Hong Kong". Environment and Planning D: Society and Space. 30: 16. doi:10.1068/d16409. S2CID 54956756.
  25. ^ "Legislator in protest swim" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press, 8 September 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  26. ^ "Heritage conservation: Youth awaken to local identity, Varsity March 2007"
  27. ^ Joshua But, "Protest voyagers sail from pier", South China Morning Post, C4, 23 April 2007
  28. ^ Chloe Lai, "Chow Yun-fat signs pier petition", South China Morning Post, 29 April 2007, page 3
  29. ^ Chloe Lai, "Heritage: Last resistance", South China Morning Post, 12 June 2007, page A12
  30. ^ Simon Parry, "First Person", South China Morning Post, 7 June 2007, page C2
  31. ^ a b c "Pier protesters stage hunger strike", South China Morning Post, 28 July 2007, page 1
  32. ^ Damon Pang, "Protesters spend one last night at Queen's Pier" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 1 August 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  33. ^ Damon Pang, "Violent scuffle mars otherwise tidy operation" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 2 August 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  34. ^ Una So, "Pier vigil comes to dramatic end" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 2 August 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  35. ^ a b c d e f Damon Pang, "Antiquities backing to save Queen's Pier" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 10 May 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  36. ^ a b Ambrose Leung, "Pier failure shows Tsang team 'like a weak crab'", South China Morning Post, 11 May 2007, page 1
  37. ^ Carrie Chan, "New policy aims will lead heritage debate" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 10 May 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  38. ^ a b Diana Lee, "Pier demolition cash bid gets nod" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 24 May 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  39. ^ Antiquities Advisory Board. (2007). Minutes of the Antiquities Advisory Board 129th Meeting. Retrieved 9 April 2022, from https://www.aab.gov.hk/en/meetings/open-meetings/index_id_9.html?type=minutes&year=2007.
  40. ^ The Standard. (10 May 2007). Antiquities backing to save Queen’s Pier. Retrieved 10 April 2022, from .
  41. ^ "Historic status for pier, but future still in doubt", Chloe Lai, South China Morning Post, 10 May 2007, page 1
  42. ^ 星島日報 [Sing Tao Daily]. (10 May 2007). 孫公企硬 「皇后」一定搬 [Michael Suen stands firm on the relocation of the Queen’s Pier]. Retrieved 9 April 2022, from .
  43. ^ 明報 [Mingpao]. (9 May 2007). 孫公表明難原址保留碼頭 [Michael Suen stresses difficulties in preserving the Queen’s Pier at its current site]. Retrieved 9 April 2022, from .
  44. ^ Damon Pang, "Court challenge as tussle looms on pier" 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 31 July 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  45. ^ a b "Hong Kong court delays demolition of historic Queen's Pier", The Straits Times, 1 August 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  46. ^ Una So, Pier drama extended as court bid offers delay 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 1 August 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  47. ^ Una So, "Court ruling clears way for Queen's Pier dismantling" 5 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine, The Standard, 11 August 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007
  48. ^ "Planners cry foul over Queen's Pier survey", Pg A1 South China Morning Post, 2 July 2008
  49. ^ Hong Kong’s Queen’s Pier may be resurrected away from original Central area, SCMP, 1 January 2021

22°16′59.2″N 114°9′42″E / 22.283111°N 114.16167°E / 22.283111; 114.16167

queen, pier, named, after, queen, victoria, public, pier, front, city, hall, edinburgh, place, central, hong, kong, three, generations, served, only, public, pier, also, major, ceremonial, arrival, departure, point, pier, witnessed, official, arrival, hong, ko. Queen s Pier named after Queen Victoria was a public pier in front of City Hall in Edinburgh Place Central Hong Kong For three generations it served not only as a public pier in day to day use but also as a major ceremonial arrival and departure point The pier witnessed the official arrival in Hong Kong of all of Hong Kong s governors since 1925 Elizabeth II landed there in 1975 as did the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1989 Queen s PierQueen s Pier at night 2006LocaleEdinburgh Place Central Hong KongCharacteristicsHistoryDesignerModern utilitarianismOpening date1925Renovated1954Closure date2008Queen s PierTraditional Chinese皇后碼頭Simplified Chinese皇后码头TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinHuanghou MǎtouYue CantoneseYale RomanizationWong4 hau6 ma5 tau4JyutpingWong4 hau6 maa5 tau5The second and final pier structure built along the newly reclaimed waterfront was designed in a modern utilitarian style and was opened by Maurine Grantham wife of Governor Alexander Grantham in June 1954 On 26 April 2007 the pier was closed by the government to enable land reclamation soon after the adjacent Star Ferry pier was closed There was fierce opposition by conservationists who carried over their campaign to preserve the landmark Police officers evicted some 30 protesters from the site on 1 August 2007 activists filed for a judicial review and the High Court hearing began on 7 August On 10 August the court dismissed the request Finally the Queen s Pier was completely demolished in February 2008 Its base piles were also removed in March 2008 In 2008 the government s attempts post dismantling to create the appearance of public support for reassembling the pier at the new waterfront were criticised by conservationists 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 1925 pier 1 2 1954 pier 2 Function 3 Demolition 3 1 Government s position 3 1 1 Dismantling and storing 3 1 2 District councils 3 2 Conservationists position 3 3 Preservation campaign battlefronts 3 3 1 Public and media 3 3 2 Legislative Council 3 3 3 Antiquities Advisory Board grading vote 3 3 4 Legal challenge 3 3 5 Institute of Planners controversy 3 4 Possibility of reinstatement 4 Popular culture 5 See also 6 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Full length of Queen s Pier c 1930A former wooden pier at the site known as Queen s Statue Wharf was replaced in 1925 2 It was a ceremonial landing area for the British royal family visiting Hong Kong and for successive governors to assert their authority on arrival The first governor to land there was Cecil Clementi in November 1925 The preceding governor Reginald Stubbs boarded the Victoria from the pier at the end of his term on 31 October 1925 2 1925 pier edit nbsp Queen s Pier right Clementi s inauguration in 1925The 1925 pier was originally named Statue Pier but was renamed Queen s Pier in honour of Queen Victoria on 31 July 1924 2 It was a sheltered pier made of concrete and steel with round pillars and arches built on the waterfront at Pedder Street citation needed on the site of the present Mandarin Oriental Hotel 3 at a cost of HK 20 000 4 Intended to be opened in time for the arrival of Edward the Prince of Wales construction delays postponed its completion until October 1925 2 It was demolished in January 1955 5 1954 pier edit As part of post war reclamation the old pier was demolished Work commenced in February 1954 on a new pier on the new waterfront designed in a modern utilitarian style 2 The structure was described as a U shaped plan with an open sided superstructure It consisted of tiled reinforced concrete base and pillars and was modelled after previous piers in the area Its flat roof was also made of concrete topped with bitumen waterproofing 2 Five sets of stairs allowed boat passengers to board and disembark three located on the north side one on the east and one on the west The pier was considered an integral part of the ceremonial cluster including City Hall and Edinburgh Place which was being formed at the time and the entrance to the City Hall formed an axis with the Pier to lend a sense of occasion to visiting dignitaries The secondary design goal was to maximise public access to the very limited open space in Central in contrast with the city bustle 5 The pier was opened by Lady Maurine Grantham wife of Governor Sir Alexander Grantham on 28 June 1954 6 Function editThe pier s primary role was ceremonial It was the traditional landing place of successive governors who would arrive at Central on board the official Governor s Yacht which would dock at Queen s Pier From the 1960s governors would inspect a guard of honour at Edinburgh Place followed by the swearing in at City Hall 2 HM The Queen landed there on 4 May 1975 on her first visit after arriving by plane at Kai Tak Airport 7 The Prince and Princess of Wales landed there in November 1989 8 The pier s secondary role was as a public pier where pleasure craft were allowed to dock 8 Tour boats offering a view of the Kowloon side of the harbour used the pier for passenger boarding Up to 1978 it was the finishing line for the annual cross harbour swimming race As the ceremonies declined the pier s secondary purpose became the main one people met and strolled in the area 9 and others fished On 26 April 2007 the pier was closed in order to facilitate land reclamation in Central 10 Demolition edit nbsp Old Star Ferry Pier front left and Queen s Pier front right in 2005 The new piers background left now in full operation From the outset the fate of the pier has been intimately linked with the Central Reclamation project which was unveiled in 1989 but not explicitly spelled out as such However the scale of reclamations has only been slightly cut back following significant legal battles 9 In conjunction with the proposed demolition of the Queen s Pier and the adjacent Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier necessitated by Phase III of the Central Reclamation project the Antiquities and Monuments Office AMO commissioned a heritage impacts survey in 2001 11 The Antiquities Advisory Board AAB in two separate meetings in March 2002 and December 2006 reached the same view of not raising objections as to the demolition of the Queen s Pier Instead the Board asked the Government to preserve relics of the Queen s Pier for reconstruction on the reclaimed harbourfront 11 Government s position edit Following the controversy and the demolition of the Star Ferry Pier in Edinburgh Place in early 2007 activists declared Queen s Pier the next battle ground against the conservation policy of the Government of Hong Kong The criticism received over its handling of the Star Ferry Pier caused Michael Suen the Secretary for Housing Planning and Lands to propose a piece by piece relocation of the pier to a new location on the reclaimed waterfront during a Legco session on 21 March 2007 12 The Government later unveiled four design options for such relocation 13 The intended closure of the pier was 26 April 2007 At the end of January 2007 the government declared it would postpone the demolition of Queen s Pier until a consensus could be reached on the course of action consultations with the Hong Kong Institute of Architects the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers and the Conservancy Association were held 14 The Institute of Architects whose members opposed dismantling the pier originally maintained the pier should remain untouched However it was reported that after meeting the government the Institute and the Conservancy Association were persuaded by the government that the pier could first be dismantled and then reassembled at another location after completion of the reclamation This change of heart was heavily criticised by Winston Chu founder of the Society for Protection of the Harbour 15 The HKIA clarified that their opposition had not in fact changed 16 Chief Executive Donald Tsang said that being overzealous in saving the past may hurt Hong Kong s competitiveness and called on activists to take a more balanced view toward economic growth and conservation Soon after Tsang s re election as Chief Executive on 26 March the Government pressed ahead with plans to dismantle and move the entire pier piece by piece enabling the reclamation to go ahead 17 The government said that the in situ preservation though apparently viable on paper would risk irreversible damage to the pier Furthermore it argued that important underground facilities such as the Airport Railway Extended Overrun Tunnel would be affected saying a natural curvature of the track was required 12 Setting aside the technical difficulties and the huge risk involved in the works underpinning for the construction of the extended overrun tunnel would cost about HK 500 million and take more than two years to complete 12 Appearing before a public forum at the pier on 29 July Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet ngor repeated the government s insistence that keeping the pier was not an option She said she would not give the people false hope 18 Although Lam s performance in public debates was praised 19 the Secretary for Development s conflict of interest as the head of the Antiquities Advisory Board was criticised Lam said the AAB did not have governmental authority and that it had not suggested keeping the pier in its totality 18 Dismantling and storing edit At the end of July 2007 the Development Bureau issued a paper for the Legislative Council s lands and works panel Hoardings were erected by the end of July and the target date for completing preservation works was set as November It was suggested for the pier s pitched roof to be disassembled into halves and the 34 concrete columns to be cut at roof and deck level The pieces would be labelled and then lifted by a crane barge and transported to the government s explosives depot in Kau Shat Wan Lantau Island where it would be stored under guard 20 District councils edit The government polled 16 District Councils fourteen of which voted in support of relocating the pier to the new water front However in July 2008 activists cried foul when eight councils revealed that the preservation of the pier in its existing location was not put forth as one of the options the vice chairmen of two councils which voted to support also objected that their decision may have not been an informed one as not all possible options were on the table The chief town planner said that the omitted proposal was not an efficient option and would create unnecessary construction waste 21 After it was revealed in August 2008 that the government was behind the 13 concerted District Councils motions in 2008 supporting the relocation of the pier to the new waterfront Albert Ho condemned the government of tampering with District Councils to create public opinion Convenor of the Urban Design Alliance doubted the openness of consultation saying that the government had engineered its results Dr Li Pang kwong of Lingnan University said that the problematic framework of the councils has led them to work too closely with government He said the copy and paste Queen s Pier motions passed by 13 councils to support government decisions was a rubber stamp and a clear sign that councils lacked independence 1 Conservationists position edit Ron Phillips original designer of the pier backed preservation saying that any loss of the City Hall and the adjacent open space would be something future generations will come to regret 5 The Hong Kong Institute of Architects denounced the government s insistence that dismantling and reassembling of the pier was the only feasible option in disregard of the pier s grade 1 status The architects concluded that the technical difficulties were not irresolvable and the government s reasons for not revising the current infrastructural design were not at all convincing 16 Environmental groups were angered by the government s technobabble and for inflating the costs and technical difficulties of keeping the pier at the original site 14 The proposed 40 metre wide road planned in the 1980s was now obsolete and would make the waterfront inaccessible to the public 22 Albert Lai Chairman of the Hong Kong People s Council for Sustainable Development drew attention to the fact that the budgeted spending for infrastructure over the past three years of HK 90 billion contrasted poorly with HK 90 million spent on acquiring and renovating heritage sites 23 The Civic Party accused the government of misleading the public the development plans for the North Island Line precluded the restoration of the pier before 2016 22 Christine Loh criticised Donald Tsang for failing to grasp the economical cultural and social importance of heritage 23 Local Action a loose alliance of protesters on site described the pier as a cornerstone of Hong Kong identity By linking the pier with earlier social movements in late 1960s and early 1970s it argued that the place was a symbol of Hong Kong civic activism and therefore should not be demolished 24 Preservation campaign battlefronts edit Public and media edit In September 2004 legislator Law Chi kwong took a swim in Victoria Harbour bearing a plaque saying Goodbye to the Queen to protest the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation particularly the loss of Queen s Pier 25 nbsp Banners erected by protesters tents on the rooftopSoon after the unsuccessful attempt to save the Star Ferry pier in early 2007 a campaign to preserve the pier in situ was launched 26 Ahead of the closure members of the public environmentalists and some lawmakers arrived to tie blue ribbons to indicate their desire to preserve the harbour On 22 April about 100 protesters once again rallied at the pier launching farewell voyages in a last ditch attempt to urge the Government to reconsider 15 a petition of over 400 signatures from the Arts community was collected 27 nbsp The hunger strikers encampment day 3An occupation of the pier was started by ten activists on the designated closure date The campaign was boosted by the appearance of Chow Yun fat early on the morning of 28 April to sign the petition and to appeal pre emptively to the police not to hurt protesters 28 Some activists like Chu Hoi dick have been involved in the Star Ferry pier protest and took turns to maintain a round the clock presence 29 Leung Chun yiu spent three nights a week at the site despite working a full time job vowing to block the demolition non violently in any way he could 30 On 27 July three students as part of a group called Local Action started a hunger strike at the pier 31 Hunger striker Chan King fai said The government wasn t chosen by us All we can do is to use our humble and limited voices 31 The government responded with a communications offensive announcing that Secretary for Development Carrie Lam would appear on RTHK s City s Forum and at a public forum on 29 July at the pier 31 On 30 July the Government ordered an end to the unlawful occupation of government land by midnight Activists vowed to defy the order a candlelight vigil held at the pier was attended by 200 sympathisers The Government did not risk a violent confrontation immediately on the expiry of the eviction deadline 32 In an operation which lasted ten hours during daylight hours on 1 August 2007 300 Police officers cleared away the 30 or so protesters from the site amid scuffles 33 Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor complained that its observers were denied access to the area during the eviction 34 Legislative Council edit An application for HK 50 million to fund the dismantling and relocating of the pier was scheduled for debate by the Public Works sub committee on 9 May 2007 the same day the Antiquities Advisory Board would hold a public hearing to decide on the historical grading of the pier 14 Government stressed the timing was a coincidence 35 and steadfastly refused to defer the vote pending an outcome of the AAB vote On 9 May after an hour long heated debate the government was forced to withdraw its motion 35 due to the lack of support Choy So yuk from the usually pro Government DAB called for the vote to be postponed and the Liberal Party equally did not back the Government 36 However Government ministers declared that it had no plans to list the pier as a declared monument and insisted that there was no direct relationship between the grading and whether we will demolish and relocate the pier 35 During the debate the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services also said that even if the site was pronounced a first class monument there remained no legally binding prohibition against its demolition 35 Liberal Party chairman James Tien said that in failing to muster support to implement its policies the Government is like a crab with weak legs 36 The government claimed that its handling of the issue had been in line with pledges made by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam kuen during his recent re election campaign to regain the moral high ground regarding heritage preservation following the mistakes of the Star Ferry saga 37 Civic Party legislative councillor Fernando Cheung Chiu hung said that there was no sincerity from the government to preserve historic venues 35 The public works subcommittee approved the Government s re submitted request for funds to dismantle and relocate Queen s Pier on 23 May in a 10 7 vote 38 Choy So yuk who voted against the appropriation on 9 May abstained She revealed that she had been lobbied by Michael Suen and Donald Tsang party whips did not allow her to cast an opposing vote 38 The Hong Kong Institute of Architects said it regretted the funding approval 16 Antiquities Advisory Board grading vote edit On 6 March 2007 the AAB agreed on a review of the Pier s grading and commissioned the AMO to conduct a study on the historic and heritage value of the Pier 11 Subsequently the Board convened an open meeting on 9 May 2007 in which the Board adopted the AMO s report The AAB by simple majority recommended the Pier to be graded as a grade I historic building on the grounds of historical significance and social value 39 40 Twelve members voted for Grade 1 listing and ten voted for Grade 2 listing However the status is not binding on the Government 41 After the hearing an activist from Local Action declared the AAB s decision a victory for the people and warned the government not to treat the voice of the people lightly 35 In spite of conservationist campaigns and the AAB s grading recommendation then Secretary for Housing Planning and Lands Michael Suen stated that the Pier must be removed from site before relocation 42 Suen further stated that the AAB s recommendation had no bearing on the Government s action 43 Legal challenge edit As Lands Department officials arrived on 30 July to put up notices ordering an end to the unlawful occupation of government land the activists filed for a judicial review 44 claiming that the decision of the Secretary for Home Affairs not to declare the structure a monument was unreasonable and illegal 45 The High Court set the date for the case to be heard as 7 August 46 Judge Johnson Lam said that the case about the future of Queen s Pier should be heard as there is great public interest in the outcome and justified a one week respite for the site 45 On 10 August the High Court dismissed the request for judicial review thus giving the go ahead for the government to demolish it The judge ruled that the applicants had failed to establish that the government had acted perversely 47 Institute of Planners controversy edit The Hong Kong Institute of Planners the majority of whose members work in government departments had backed the in situ preservation of the pier There was uproar in May 2008 when it made an apparent U turn in a position paper submitted to the government backing the relocation to a waterfront location based on a sparsely attended meeting It then submitted a revised paper presenting that a majority of its members supported such a move as a conclusion prior to the completion of a survey A former vice president of the institute questioned how the institute had become allies of the government 48 Possibility of reinstatement edit In 2021 it was revealed that the government was looking at a reinstatement of the pier away from the Central Harbourfront area 49 Popular culture editThe pier is featured in the following programmes and videos My Date with a Vampire ATV Life Made Simple TVB Glittering Days TVB the music video of Goodbye Bell a song by Sam Hui in the 2010 movie Dream Home set in Hong Kong in the year 2007 in the 1988 television miniseries Noble House starring Pierce Brosnan See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Queen s Pier Central Market Central Police Station Heritage conservation in Hong Kong Lee Tung Street List of Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong Yau Ma Tei Police StationReferences edit a b Olga Wong Joyce Ng 24 June 2008 Rubber stamp council lashed over pier vote South China Morning Post p A3 a b c d e f g A Historical and Architectural Appraisal of Queen s Pier Central Annexe B3 Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Antiquities and Monuments Office Government of Hong Kong SAR Retrieved 15 December 2007 Martin Wong Ship has sailed for another landmark South China Morning Post 18 December 2006 page 1 Final stages of Central reclamation new Queen s Pier gets a cover 工商日報 12 February 1954 in Chinese a b c Liz Heron Save Queen s Pier says architect of City Hall complex South China Morning Post 13 May 2007 page 4 Sara Z Al Sudairy Royal landing site valued by public Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 2 August 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Raymond Yao The Royal seal of stability Far Eastern Economic Review 16 May 1975 Retrieved 7 August 2007 a b Buddle Cliff 2 January 2021 Queen s Pier belongs in Central and should return there South China Morning Post Retrieved 3 August 2022 a b Ying Koon kau 2020 Heritage Preservation Versus Development The Case of Queen s Pier In Yung Betty Yu Kam Por eds Land and Housing Controversies in Hong Kong Perspectives of Justice and Social Values Singapore Springer Nature Singapore pp 127 144 ISBN 9789811552656 In Hong Kong no looking back at Britain International Herald Tribune 26 April 2007 Retrieved 8 May 2007 a b c Memorandum for Members of the Antiquities Advisory Board on Grading of Queen s Pier Central Hong Kong PDF May 2007 Retrieved 9 April 2022 a b c Winnie Chong New spot for pier at old location Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 22 March 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Diana Lee Harbor option for Queen s Pier Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 4 May 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 a b c Audrey Parwani Anger over plan to dismantle pier South China Morning Post 27 March 2007 page B1 a b Una So Groups accused of backtracking on Queen s Pier Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 23 April 2007 a b c Press Statement Approval of Funding for Dismantling and Reassembling Queen s Pier by LegCo Public Works Subcommittee at its Meeting held on 23 May 2007 Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Hong Kong Institute of Architects 7 June 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Pier preservation plan proposed Archived 19 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine HK Government 26 March 2007 a b Una So Death knell on pier Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 30 July 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Scarlett Chiang amp Anson Douglas Lam scores well in heated debate Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 30 July 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Diana Lee amp Scarlett Chiang Queen s Pier to be cut up and stored at month s end Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 19 July 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Councils not told of third option before vote Pg C3 South China Morning Post 15 July 2008 a b Audrey Parwani Don t kid the public on when the pier will be rebuilt party says South China Morning Post 7 June 2007 page C4 a b Jonathan Cheng Protect heritage and growth urges Tsang Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 29 January 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Ku Agnes Shuk mei 2012 Remaking Places and Fashioning an Opposition Discourse Struggle over the Star Ferry Pier and the Queen s Pier in Hong Kong Environment and Planning D Society and Space 30 16 doi 10 1068 d16409 S2CID 54956756 Legislator in protest swim Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine Associated Press 8 September 2004 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Heritage conservation Youth awaken to local identity Varsity March 2007 Joshua But Protest voyagers sail from pier South China Morning Post C4 23 April 2007 Chloe Lai Chow Yun fat signs pier petition South China Morning Post 29 April 2007 page 3 Chloe Lai Heritage Last resistance South China Morning Post 12 June 2007 page A12 Simon Parry First Person South China Morning Post 7 June 2007 page C2 a b c Pier protesters stage hunger strike South China Morning Post 28 July 2007 page 1 Damon Pang Protesters spend one last night at Queen s Pier Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 1 August 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Damon Pang Violent scuffle mars otherwise tidy operation Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 2 August 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Una So Pier vigil comes to dramatic end Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 2 August 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 a b c d e f Damon Pang Antiquities backing to save Queen s Pier Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 10 May 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 a b Ambrose Leung Pier failure shows Tsang team like a weak crab South China Morning Post 11 May 2007 page 1 Carrie Chan New policy aims will lead heritage debate Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 10 May 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 a b Diana Lee Pier demolition cash bid gets nod Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine 24 May 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Antiquities Advisory Board 2007 Minutes of the Antiquities Advisory Board 129th Meeting Retrieved 9 April 2022 from https www aab gov hk en meetings open meetings index id 9 html type minutes amp year 2007 The Standard 10 May 2007 Antiquities backing to save Queen s Pier Retrieved 10 April 2022 from https web archive org web 20110522040138 http www thestandard com hk news detail asp pp cat 11 amp art id 44107 amp sid 13530773 amp con type 3 amp d str 20070510 amp sear year 2007 Historic status for pier but future still in doubt Chloe Lai South China Morning Post 10 May 2007 page 1 星島日報 Sing Tao Daily 10 May 2007 孫公企硬 皇后 一定搬 Michael Suen stands firm on the relocation of the Queen s Pier Retrieved 9 April 2022 from https web archive org web 20070718020838 http hk news yahoo com 070509 60 273s7 html 明報 Mingpao 9 May 2007 孫公表明難原址保留碼頭 Michael Suen stresses difficulties in preserving the Queen s Pier at its current site Retrieved 9 April 2022 from https web archive org web 20070915145657 http hk news yahoo com 070509 12 273a8 html Damon Pang Court challenge as tussle looms on pier Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 31 July 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 a b Hong Kong court delays demolition of historic Queen s Pier The Straits Times 1 August 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Una So Pier drama extended as court bid offers delay Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 1 August 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Una So Court ruling clears way for Queen s Pier dismantling Archived 5 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine The Standard 11 August 2007 Retrieved 7 August 2007 Planners cry foul over Queen s Pier survey Pg A1 South China Morning Post 2 July 2008 Hong Kong s Queen s Pier may be resurrected away from original Central area SCMP 1 January 2021 22 16 59 2 N 114 9 42 E 22 283111 N 114 16167 E 22 283111 114 16167 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Queen 27s Pier amp oldid 1206177002, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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