(19 April 2018, Hong Kong) The Central Police Station (CPS) Revitalisation Project is moving ahead with preparations for the opening of the CPS site, in three phases beginning in mid-2018. The site will be operated as Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts, named after the local colloquial name for the historic compound.
Statutory permits and certificates have been obtained for the project following the completion of inspections of 15 historic buildings, the new art gallery and auditorium buildings and associated structures in the CPS compound. Conservation, restoration and construction works have been certified by the authorities as having been carried out according to the approved building plans, and meeting the buildings, antiquities protection and public safety requirements.
The opening of the compound will take place in phases. Interior fitting out works are being carried out in 11 historic buildings, namely, the Police Headquarters Block (Block 1), Barrack Block (Block 3), Ablutions Block (Block 8), Superintendent’s House (Block 10), Bauhinia House (Block 19), and Halls A to F (Block 11-15, 17). These buildings, together with the new art galleries and new auditorium, and the outdoor spaces of the Parade Ground and the Prison Yard, will be opened in mid-2018. Interior works are ongoing in four other buildings, namely the Armoury (Block 2), Married Sergeants’ Quarters (Block 6), Single Inspectors’ Quarters (Block 7) and Central Magistracy (Block 9) and these buildings are targeted for opening later in 2018. A recovery plan is being formulated for the Married Inspectors’ Quarters (Block 4) which collapsed partially in 2016. Further details of the works to be carried out on Block 4 and its opening arrangement will be announced later.
The revitalisation project is led by The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) in partnership with the Government of the HKSAR. Since the project involves restoring many old buildings in poor condition and building new ones at a technically challenging site, the Club has worked closely with the government authorities, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders. This has ensured the compound is fit for adaptive reuse after conservation and revitalisation. Comprising a cluster of three declared monuments with a total of 16 historic buildings and outdoor spaces on the 13,600-square-metre site in the heart of Central, the project is by far the largest heritage conservation and revitalisation project in Hong Kong and the largest such project undertaken by the Club.
“We are delighted to have completed the majority of works and received statutory permits and certificates for most of the facilities. Building on this important milestone, we shall continue to give our best to explore the next phases in the Tai Kwun journey,” Leong Cheung, the Club’s Executive Director, Charities and Community, said. “True to the Club’s spirit of pursuing world-class excellence, the revitalisation works have been carried out meticulously. We look forward to reinvigorating the heritage site by offering a vibrant heritage, arts and lifestyle experiences to promote cultural appreciation, exploration and learning, talent development, and most importantly, open up a once closed-off part of Hong Kong and transforming it into an alluring new space for the neighbourhood and indeed everyone to enjoy.”
“In the coming weeks, we shall continue to dedicate all our efforts to the final preparations for Tai Kwun’s opening. These include completion of interior fit-outs, the installation, testing and trial runs of a full range of facilities, systems and equipment, staff recruitment and training, as well as putting the final touches on the opening programmes and activities,” Timothy Calnin, Director of CPS, Tai Kwun said.
A series of tests of the facilities have begun, with more trial runs planned for the next few weeks. An opening ceremony is planned for 25 May 2018, which will be followed by community days and visits, initially for a limited number of visitors. This will give Tai Kwun an opportunity to fine-tune its operation before the site is fully open. Details of the opening and visit arrangements, programmes and services for visitors will be announced in due course.
About Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts
“Arts, culture and heritage” is one of the strategic areas of charitable contributions of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club). The Central Police Station (CPS) Revitalisation Project is the largest heritage conservation and revitalisation project undertaken by the Club, in partnership with the Government of the HKSAR.
The CPS compound comprises three declared monuments of the former Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison, with 16 historic buildings and outdoor spaces on a 13,600-square-metre site in the heart of Central. An international-grade art gallery and an auditorium have been added to contribute to the adaptive reuse of the whole site.
HKJC undertakes the CPS Revitalisation Project to conserve and revitalise the CPS compound and through its Charities Trust, set up The Jockey Club CPS Limited to manage and operate the site as Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts. Tai Kwun is the local colloquial name used by police officers and the public alike to refer to the former police headquarters and the surrounding CPS compound. The name has been adopted by The Jockey Club CPS Limited for the project as a reminder of the historical importance of the compound.
Indicative schedule of Tai Kwun phased opening:
