For Hong Kong locals, the Kowloon Park is a good venue for a nice afternoon reading session, a place for sitting-down after shopping at the nearby Park Lane, or otherwise swimming at its swimming pool. We take its leisure purpose for granted and few people look for its historic significance beyond its role as a park.

I have never known the history of Kowloon Park until recently, when I came across photographs of the war relics on site. I decided to go to this very familiar childhood park again in search specifically for its historical significance.

The History of the Kowloon Park

The predecessor of the Kowloon Park is the Whitfield Barracks. At the time, the location at which Kowloon Park now occupies was strategically advantageous for defense purposes. It started as a military base as one could overlook the Kowloon side of the Victoria Harbour there. It was meant to be a temporary encampment in the beginning. When the British took over Kowloon in 1861, they named it the Whitfield Barracks and it became a permanent military site. At first, the Indian garrison was stationed at the Whitfield Barracks.

The History of Blocks S61 and S62 of the Whitfield Barracks

General H.W. Whitfield was the Commander of British Troops in China, Hong Kong and the Straits Settlement from 1869 to 1874. At one point, the Whitfield Barracks had more than 85 buildings.  Of all of these buildings, only four barrack blocks and the battery were preserved to the present.

Two of the former Whitfield Barracks, S61 and S62, have since 2005 been the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Center.  It is believed that these barracks were built circa 1890s. I had limited time that day and did not go in for a look. The building is well-restored, and it stands elegantly at a prime location in the park. All of the former barracks and the battery at Kowloon Park were rated Grade 1 Historic Building.

It was believed that the barracks were turned into internment camps during the Japanese Occupation years. When WWII ended, the barracks may have housed some of the disarmed Japanese forces, as such they were temporary prisoners of war camps.

In terms of its architecture, the buildings were built in the colonial neo-classical style, representative of the general style of architecture for similar structures during its time. The two-story block has arched verandas.  The low arches were meant to keep the building cool and away from the humidity of Hong Kong’s climate.

The History of the Former Kowloon West II Battery

Given this early history of the Kowloon Park, there is still a site in the current park where military relics stand. I spent less than 15 minutes locating the cannon and the fortress inside the park. The area in which it now stands is named Discovery Playground and the relics there are known as the Former Kowloon West II Battery.

Because this area is now intended to be a playground for children, the fortress at the battery has been restored to a more colorful and cheerful appearance than the common restoration of war relics. Suffice to say, that the structure itself retains some of the key features of its intended wartime usage.

The Kowloon West II Battery was built during 1878 and 1880. It was built in concrete. There are three gun emplacements, a command center, ammunition storage spaces and a machinery room. Each gun emplacement was fixed with a 7-inch cannon. The use of the fortress ceased in 1916.

In 1970, the former Whitfield Barracks were turned into a park space, as such permanently altering its strategic role and became a key cultural and leisure site for Hong Kong people.

Landscape Features at the Kowloon Park

Generally speaking, the Kowloon Park is a nice park in terms of being spacious, quiet and lined with many old and vibrant trees. The landscaping, however, pales in comparison to other parks in Hong Kong, such as the Hong Kong Park or the Botanical Garden.

I find the highlight of the park being the Bird Lake. There is a bridged walkway through a rather large pond, where throngs of flamingos and other birds gather. It is truly beautiful there.

I thought the Chinese garden was not worth much of a mention. There is a typical covered corridor and a lone pavilion, but not particularly beautiful.

Close to the Park Lane entrance, there is an open space “Avenue of Stars” of anime artists and their works. It is perfect for families with children.

Overall, if your purpose of visiting the Kowloon Park is merely to see the historical relics, then about an hour of a walk would be plenty of time, or more if you would like to see the exhibitions at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Center.

Sources

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Introduction of the Kowloon Park.

Hong-Kong-Heritage.com, Strategic Base in the City Bustle? The Kowloon West II Battery (Chin).

The Antiquities and Monuments Office, Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Center.