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Shun Tak Centre has responded and halted illegal parking with signs and cones to create a safe channel for pedestrians.
For many years, one of the unresolved problems in creating a continuous Victoria Harbourfront and Hong Kong Island Coastal Trail has been Shun Tak Centre. Both pedestrian and vehicular traffic were obstructed by illegal car parking at the ground level.
We made our first enquiries in 2010, and again in 2016, with government to no avail. Early August last year, we again asked various government departments to clarify the permitted uses along the road under the Shun Tak Centre. They repeated their confirmation that when the land lease was signed, the plan for the ground floor failed to indicate a full set of footpaths. Neither did the approved plan allow for parking spaces. Only (un)loading and drop off / pick up facilities are allowed. Parking is available in the parking garages upstairs of Shun Tak Centre and at the adjacent Rumsey Street Multi Storey Car Park.
In October 2020, the owners of the Shun Tak Centre were informed by the Lands Department that vehicles parking at the ground floor under Shun Tak Centre were in breach of relevant lease conditions. In its warning letter the Lands Department has requested the owner to purge the breach.
Shun Tak Centre has responded and stopped vehicles parking under the west wing. However, at the east wing, the China Merchants Tower, the parking attendant of the Macao Jockey Club continues to park vehicles at unauthorised locations under the Shun Tak Centre and along the public road, to the detriment of pedestrians as well as vehicular traffic. The Macao Jockey Club’s Hong Kong Club House is located in the Shun Tak Centre operating a collection of restaurants. Patrons drop their car for a meal, or for the day or night.
We interviewed the Shun Tak security staff who explained that for good show and in full view of the Macao Jockey Club parking attendant he had to place notices under the windshield wipers reminding owners that parking is unauthorised at these locations. These notices were removed when the attendant returned the vehicle to its owner. When we approached the attendant he told us not to worry about the notices, and that as long as we were a member of the club we could enjoy a three hour free parking service.
We have written to the Macao Jockey Club to ask them to desist from parking and interrupting pedestrian and vehicular flow. Refusing to accept their wrong-doings, we decided to explain this situation to the public of Hong Kong who wish to enjoy their waterfronts. Offering an unauthorised parking privilege to private club members to the detriment of the community’s enjoyment is a problem. I hope that the management of Shun Tak Centre and the Members and Management of the Macau Jockey Club will appreciate the situation and resolve the problems caused.
English article: https://bit.ly/3pfH3Kj
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