Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter

History

The original typhoon shelter was built after the 1874 typhoon, at the present location of Victoria Park, to provide shelter for fishing boats during storms. It was completed in 1883 with a breakwater only 427 metres (1,400 feet) long. The cost was HK$96,500.

In December 1903, a legislative council member, Gershom Stewart, suggested that the typhoon shelter be expanded. The motion was passed but expansion works could not be carried out due to lack of capital. The Legislative Council and the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce questioned the Hong Kong Government on the expansion in 1904 and 1906, but the Government did not give any response.

On 18 September 1906, a typhoon struck Hong Kong, destroying 3,653 boats and killing 15,000 people, most of them fishermen. In March 1908, the Government finally carried out expansion works on the typhoon shelter, deepening it by 3 metres (9 feet) and expanded it to 30 hectares (75 acres).

In 1953, the typhoon shelter was moved northwards to its present site and the original typhoon shelter was reclaimed to provide land for Victoria Park. The new typhoon shelter had a size of 26 hectares (65 acres). However, reclamation projects which started in the typhoon shelter during the late 1960s to construct the Cross-Harbour Tunnel decreased the size of the typhoon shelter.

Much of the shelter was temporarily reclaimed as a working area for construction of the Central–Wan Chai Bypass (the working for Route 4 Reengineering), an underground road, underworks that were part of the Wan Chai Phase II project of the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation, begun in 2009.

In 2022, the section of harbourfront alongside the shelter, roughly aligning with Victoria Park, was redeveloped and expanded, as part of the overall development of Victoria Harbour waterfront.

Environmental concerns

A 2005 government report singled out the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter as having "exceptionally high levels" of tributyltin, exceeding 1000 times the baseline concentration measured in the East Lamma Channel.

Surrounding roads

To the west:

• Cross-Harbour Tunnel

To the south:

• Gloucester Road
• Victoria Park Road

To the east:

• Island Eastern Corridor

Notable places nearby

• Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club
• Noonday Gun
• Central–Wan Chai Bypass
• The Excelsior
• Victoria Park
• Shelter Street, south of Victoria Park reminds of the original typhoon shelter

References

References

1. Ho Pui-yin. (2004). "Challenges for an Evolving City - 160 Years of Port and Land Development in Hong Kong". The Commercial Press.
2. Chinese Mail, 2 November 1906
3. Ho Pui-yin. (2003). "Weathering the Storm - Hong Kong Observatory and Social Development". Hong Kong University Press.
4. [http://www.wd2.gov.hk/eng/introduction.html Wan Chai Development Phase II - Project Overview], [[Civil Engineering and Development Department. CEDD]]
5. [http://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/about/achievements/regional/regi_central.htm Central and Wan Chai Reclamation - Wan Chai Development Phase II] {{Webarchive. link. (2007-09-28 , [[Civil Engineering and Development Department). CEDD]]
6. [https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/194295/Revitalised-Typhoon-Shelter-to-open-on-eve-of-Mid-Autumn-Festival Revitalised Typhoon Shelter to open on eve of Mid-Autumn Festival], The Standard, 4 Sep 2022
7. [https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202209/02/P2022090200708.htm Revitalised Typhoon Shelter Precinct to officially open on eve of Mid-Autumn Festival ..], HK Government Information Services Department, 2 Sept 2022
8. [https://www.hfc.org.hk/en/hss/causewaybaytyphoonshelter.html The Revitalised Typhoon Shelter Precinct, Causeway Bay], Harbourfront Commission, 7 Sept 2022
9. (2005). "Chapter 4: Contaminants of Concern". Environmental Protection Department.