Thank you for bringing attention to this proposal, Chuan. I had somehow missed that this was currently under consideration.
This seems like a terrible project to me. The removal of open space from an urban park is a very bad idea, especially somewhere as intensely urbanised as Hong Kong. Even if the park is eventually reopened after works have been completed, the temporary and fragmentation of habitat could have a serious long-term impact. It is likely that the breeding night herons would leave and much of the wooded area of the park would be lost.
The main purpose of this project appears to be to increase retail and restaurant facilities in Kowloon - I am not sure that there is much demand for this among HK people. HK residents would suffer the disruption of losing the park, with very little actual gain in the longer term. I feel that this is another of the sort of costly infrastructure projects that the HK government tends to promote despite public opposition, similar to the HZMB bridge, the incinerator at Shek Kwu Chau or the East Lantau metropolis.
I hope that HKBWS members will look into the project proposal carefully, and will consider sending comments before the deadline tomorrow.
