WE'RE grateful to Catherine Gray of Corporate Communications for this bit of trivia. In a city jam-packed with the things, where is Hong Kong's oldest working Otis lift? Now, if this seems just too trivial a question, ponder on the fact that without lifts, Hong Kong could not sustain its current population. We all owe it to Elisha Graves Otis for the 1853 invention which helped transform agrarian communities into industrial centres.
It transpires that the oldest working Otis lift in town can be found in all its teak glory in Aigburth Hall, May Road. The machine was installed in the glorious colonial-style apartment block in 1928, but now, sadly, is headed for retirement.
The building is to be demolished shortly to make way for yet another towering new monster in the already over-congested May Road/Old Peak Road area.
'Aigburth Hall, according to our records, is the oldest residential block which still has the original installed Otis elevator working,' said the company's Ray White.
'In Hong Kong, where it is very rare for residential buildings with elevators to be older than 25 years, Aigburth Hall is a remarkable example of longevity.' As a tribute to the grand old lady's service, Ray says Otis is in the midst of negotiating for the elevator to be removed and put on permanent display at their Tai Koo Shing office, but without its space-consuming shaft.
Now the hunt is on once again for the oldest working Otis lift in town.
THE ashes of AIDS victim and activist Mike Sinclair, who died on St Valentine's Day, will be scattered off Cheung Chau, probably this week. It was one of his final wishes.
