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Paggie Leung

The planned garden park - and the necessary removal of hundreds of trees - has received a mixed response from businesses in the Stanley area but has been welcomed by tourists and residents.

There are also fears that it will destroy the tranquil environment of a nearby temple.

Restaurant manager Lui Wah-kit said it would have a positive impact on business  but hoped construction would not cause too much damage to the natural environment or turn it into  'too artificial' a place.

Rolf Schneider, the owner of a bar in Stanley Main Street,  said the area was already  beautiful  and it was 'absolutely senseless' to cut down precious trees to make way for a park.

'Tourists do not come to Stanley to walk in a park. Stanley is very much shopping in the market, enjoying the sea view and the beach,' said Mr Schneider, who has lived in the district for 27 years.

At the Kwun Yam Temple,  near the proposed park, Buddhist nun  Kai Joung said the proposal might destroy the quietness of the temple as the hillside beside  its front door was to be cleared for a car park.

'A temple needs to be quiet to worship,' she said. 'It's not appropriate to build a car park in front of a temple.'

Although she admitted it was a good idea to build a park, she was against the cutting down of trees  as they were planted by residents many years ago.

Temple volunteer Wu Ng-mei, 86, said she was worried that the new park would increase traffic.

But some tourists and residents supported the proposal.

Two mainland visitors, identifying themselves only as Mr and Mrs Meng, said Stanley was a spot where tourists could spend at most half a day as 'there is not much to see other than the main street and Murray House'. They said a garden park would increase the attractiveness of Stanley as a tourist spot.

Lung Tak Court resident Crystal Tsui Wai-ling said the park would offer a place for family activities.

'I think the idea of featuring Chinese-style plantings is coherent with the mountains nearby,' Ms Tsui said. 'Chopping down some of the trees is acceptable.'

Resident Cheung Lai Ling, 48, said it was a good idea to build the park  as it would be unique.



Community divided over threat to waterfront tranquillity