Victoria Park's benefits extend 'beyond its borders'

Surrounded by tall buildings and the hustle and bustle of Causeway Bay, the role of Victoria Park in providing a haven for the public is vital, according to an urban forestry expert.

That's especially true given that the city has just three square metres of urban park space per resident, according to Professor Jim Chi-yung, of the University of Hong Kong. In Taiwan, the ratio is more than five square metres per person and in Singapore it is seven to eight per person. In European cities, each resident enjoys more than 10 times as much parkland as in Hong Kong.

"Urban parks mainly provide outdoor recreational venues, and in Hong Kong, an ultra compact city, that is especially important," Jim said. "Only a few, rich people in Hong Kong have their own private open space, some in the form of gardens. And clubhouses are reserved for their members as well."

Built in 1957, Victoria Park is the largest urban park on Hong Kong Island. Besides providing fresher air than the surrounding streets, the presence of the park also allows more sunlight to reach buildings in the area.

"If an area contains only skyscrapers, no sunlight can enter flats on the lower floors," Jim said. "If residents can see little sky and get little exposure to sunlight, the impact on their physical and mental health is huge. We're only aware of it subconsciously, but that's an in-born mechanism."

The park also keeps the city's air a little cooler, and provides a filter for rainwater before it flows into the sea, he says.

"The government is usually only concerned about the recreational purpose of parks. When it comes to their role in the ecosystem, they pay no attention."