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Allen Au-yeung

March 31, 1997, was a day of sadness for generations of Hongkongers. Some 25,000 poured into the old Lai Yuen Amusement Park  in Lai Chi Kok for the very last time before it closed down for good.
Many lingered to take what we would now call “selfies” with their favourite rides, and when the park’s carousel stopped running, people were seen pushing it as if reluctant to allow the magic to stop in the oasis of fun they grew up with.
Don’t expect such scenes of emotion at 11pm tonight, when the revived Lai Yuen park at the Central harbourfront says goodbye – for now – to Hong Kong.
Though the park has entertained a million visitors since it opened in late June, some felt the nostalgic fun failed to live up to the legend of the original Lai Yuen, where attractions included a small zoo and fun games that cost only a few dollars to play.

Watch: Lai Yuen  Amusement Park in 1993/94
Yau Chun-lung, 38, took his seven-year-old son to the new Lai Yuen last week before he returned to school this week. He has fun memories of a game known as “gum tiles” at the old Lai Yuen park, but could only find “a little bit” of childhood nostalgia in the park.
“I love the coin-throwing game to win gum. I’m glad to find it again here and my son likes the fun bus,” Yau said.
“But everything feels different. The park was very popular back then and the games were cheap. The game tokens are now very expensive. They cost HK$10 each. And, each game now costs several tokens. I would now rather take my kid to Jumpin’ Gym instead.
Ben Ho Koon-bun, who also has fond memories of the old park, said: “I think the games are OK here. I would give it a four out of five. They require a lot of techniques to win. But, the games are pricey. I have spent HK$100 %already just buying the game tokens. I won’t be too saddened if the park won’t open again. Maybe there will be other theme parks opened in the future.”
Pocco Leung, 15, had already visited the park once this summer and returned last week with his friends.
He particularly enjoyed one game that involved picking up marbles, though the baking weather made the experience less fun. “Maybe they should move the park indoors. [The organiser] also needs to add more fans. It has been too hot,” he said.
Food and drinks vendors who took up pitches in the park were also underwhelmed by the public reaction.
Paul Lam Tim-nok, 20, who has been helping sell cola and iced tea, said: “Business has not been good. There is not enough traffic on weekdays. It’s slightly better on Saturdays and Sundays.”
Lau Wai, 50, who has been selling melon juice, also thought business was lacklustre. “Business is average. Our melon juice did well because the weather has been very hot throughout the summer. But, there is just not that much traffic, except on weekends. They need to make some attractions, such as the bumper cars, free for children to attract people to visit.”
Having spent between HK$70 million and HK$80 million to %revive the park, its chairman Duncan Chiu admits he is not likely to recoup his investment this summer. Having spoken optimistically of finding a permanent home for the park, Chiu says Lai Yuen’s future is up in the air.
“Labour costs are higher than we budgeted for and we have, in all, directly or indirectly, hired over 1,000 people, so that’s a lot,” Chiu explained. “On top of that, hot weather affected people’s spending as average time in the park was short.”
Nevertheless, Chiu said he felt “grateful” for getting the opportunity to reopen the park and fulfil the wish of his late father, entertainment tycoon Deacon Chiu Te-ken.
The elder Chiu, who died in March, bought the park in 1962 as part of an entertainment empire that included a chain of cinemas and, for a time in the 1980s, broadcaster ATV.
“To have brought this back to Hong Kong means a lot to me and my family. It makes me recall my childhood, and also seeing people coming in every day and their laughter is a big achievement for me,” Duncan Chiu said.
“Whenever I have time, I walk around Lai Yuen. Every time, I see people bring their parents back to recall their old memories and have fun in our park, I feel very touched and think I did the right thing.”


Revival of much-loved Hong Kong amusement park Lai Yuen fails to live up to fans’ memories 

The revived Lai Yuen Amusement Park in Central closes on Thursday. Photo: Sam Tsang

Revived Lai Yuen park is a timely reminder of Hong Kong's 'try your luck' spirit

Duncan Chiu, chairman of Lai Yuen Amusement Park Ltd. at a press conference of theme park's comeback. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Feelings will be mixed when when the revived Lai Yuen Amusement Park on the Central harbourfront says goodbye to Hong Kong.


Revival of much-loved Hong Kong amusement park Lai Yuen fails to live up to fans’ memories

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Feelings will be mixed when when the revived Lai Yuen Amusement Park on the Central harbourfront says goodbye to Hong Kong.

Feelings will be mixed when when the revived Lai Yuen Amusement Park on the Central harbourfront says goodbye to Hong Kong.