Elderly Hongkongers peeved over looming relocation at decades-old care home amid Covid-19 pandemic
- The government wants to move 150 residents across four blocks of Dills Corner Garden in Sheung Shui into other blocks within the premises
- But care home operators and residents cast doubt on the proposal’s viability, especially due to infection risks amid coronavirus pandemic
Situated in the suburbs of the northern border town of Sheung Shui, Dills Corner Garden has housed 16 elderly care homes since 1997 and is much beloved by many residents for its tranquil life, quality care and close-knit community.
Some 1,000 elderly live in more than 20 two-storey buildings in the sprawling compound spanning 32,600 square metres, that were once the married quarters for the British military until the city’s handover to China in 1997.
The government at the time was keen that operators set up care facilities there, and the centre provided about 90 per cent of all elderly care places in North district in the early 2000s.
But in 1998, the government earmarked the land for a controversial HK$120 billion (US$15.4 billion) development project to create two new towns in Kwu Tung and Fanling North. The government confirmed in 2004 that it would be turned into commercial and residential properties, and a public transport interchange.
