Industrial culture-themed InPARK opens (with photos)

     InPARK (also known as Tsun Yip Street Playground), featuring an industrial culture theme, was officially opened today (March 26). In addition to inheriting the past industrial culture elements of Kwun Tong, the park also has a central lawn, various facilities and art installations to provide more greenery and open leisure space for public enjoyment.

     Officiating at the opening ceremony today, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li, said Kwun Tong has transformed from an area filled with factories in the past into a business area with many commercial buildings. To keep up with the times, Tsun Yip Street Playground has undergone improvement works in two stages since 2013. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department took the opportunity to launch the Public Art Scheme of Tsun Yip Street Playground and commissioned seven groups of artists to create public art installations focusing on seven prominent industries in Kowloon East. These artworks highlight the industrial culture in Kowloon East and showcase the vision of integrating future commercial developments and creative design.

     Also speaking at the event, the Head of the Energizing Kowloon East Office (EKEO), Ms Brenda Au, said the EKEO endeavours to facilitate the transformation of Kowloon East into the second core business district. In the course of transformation, the industrial culture of Kowloon East in the past and the spirit of creation are respected. Capturing the industrial culture theme, InPARK showcases how the findings of the Study on Industrial Culture of Kowloon East are put into practice to integrate industrial culture elements with urban design to improve public space.

     InPARK is located at Tsun Yip Street, Kwun Tong. Its first phase of improvement works was completed in September 2014. Part of the playground was converted from an ordinary sitting-out area into an open-air gallery showcasing industrial culture and art installations. The second phase of improvement works converted the remaining part of the playground into a park with an industrial culture theme. It provides a central lawn with landscape amenities, sitting-out areas and a multi-purpose area for performance and exhibition. Seven artworks from the Public Art Scheme of Tsun Yip Street Playground are also featured in the park. The public can appreciate an artistic ambience filled with industrial culture elements while enjoying the open space. The public art scheme was launched by the Art Promotion Office in September 2016. The seven industrial themes representing Kowloon East are printing, clothing and garments, textiles, toys, plastics, electronics and timepieces.

     The seven selected artworks are "Stitching Memories" by Cordelia Tam, Matthew Tsang, Connie Ho, Quvan Yuen and Sharifa Leung; "The Fabric Green" by Tsang Suet-ming, Liane Cheung and Ng Siu-cheong; "Giant Robot" by James Law; "Cam4 Kau4" by Lau Mei-po and Yan Chin-wing; "Message" by Ng Siu-cheong, Liane Cheung and Tsang Suet-ming; "Printing Kwun Tong" by Leung Yee-hang, Kwan Hoi-lun, Wong Guan-nok and Kwan Chun-sing; and "Resonance Aura V: Clockwork" by Chris Cheung, Jeff Wong and Joseph Chan.