Name (English): PMQ
Name (Chinese): 元創方
Category: Uncategorized
Phone Number: +852 2870 2335
Address (English): 35 Aberdeen Road, Central, Hong Kong
Address (Chinese): 香港中環鴨巴甸街35號
Address Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/giAP12fVeKaFcaUJ9
Address longitude and latitude: 22.28334101531658, 114.15156488587895
Nearest MTR Station: Sheung Wan Station Exit A2
Nearest MTR Station Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/k24PTApwTUpWzKNu8
Nearest MTR Station longitude and latitude: 22.286265905834238, 114.15215430130513
How far from the nearest MTR Station: 9-minute walk from Sheung Wan MTR Exit A2
Opening Hours:
MON 07:00 – 23:00
TUE 07:00 – 23:00
WED 07:00 – 23:00
THU 07:00 – 23:00
FRI 07:00 – 23:00
SAT 07:00 – 23:00
SUN 07:00 – 23:00
Recommended Time to Visit: 14:00-18:00
Accessibility Note: Easy access
Reminder: Prior booking required for guided tours
Renowned as a ground where local artists gather, PMQ (Former Hollywood Road Police Married Quarters) was the first accommodation for Chinese junior police officers in the 1950s. The building once faced possible demolition due to redevelopment of the district, yet was rescued by the locals from the Central and Western Concern Group.
Earlier this year, I had an opportunity to attend a seminar by Katty Law (羅雅寧), the convenor of the Group that initiated the preservation, and heard the untold preface of the PMQ preservation journey.
Being the childhood homes to two former chief executives, Mr Donald Tsang Yam-Kuen and Mr C. Y. Leung, the historic site faced demolition that the land would be converted into an exorbitant high-rise apartment building in 2007. As Katty and her team started unfolding the history of the designated redevelopment area, they discovered the site of PMQ was the former campus of Central School (now Queen’s College)–the first public school for Chinese in Hong Kong.
Back in the 19th century, the needs of Chinese in Hong Kong were neglected by the colonial government. Although the first few schools were opened by religious bodies, a lot of children were still left uneducated. Some famed sinologists and missionaries including James Legge proposed to open a public school for ethnic Chinese, and so Central school was opened at Gough Street in Central. Later, the school was relocated to Hollywood Road in 1889.
With subjects such as mathematics, sciences, geography and European history offered, students were transformed into tools to fix the dated society. The school nurtured impoverished children into pioneers bringing Hong Kong to the world, among whom were Dr Sun Yat Sen and other prominent Chinese politicians and businessmen, for example, Sir Shouson Chow and Sir Robert Ho Tung.
Central school was later relocated after the second world war, as it was razed by the Japanese Occupation. Few years after the war, the grand Central school campus was completely demolished and only the foundation is left beneath PMQ.
This government-built modern-styled residence from the 1950s has clear horizontal lines at its exterior. The humble abode of these police officers and their families stood until 2007, when the loving neighbourhood departed due to redevelopment.
As collective memories to the locals, the concern group petitioned the government to preserve PMQ. With thousands of signatures collected and documents found from the government archive, the presence of historic relics hidden beneath is evident.
The ending of the story is obvious. PMQ is revitalised and residential units are converted into restaurants, galleries and souvenir shops where art workshops are occasionally held. The unearthed foundation of Central School is open for entry every afternoon, where you could pay a visit to view the special construction of granite and antiques. You could hardly find any photos of it online as neither photos nor recordings are allowed in the exhibition area, so your eyes are the only cameras to capture.
The Concern Group never properly takes credit for the preservation, and this is the side of the story that the locals share. While some may find development and better infrastructures appealing, the legacies reminisced matter more as we can never go back in time, and this preface is certainly part of the history written lest we forget.
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