HK Electric Investments and HK Electric Investments : “The Eastern Sparkle” to be Continued…

Press Release

10 October 2023

"The Eastern Sparkle" to be Continued…

To celebrate the return of public tours organised under the "Green Hong Kong Green" (GHKG) environmental education programme, HK Electric and the Conservancy Association (CA) recently took student ambassadors from the Eastern District for a first glimpse of the hidden treasures in historic North Point. The preview set the stage for three public tours to be held from October to December along "The Eastern Sparkle", the newest member of the 11 eco-heritageroutes developed under GHKG on Hong Kong and Lamma Islands.

The event was the first physical - rather than virtual - tour held along the eco- heritage route since its launch in early 2021 when the pandemic struck Hong Kong. In addition to its fascinating history, local culture and ecological features, North Point was once the hub of Hong Kong's entertainment industry and also home to the former North Point Power Station.

The three upcoming public tours will take place once a month, bringing participants to visit the 10 eco-heritage spots enroute, as well as exploring different themes about the history, architecture, culture and customs, and ecological resources of North Point (see details below).

The first group of young visitors toured five of the 10 spots, namely North Point Pier, Chun Yeung Street, State Theatre, City Garden and the Oil Street Art Space, and were excited to find out more about the history and culture of Eastern District.

As the tour got under way at City Garden, Managing Director of HK Electric Mr. Francis CY Cheng said, "For HK Electric, North Point has played an important role in the history of electricity supply in Hong Kong, since City Garden was once the location of our second power station - the North Point Power Station. Traces can still be found with a few street names nearby, such as Tin Chong [meaning power plant in Chinese] Street, Electric Road and Power Street."

Mr. Cheng added that he was delighted to share the history of the area and the former power plant with the younger generation, hoping they would appreciate how individuals and organisations could contribute to the development of their community and Hong Kong as a whole.

Led by CA's Chief Executive, Mr. Ken So, the students also had the opportunity to meet some special local "residents" - the egrets and swallows that reside at North Point Pier and Chun Yeung Street. Mr. So said, "In addition to providing a convenient transportation link for residents, North Point Ferry Pier also serves as a 'fish buffet spot' for many egrets. The bustling market of Chun Yeung Street where trams pass through is also a loving home for Barn Swallows - the summer visitors. These

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demonstrate that biodiversity could be preserved if man and nature respect and accept each other."

Another highlight of the tour was the chance to explore North Point's glorious past as an entertainment centre. Mr. Paul Chan, Co-founder and CEO of Walk In Hong Kong, shared intriguing stories and the history of the State Theatre as well as the entertainment industry in North Point. He said, "Being the only architecture of its kind left on Hong Kong Island, the State Theatre (former Empire Theatre) with its bas-relief mural and flying buttresses, was not only a symbolic landmark then, but also a significant incubator in the development of entertainment and cultural industries in Hong Kong. Through the Eastern Sparkle tours, I hope to make more people aware of this glorious history and support conserving it for our future generations."

The Oil Street Art Space (Oi!) was the end point of the kick-off tour. At the site of the former Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Curator Joan Chung explained its history and how it was revitalised to become a community art space. Joan remarked "Oi! is housed in the Grade II red-brickedhistorical building complex which has more than a hundred years of history. In 2013, Oi! was opened to the public as an art space, providing a platform for artists to showcase their creativity and connect the community through art and creativity. As an art oasis amidst the city, a new extension was opened in 2022 with outdoor spaces, offering the public an extensive space to enjoy art." The student ambassadors also had the opportunity to make delicious Fujianese spring rolls during a workshop by a local Fujian cooking instructor, who introduced how these traditional snacks reflected the food culture of the province.

Open for enrolment now, "The Eastern Sparkle" public tours will take place on three Sunday mornings:

Date	Theme	Number of
			participants
29	October	Behind North Point's History and Architecture
26	November	Exploring local traditional stores in North Point	15
17	December	Tracing Little Fujian in North Point

(All tours are conducted in Cantonese)

Since its inception in 2005, GHKG has developed 11 eco-heritage routes and trained more than 200 eco-leaders to help the public appreciate local eco-heritage resources and encourage them to treasure the environment. Other than the three physical tours, GHKG will also organise its final online tour this year in November, introducing the flora and geology of Lamma Island.

For details of GHKG and the routes, please download the "Green HK Green" App, or visit the campaign Facebook page,HK Electric's YouTube channelor websites of HK Electric or CA, or simply call CA at 2728 6781.

"The Eastern Sparkle" Public Tours

Enrolment link of "The Eastern Sparkle" Public Tours

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Lamma route 3: Ramble on the Rocks Online Tour

Enrolment link:

https://ghkg.onlineform.ai/registration

Photo Captions:

(Photo 1)

Student ambassadors listen with keen interest to HK Electric Managing Director Mr. Francis CY Cheng, who retells the stories behind the Company's former North Point Power Station.

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(Photo 2)

Mr. Francis CY Cheng and young ambassadors check in with the street signage deeply rooted in HK Electric's history of power supply in North Point.

(Photo 3 & 4)

Chief Executive Officer of the Conservancy Association Mr. Ken So takes students to meet some of North Point Pier's local residents - the egrets.

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(Photo 5)

Students see for themselves the habitat of the swallows at Chun Yeung Street.

(Photo 6)

Joan Chung, Curator of The Oil Street Art Space, walks students through the history and special features of this community art space.