Bowen Road
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bowen Road (Chinese: 寶雲道) is a road from the Mid-levels to Wong Nai Chung Gap of Hong Kong Island, on the slope above Central, Wan Chai and Happy Valley in Hong Kong. Bowen Road starts from Magazine Gap Road near the rail of Peak Tram and ends at the junction with Stubbs Road, Tai Hang Road and Wong Nai Chung Gap Road. Its west section was mainly residential while the east largely uninhabited.
Today the road is a popular route for joggers and dog walkers.
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[edit] History
The road was named after George Ferguson Bowen, the 9th Governor of Hong Kong, from 1883 to 1885. It was colloquially called "Third Road" by residence in Hong Kong for being the third east-west road from the shore at that time. "First Road" and "Second Road" were Queen's Road and Kennedy Road respectively.
As Hong Kong lacked fresh water at that time, Tai Tam Reservoir was built in Tai Tam Valley. An aquaduct was built to transfer from Tai Tam to Central via Wong Nai Chung Gap and Happy Valley. Later Bowen Road was built on top of the aquaducts. The road makes the south boundary of Victoria City. A boundary stone was at the junction with Stubbs Road. The road also passes by many schools.
[edit] Dog Poisonings
Bowen Road is also infamous as the site of a serial animal killer. The scenic views and rambles make Bowen Road extremely popular with dog walkers, particularly among Hong Kong's expatriate community. Since 1989, 22 dogs have been killed by eating poisoned chicken, the most recent death occurring in March 2007, with more than 60 animals being made seriously ill. The last British governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, also nearly fell victim, with his Norfolk terrier Whisky made seriously ill from consumption of poisoned chicken.
Speculation has centered around the fact that many Chinese graves are accessible from Bowen Road, and previous dog owners may have left their charges off leads, permitting them to defecate on old graves on sacred ground. Whatever the true motive, the killings have followed patterns with the killer leaving cooked chicken, covered in a commonly available - but very powerful - insecticide.
Local SPCA officials have advised Hong Kong residents to never allow their pets off a lead at any time in the area, and to always be cautious about letting their dogs sniff or eat in the area. A HK$30,000 reward is also breing offered by the SPCA for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the poisoner.
[edit] Lovers' Rock
The famous Lovers' Rock is located on the road, around 20 minutes walking time from Stubbs Road. The rock is said to have the power of giving happy marriages who worshipped it. It is also a nice place for Victoria Harbour's scenery.
