Heng Fa Chuen
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Heng Fa Chuen (Chinese: 杏花邨; Jyutping: hang6 faa1 cyun1; pinyin: Xìnghuācūn; lit. Almond Flower Village) is a residential estate in the northeast of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. With a calm waterfront offering beautiful views of the Tathong Channel and away from congestion in other places, Heng Fa Chuen is administratively part of the Eastern District.
Heng Fa Chuen was founded in 1979, when land reclamation projects created land adjacent to Chai Wan. The town officially opened on 10 July 1982.
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[edit] History
The area which is now known as Heng Fa Chuen was actually reclaimed from Pak Sha Wan (白沙灣) and Lei Yue Mun Bay (鯉魚門灣). In fact, the place where the current Promeade along the shoreline is was once a beach. There was nothing in addition except for barren hills and numerous vegetation. Further to the West, near the current Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, there was once a quarry. However, after consuming all of the quarry's resources, the miners dispersed, with some moving to Chai Wan and settling in wooden houses. The rest of the quarry was abolished by the Hong Kong Government, and interesingly, there were still traces of it left before the establishment of the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defense. In the early 1980s, the Island Line of the MTR was built, the working name of the station was "Chai Wan Quay" on the Freeman, Fox, Wilbur Smith & Associates Mass Transportation Study became Heng Fa Chuen when the MTR became the rightful developer of the land on top of the station and depot. Not only was the name of the station changed, but also it was relocated to its present place (The old location is currently situated near the Chai Wan pier/Ming Pao Industrial Centre). Construction of the residential blocks began on August 13, 1977 and ended on April 26, 1982.
[edit] Features
There is a total of 48 residential blocks, of which each of them is assigned a number in ascending order (from 1 to 50), but numbers 14 and 44 are omitted, accordingly because of each of the numbers' association with bad luck and death when interpreted in Cantonese. The first phase of the development featured 20-storied complexes while the second phase featured 21-storied counterparts, accordingly since Heng Fa Chuen was in the aeronautical path of most planes heading to the former Hong Kong International Airport at Kai Tak. There is a depot for the MTR Island Line, which is used for housing and maintenance of the MTR EMUs.
All of the town's 48 residential blocks are managed by MTR Property Management. The MTR Corporation Limited has control over the MTR depot, and on top of it are 20 blocks of residential complexes. There is a recreation center near blocks 32 and 33, with two swimming pools, a gym, and a restaurant. There is also a fairly large shopping center named "Paradise Mall".
In 1999, the PARKnSHOP supermarket replaced the existing Carrefour giant chain supermarket. This Carrefour store, which had opened in 1997, had been the first one opened in Hong Kong.
Heng Fa Villa is to the northwestern end of Heng Fa Chuen.
Interestingly, McDonald's 11,000th fast-food restaurant was opened at Heng Fa Chuen in 1989.
The Heng Fa Chuen waterfront offers a picturesque view of the Tathong Channel, providing a pleasant break from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.
[edit] Education
There are three schools in Heng Fa Chuen:
- St. Dominic Kindergarten
- The Salvation Army Ann Wyllie Memorial Primary School
- Lingnan Secondary School
[edit] Transport
Heng Fa Chuen is served by the station of its namesake on the MTR Island Line. There is also a bus station just a few minutes away from the Paradise Mall, opposite to the residential blocks 49 and 50.
