Dear Editor,
My school, Kowloon Secondary School, which is located in Ho Man Tin, is going to be demolished by the Civil Redevelopment Bureau for redevelopment of Ho Man Tin. It has a long history of nearly a century and has cultivated a multitude of outstanding students. I lament the rash decision of demolition of my school and I am writing to express my views of the issue.
Undoubtedly, there are both pros and cons of knocking down the school building.
For people who concur with the decision, they consider it a way for better living of people in the area. Recreational and sports facilities have always been in shortage in Ho Man Tin because only a football court and a small sports centre are present in the area. Therefore, the site of the school building could be of recreational use. Another sports centre or a swimming pool could be built there to enhance people’s living standard. As people can recharge and unwind when they avail themselves of the facilities, people can greatly benefit from the project.
Others may weigh in with some economic arguments in favour of the idea. They reckon it could help boost the property prices in the area as it is part of the redevelopment of the area. Economic benefits will accrue to the citizens in the area from the project. Investors in other districts can also capitalize on the rising property prices through investing in the property in Ho Man Tin.
However, there are also dissenting voices.
The demolition might depress the chances of students for gaining permission to a good secondary school in the area. Kowloon Secondary School is a reputable school which is known for its high historical value and policy of admission of students. It opens doors for any students who are capable of meeting the basic requirements of schools, regardless of their religion or identity. As a result, it admits a considerable number of students coming from the mainland and students of ethnic minority. The demolition might deal a fatal blow to the promising future of those students because few schools in the area admit them.
Moreover, the school building is part of the collective memory of Hong Kong people. The school building has stood for nearly a century and has high historical value. It silently watches the world go by in the city. It witnesses the transformation of Hong Kong from a small village to a big cosmopolitan city. It has gone through the ebb and flow of the place. Should we continue to indulge in the benefits of the modernization of our city and be oblivious to the valuable historic building which is on the verge of collapsing? The city has been inundated with a host of skyscrapers. Would you like to pressure something unique and historical for reminiscing about the past? Preserving the school building is the first step towards it.
Hong Kong has positioned itself as an international city and it is too engrossed in boosting social development and modernizing itself. We need to pay heed to the uniqueness of the city and always remember what is behind the façade of prosperity of the city. Therefore, I take issue with the government on the demolition. It is my conviction that the building ought to be preserved rather than being torn down.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Wong
Chris Wong