What was once a bay is now an area named Tai Kwai Wan. This place in Kowloon has a story of transformation. Once known as Tai Wan, it sits on the eastern side of Hung Hom. It is near To Kwa Wan and Whampoa Garden.
Tai Kwai Wan’s history is tied to a hill called Tai Wan Shan. This hill held the “Easy Battery” and later a power station. The power station belonged to China Light and Power now known as CLP Power.
Let’s clear up something interesting about Tai Kwai Wan. Many people get the Chinese characters wrong. The character that means bay is often written like another one that sounds the same. This mistake causes confusion. Even government officials mix them up. The name of the main road, Tai Wan Road shows this common error.
Back in 1911, Tai Kwai Wan was a small place. Only 97 people lived here. There were 61 men in Tai Kwai Wan.
The 1950s and 1960s brought big changes. The Hong Kong Government leveled Tai Wan Shan along with Kwun Yam Shan. They wanted to build public housing. In 1956, the Tai Wan Shan Resettlement Estate appeared. Later in 1968, the Hung Hom Estate was completed.
Interestingly, Tai Kwai Wan is part of Primary One Admission School Net 35. This means kids in this area go to certain schools. There are aided schools and Ma Tau Chung Government Primary School in Hung Hom Bay.
While not as well known as other areas, Tai Kwai Wan carries its own unique history. It shows how Hong Kong has changed over the years. It changed from a small bay to a residential area.