Two parks named after the same British king exist in Hong Kong. We are standing in front of one of them. This is King George V Memorial Park. More precisely, this is the one in Sai Ying Pun. The other King George V Memorial Park is located in Jordan, Kowloon.
King George V Memorial Park provides a welcome splash of greenery. It sits amid the concrete canyons of Hong Kong. Both King George V parks are worth a detour. They offer vintage architecture and neighbourhood colour.
Plans for the parks were announced after King George V’s death in 1936. The colonial governor, Sir Andrew Caldecott, asked local companies to pledge money. The Urban Council would oversee construction.
The King George V Memorial Park here was originally planned as King George’s Field. It is adjacent to the old Civil Hospital in Hong Kong. By June 1941, the King George V Memorial Park in Kowloon opened.
This park entrance is a popular shooting location for movies. For example, the movie “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” filmed here. The entrance has a different atmosphere between day and night.
Inside King George V Memorial Park, you will find a soccer field. There is also a basketball court and a playground. However, there are not many historic colonial sites or statues here. Stone wall trees are famous in this park.
Interestingly, there are ghost stories related to King George V Memorial Park. They also involve the Sai Ying Pun Community Complex. In March 2004, the MTR changed the planned location of the Sai Ying Pun station. It moved east and south to an area under King George V Memorial Park. This avoided nuisance during works under major roads. Part of the park was temporarily closed during construction.
King George V Memorial Park remains a green and pleasant space. It serves the community. It also quietly commemorates a king. His reign might not be remarkable. Yet, his name lives on in these parks.