“Big Corner Mouth” is what the Cantonese Yale name Daaih gok dzéui literally means. That is how the area of Tai Kok Tsui got its name. Tai Kok Tsui Road/Maple Street Garden sits in a place with a fascinating past.
Tai Kok Tsui is west of Mong Kok. It is in the Yau Tsim Mong district. This area shows a mix of industrial and residential buildings.
Before reclamation, Tai Kok Tsui was a long granite island. It connected to the Kowloon Peninsula by a narrow strip of land. This long hill divided the area. Docks were to the west and reclamation to the east in 1924. Oil tanks stood at the cape’s tip. The area was mainly for dock facilities then. Anchor Street reflects this history.
The Cosmopolitan Dock lasted until the 1960s. It is now the Cosmopolitan Estate. Much of Tai Kok Tsui’s shoreline changed through land reclamation.
Reclamation occurred in stages. The cove was reclaimed between 1867 and 1904. More reclamation took place from 1904 to 1924. The tip was further covered between 1924 and 1945. Minor reclamation happened when the Tai Kok Tsui Ferry Pier was built between 1964 and 1982.
The Airport Core Programme in the 1990s led to significant reclamation. It also revitalized the district. The MTR station opened in 1998. The Olympian City shopping center was built. This area is now called Olympic.
Many senior citizens lived in Tai Kok Tsui. Recently, younger people have moved in. Many are returning to Hong Kong after living abroad. The area has been known for immigrants.
The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link runs beneath Tai Kok Tsui. In 2010, residents protested. They said the railway would cause noise pollution. They also feared old buildings with poor foundations would collapse.
Tai Kok Tsui has seen significant changes. Industrial areas have given way to high-rise residential buildings. Restaurants and bars have opened. Older buildings are being replaced with new commercial spaces.
Tai Kok Tsui Road/Maple Street Garden offers a small green space amidst this urban transformation. It is a place to reflect on the area’s rich history. It is a testament to the changing face of Hong Kong.