More Join Calls To Preserve Bishop Hill Reservoir

The architectural services sector lawmaker, Tony Tse, has joined calls for the government to preserve the Bishop Hill reservoir and restore what has already been taken apart.

Demolition of the century-old underground reservoir with impressive stone and brick arches on a hilltop in Shek Kip Mei was abruptly halted last week after a public outcry.

The lawmaker, along with several current and former members of the Antiquities Advisory Board, on Tuesday urged the authorities to locate the parts that have already been demolished, and preserve them well in order to repair the structure in future.

The experts also said officials should take a look at the heritage value of all the abandoned pre-war architecture, and improve communication between the Antiquities and Monuments Office and other government departments.

A former committee member of the Antiquities Advisory Board, Bernard Lim, urged the government to conduct a public consultation as soon as possible on how the site should be preserved.

The Water Supplies Department, meanwhile, had started temporary reinforcement work for some of the structures, pending an assessment by the Antiquities and Monuments Office.

RTHK reporters visited the site on Tuesday morning and observed that it had been fenced off. A notice was displayed, telling the public not to enter the area for safety reasons.

A hiker told RTHK that she was amazed by the architecture when she first saw it, saying it would be a good idea to turn it into a park.