This is the car park that JJ Cowperthwaite refused to pay for out of Government funds, saying "If the private sector wants a car park, it can build one".
I'm pretty sure that car park was still there, unchanged, in the 1980's, by which time the cost of a days parking was considerably more than the cost of travelling into and out of Central by any other means.
I thought this picture showed the multi-storey car park behind City Hall. Reason being this photo of the building only shows a ramp leading down from the upper levels. The car park in front of the old star ferry building (which will be pulled down from what I understand) is a longer building and has another ramp that leads up at the opposite end.
Got to check out the stair case there. I believe you were right about this. The one next to the back stage of City Hall does not have a stair case next to the ramp. The one in the west does.
I think J is right that the carpark is the one behind the City Hall Low Block. If one counts the number of pillars supporting the ramp in Fred's photo, it matches the same number from today's Google street view.
The Star Ferry Car Park opened to the public on 8 December 1957. China Mail 9 December 1957 refers. For reference, the the City Hall Car Park opened in 1961. a year before the City Hall was completed.
I'll stick with 1959 for now, as Fred's photo shows the car park in use, and he left Hong Kong permanently in 1959.
Klaus also found a mention the car park was in use in 1959 (https://gwulo.com/comment/56815#comment-56815), but that note also suggests the car park was closed at some point that year while piling work was underway. So maybe it had an unofficial opening in 1959, closed during the piling works, then had its formal opening in 1961?
Can disregard the 1961 date as information in the Hong Kong Annual Reports 1958/9 has superseded it. Although completed in 1958, the car park only became operational the following year.
Apology for changing the subject - I thought it was a Ford, but this is Hong Kong. That fuzzy four-letter word led me to the 1958 Opel 4-door Sedan. Regards, Peter
Comments
Car park in front of the Hong Kong Star Ferry
The picture shows the car park in front of the Hong Kong Star Ferry.
This is the car park that JJ
This is the car park that JJ Cowperthwaite refused to pay for out of Government funds, saying "If the private sector wants a car park, it can build one".
I'm pretty sure that car park was still there, unchanged, in the 1980's, by which time the cost of a days parking was considerably more than the cost of travelling into and out of Central by any other means.
City Hall Car Park
I thought this picture showed the multi-storey car park behind City Hall. Reason being this photo of the building only shows a ramp leading down from the upper levels. The car park in front of the old star ferry building (which will be pulled down from what I understand) is a longer building and has another ramp that leads up at the opposite end.
Same Star Ferry Car Park
see the Google Streetview Star Ferry carpark here
City Hall backstage car park here. The City Hall low block is clearly visible.
Re: City Hall Car Park
Hi there,
Got to check out the stair case there. I believe you were right about this. The one next to the back stage of City Hall does not have a stair case next to the ramp. The one in the west does.
Best Regards,
T
Re: City Hall Car Park
I think J is right that the carpark is the one behind the City Hall Low Block. If one counts the number of pillars supporting the ramp in Fred's photo, it matches the same number from today's Google street view.
1961 photo of the construction of City Hall.
Update to Star Ferry Car Park
The Star Ferry Car Park opened to the public on 8 December 1957. China Mail 9 December 1957 refers. For reference, the the City Hall Car Park opened in 1961. a year before the City Hall was completed.
Just some housekeeping of
Just some housekeeping of facts. Can admin please update/clarify the following two car parks?
As noted by moddsey in post just above:
Star ferry car park opened 8th December 1957
City Hall multi-storey car park opened 1961
...but link still says city hall multi-storey car park opened 1959
Thanks in advance!
Year the City Hall multi-storey car park opened
I'll stick with 1959 for now, as Fred's photo shows the car park in use, and he left Hong Kong permanently in 1959.
Klaus also found a mention the car park was in use in 1959 (https://gwulo.com/comment/56815#comment-56815), but that note also suggests the car park was closed at some point that year while piling work was underway. So maybe it had an unofficial opening in 1959, closed during the piling works, then had its formal opening in 1961?
Re: City Hall Car Park
Can disregard the 1961 date as information in the Hong Kong Annual Reports 1958/9 has superseded it. Although completed in 1958, the car park only became operational the following year.
Car and Year
Apology for changing the subject - I thought it was a Ford, but this is Hong Kong. That fuzzy four-letter word led me to the 1958 Opel 4-door Sedan. Regards, Peter
Opel
This is an Opel Kapitän from 1956/1957 of german make, engine 6 cyl with 2,5 l.