Гонконгтағы Уитфилд казармасы және Коулун паркінің тарихы

Barracks in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Whitfield Barracks were barracks in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was named after Henry Wase Whitfield, who was appointed commander of the British Army in Hong Kong in 1869. The area is now the site of Kowloon Park, where four reconverted barrack blocks and parts of the former Kowloon West II Battery remain.

The site was designated a military area in 1864. the barracks were developed in subsequent years. By 1910, there had been 85 barrack buildings constructed. The rights for the development of the 5,410 sq metre strip were sold in February 1983 to a subsidiary of New World Development for $218 million.

Four reconverted military barrack blocks remain: Blocks 58, S4, S61 and S62. Blocks S61 and S62 were constructed in circa 1910. They are a pair of identical two storied colonial military barrack blocks, and were originally part of six barrack blocks built parallel to one another. Block S4 (formerly Block G) is situated at the southeast corner of Kowloon Park, along Haiphong Road, and is accessed through its entrance on Nathan Road. It is a two storied colonial military barrack building which is similar in type to Blocks S61 and S62. It now houses Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre. Block 58 (formerly Block A) is situated at the southwest corner of Kowloon Park, along Haiphong Road. It is used as a godown of the Hong Kong Museum of History.

Kowloon West II Battery was situated in the northwestern part of today's Kowloon Park. It was built between 1878 and 1880, and was probably decommissioned by 1916. It commanded the entrance to Victoria Harbour between Stonecutters Island and Green Island. When Whitfield Barracks was converted into Kowloon Park, the battery was converted into a children's adventure playground; it is still recognisable for what it was, however. The gun emplacements have been renovated. Naval guns have been mounted in each emplacement after they were discovered at a construction site at Chatham Road in Tsim Sha Tsui in 1980. The conversion of Blocks S61 and S62 into the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre won the 2007 UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards Jury Commendation for Innovation.