Background Information
Skateboarding was included in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, bringing extreme sports like skateboarding, BMX, and scootering into the spotlight. In recent years, Hong Kong government has claimed to allocate more resources to promote extreme sports. The reopening and upgrading of the On Lok Mun Street Playground in Fanling and its enlightening ceremony on April 12, 2025 seemed to mark a step in this direction. According to a related government document, this skateboard playground meets the international standard.
Hardware and Software Facilities of On Lok Mun Street Playground
The On Lok Mun Street Playground is surrounded by industrial areas. Its opens from 9am to 11pm everyday, as recorded on the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s website. The facilities include a vertical ramp, a bowl ramp, rails, and ledges. Ancillary facilities include vending machines, arbours, benches, a public payphone, and barrier-free features such as a tactile guide path and a Braille directory map.
Details of On Lok Mun Street Playground: https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/clpss/en/webApp/Facility/Details.do?ftid=100&did=7
Feedback from Skateboarder
The skatepark is designed to meet “world skate” standards while being celebrated by officials as a significant progress in promoting skateboarding and extreme sports in Hong Kong. However, skateboarders argue that the design and planning fail to meet their practical needs.
“Hong Kong government didn’t consider planning from a player perspective. For example, just think about how many rainy days Hong Kong has this year. If it rains, this playground cannot be used by citizens most of the time since it is outdoors! They could have added a roof to make it an indoor skatepark. If they are not actual users, they definitely do not know what is truly needed for users,” Leung Sung, a 56-year-old skateboarder waiting for his family at the skatepark, said.
“Hong Kong government needs to consider how to plan from the perspective of skateboarders. It shouldn’t just be about satisfying the name of international standards but neglecting real needs. In fact, they didn’t even ask opinions from actual users for reference when constructing this skatepark,” Mr. Leung added.
Other skateboarders have also criticised the planning of this skatepark. “The usable area of the venue is very small, and there’s an empty space over there for no reason,” Kelvin Wai, a 40-year-old skateboarder talking with his friend in the skatepark, said. “The government claims this park meets international standards, which is good, but the design lacks consideration from the user’s perspective. In other countries, there are parks for different skill levels, but here, it feels like they only want to meet standards without thinking about functionality,” Kelvin Wai added.
Apart from the design of this skatepark, its opening hours have also faced widespread criticism. “The opening hours imply a lack of consideration,” Marco Lam, an 18-year-old skateboarder ready to leave the skatepark, said. Other skateboarders shared the same concern. So Tsz Fung, a 32-year-old skateboarder, who was skateboarding inside the skatepark said, “The opening hours are only until 10 PM. This playground is far from residential areas. Many people come after work or school, not to mention that this venue is already quite far, people can’t practice for long. Not everyone lives nearby here.Why can’t it be open longer? ”
Mixed-Use Space lead to chaotic among usage
One contentious issue among skateboarders is the park’s mixed-use nature. Sports like BMX riders, scooters, and skateboarders share the same space. Many users believe this arrangement creates unnecessary chaos. “I think BMX, scooters, and skateboards should be separated. The situation right now is that mixing them together is actually very chaotic,” Kelvin Wai said.
“The design is not user-friendly for skateboarders; it’s too crowded, with people rushing around. I would rather they not reconstruct this playground and use the original playground,” Marco Lam added.
The criticisms from skateboarders reveal a deeper problem: the Hong Kong government lacks a clear, long-term plan for the development of extreme sports. While the skatepark claims to meet “world-class” standards, it does little to meet real needs of the local skating community.
“If the government really want to improve Hong Kong’s skateboarding development, they shouldn’t just chase their so-called “world skate” standard. Our real needs should be better addressed,” said Mr.So.
Suggestions from a skateboarder on promoting extreme sports in Hong Kong
To effectively promote skateboarding in Hong Kong, skateboarders emphasised that simply building facilities was not enough. There was a need for a more comprehensive strategy that included hosting competitions and creating diverse venues to better develop the skateboarding culture.
“Some people might say it’s because you’re not good enough to play in this park’s space well, but in other countries, they have different types of parks at different levels. However, Hong Kong built this park just to chase the so-called “world skate” standard, which acted with undue haste,” Kelvin Wai said.
“I hope there will be more types of venues in the future to provide more options for us,” Kelvin Zhang Jia Xuan, a 15-year-old skater, shared similar thoughts.
Mr. So also emphasised the importance of having different levels of skateparks. “If the Hong Kong government really wants to promote extreme sports, they should build more venues, including much larger and more professional ones, as well as venues with a lower entry threshold to attract more people to participate in the sport.”
Chan Ho Tin, a 24-year-old skateboarder resting and seated on the bench shared, “In my view, having a better venue is good, but I hope the government can put in more resources, such as hosting more competitions, rather than just building a new park and assuming it will help with promotion.”
The Deeper Question: What Role Should Extreme Sports Play in Hong Kong?
The opening of the On Lok Mun Street Playground has sparked discussions about the government’s commitment to promoting extreme sports in Hong Kong. Feedback from skateboarders has raised important questions: what are the ultimate goals of the Hong Kong government in developing extreme sports? Is it aim to nurture athletes for global competitions, such as the Olympics? Or to make these sports more accessible to the general public?
At present, there seems to be no clear answer yet. The aspiration to meet international standards is a step forward, but meeting standards alone cannot create a thriving skateboarding culture. This highlights the deficiency in Hong Kong’s current approach to promote extreme sports development. To fundamentally enhance the growth of extreme sports, the government need to listen to the voices of skateboarders and develop a deeper, long-term strategy for the future of these sports.
