Lai Yuen Swimming Pool 1950s | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Lai Yuen Swimming Pool 1950s

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Lai Yuen Swimming Pool 1950s
Submitted by OldTimer
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OldTimer
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Lai Chi Kok

Lai Yuen Amusement Park swimming pools, the shallow section in the foreground, and deep section farther up.  The deep ends are to the right of the photo.

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Submitted by moddsey on Sun, 2018-04-15 10:05.

I think the photo may be the Ritz Garden Amusement Park in Quarry Bay.

Submitted by OldTimer on Sun, 2018-04-15 22:22.

Greetings, and hi moddsey.  The Ritz's one does not match my memories.

Ritz Garden swimming pool - https://gwulo.com/atom/20945 - one common feature is that both sites had small hills nearby.  It appears to be situated next to the sea whereas Lai Yuen's were further inland from the beach.

The road at the top was Lai Chi Kok Beach Road, same location of the present Lai Wan Road. The Ritz's was a single pool; but at Lai Yuen, there were two separated by a narrow partition wide enough for me to walk on.   The smaller and shallower pool was used by children.  One time, I was sitting on its edge (the spot just beyond those round-roof huts), and fell backward onto the ground - part of my cherished memories after the pain was gone.  Showers and change rooms were in the building with three windows.  Regards,  Peter

Submitted by moddsey on Sun, 2018-04-15 23:20.

Noted with thanks. There appears to be a skating rink at lower right. Read more about the expansion plans of the Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park here According to the article the Park opened in the summer of 1947. 

Submitted by OldTimer on Mon, 2018-04-16 22:49.

Greetings, and many thanks moddsey for the link to the Hong Kong Sunday Herald article.  I have incorporated their information into the cinemas' place-page, shown here - https://gwulo.com/node/40877

Submitted by David L on Mon, 2020-06-08 12:08.

There was a decent restaurant in Lai Yuen serving western menus. There used to be beaches and a small village in Lai Chi Kok. Some families of the British arm forces were housed there.  When I returned to HK in 1997 for a visit after some 35 years, sadly all these were gone.  I didn't recognize the area at all!