Avenue of Stars re-opening pushed back to February 2019

The reopening of Hong Kong’s very own Hollywood-style walk of fame has been delayed to next year because renovation work is turning out to be more complicated than expected.

The Avenue of Stars — a promenade that honors key figures in Hong Kong cinema — was closed in October 2015 and was expected to re-open in the third quarter of this year.

But according to a paper submitted yesterday by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) to the Yau Tsim Mong district council for discussion, the re-opening of the promenade has to be pushed back to February 2019 because the avenue’s supporting structures, which are located under water, are in poorer condition than realized.

The LCSD said the original plan was to perform maintenance on the bridge piers, but after discussions with relevant departments, it was decided that it would be better to replace them instead, hk01 reports.

The department said that last year’s bad weather — which saw Hong Kong issue a “No. 10” typhoon warning for the first time since 2012 — also had a hand in adding to the delays in the renovation.

According to Apple Daily, the revamped Avenue of Stars will incorporate a number of environmentally friendly and sustainable development elements.

For instance, water fountains will be installed and bottled water will not be sold on the avenue; for those applying to sell food or souvenirs on-site, the government will favor those who offer organic products and use recyclable containers; the handrails will be built with rice husk, salt and mineral oil rather than timber; and the LCSD will reduce the number of rubbish bins on the promenade, replacing them with recycling bins.

The LCSD expects more people to visit the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade via Salisbury Road after the Avenue of Stars re-opens.

The Avenue of Stars first opened to the public in 2004, and features plaques with the handprints and autographs of Hong Kong film celebrities like Jackie Chan, Stephen Chow, and Wong Kar-wai. It also features a 2.5-meter-high bronze statue of Bruce Lee

In 2015, tourists who made the journey to Tsim Sha Tsui to see the Avenue of Stars were disappointed that they didn’t get the memo about it being closed for three years.

But fear not, at least you can still see the Bruce Lee statue, just like Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones’ Sansa Stark) did last year. It was moved to the Tsim Sha Tsui East Waterfront Podium Garden during the renovation works.