URA Devises Short- and Medium-term Measures to Boost Foot Traffic and Sustain Economic Vitality in Flower Market alongside Progressing Sai Yee Street Project
The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) launched the Sai Yee Street / Flower Market Road Development Scheme (Sai Yee Street Project) in March of this year, which aims to improve road and pedestrian networks and strengthen connections with nearby recreational facilities through a comprehensive re-planning and re-structuring of land use, as well as offer visitors a wider variety of shopping and entertainment options. The visionary planning will also foster a more favourable business environment for the Flower Market and support its long-term growth.
Currently, the Sai Yee Street Project is in the planning phase, and it will take time to progress from property acquisition approvals to project completion. To maintain the economic vitality of the Flower Market throughout the various phases of development, the URA has devised a series of short- and medium-term measures aimed at attracting more visitors and new customers, stimulating the local economy, and assisting flower vendors in navigating current business challenges.
With Christmas just around the corner, the URA and the Yau Tsim Mong District Office jointly host the Flower Market Christmas Festive Event, embellishing the Flower Market area with vibrant decorations and large festive installations to attract both locals and tourists. In addition, a variety of promotional activities are planned to increase foot traffic and enhance the business environment for the flower shop operators. When the property acquisition process for the redevelopment project begins later, the URA will also develop transitional plans and long-term relocation arrangements for the affected flower shop operators, with the aim of preserving the shops, their customers, and the market’s unique atmosphere throughout the urban renewal process.
Hosting the First Flower Market Outdoor Christmas Event
To support these goals, the URA team has developed a range of short- and medium-term measures to bring foot traffic and new business opportunities for shop operators. These initiatives will not only create a more diverse atmosphere at the Flower Market but also highlight its distinct local character and charm, ensuring it remains an appealing destination for visitors.
The short-term measures focus on four key areas:
1. Promoting "Night Economy" with Christmas Decorations and Lighting
From 13 December 2024 to 5 January 2025, the URA, in collaboration with the Yau Tsim Mong District Office, is organising the Flower Market Christmas Festive Event. This initiative features large Christmas decorations and lights that transform the Flower Market into a festive evening hotspot, with lighting from 4:30 pm to 9 pm, and extended until 10 pm during the Christmas holidays. This effort aims to create a "night market" atmosphere, reminiscent of the vibrant energy seen before Lunar New Year, to attract visitors and encourage spending, ultimately boosting the local economy.
We saw visitors and tourists enjoying the photo opportunities created by the festive installations while purchasing Christmas trees, flowers and wreaths at the same time. Local residents appreciated the URA's innovative approach, acknowledging its role in enriching the market's atmosphere and drawing more people to experience its unique charm.
2. Hosting Christmas Ornament Workshops to Nurture Floral Appreciation
On the weekends leading up to Christmas (21 and 22 December 2024), the URA, in partnership with a social enterprise, will host Christmas ornament workshops at the Flower Market. Participants will utilise floral materials donated by seven local flower shops to create festive ornaments and write heartfelt blessing messages on them. After the workshop, each participant will receive a Christmas card crafted from floral materials while their creations will be given as a holiday blessing to the elderly at the elderly homes nearby.
In future, the URA plans to organise more flower-themed workshops to encourage participants to develop a deeper appreciation for flowers and foster a greater interest in flower-shopping at the Flower Market.
3. Introducing E-Shopping Vouchers for Valentine's Day to Support the Local Economy
In February, in anticipation of Valentine’s Day, the URA intends to launch an online game in collaboration with Flower Market merchants, offering e-shopping vouchers as rewards. Participants who win the game will be able to redeem the vouchers for purchases at the participating shops. Additionally, the URA is exploring the opportunity to partner with shop operators in URA’s redevelopment and conservation projects in the Yau Tsim Mong District to introduce a rewards programme in which participants can earn vouchers for use at the Flower Market, helping to expand the customer base and boost business for local merchants.
4. Beautifying the Flower Market and Promoting “Community Making”
The Christmas installations is only the first phase of the URA team's beautification efforts in the area. The next phase, set to begin next year, will involve collaboration with Government departments, flower shops, and local organisations to showcase the uniqueness of the Flower Market through "community making" initiatives. This will include extending beautification efforts to Yuen Po Street, creating large murals, adding more photo spots, and partnering with merchants to enhance the appearance of bollards and planters along the sidewalks. These initiatives aim to connect flower shops with the community, creating a more attractive and distinctive Flower Market that attracts visitors.
The establishment of a "Third Street" of the Flower Market will commence once the Sai Yee Street Project enters its acquisition phase. Plans include beautifying the back lane and “opening up” buildings’ backyards to increase retail shop frontages. These efforts will enhance the area's character and strengthen the connection between the Flower Market and the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, ultimately boosting foot traffic and attracting more visitors to the district.
Building on the successful revitalisation experience of the Staunton Street / Shing Wong Street Project in Central, we will conduct a "community making" study for the Flower Market. This study will engage stakeholders in collaborating to devise common visions and strategies for the ongoing renewal and preservation of the district's unique identity.
Phased Redevelopment to Allow Affected Flower Shops to Return for Business
In addition to the short-term measures, we have developed medium-term strategies aimed at preserving the Flower Market's distinctiveness by exploring interim measures for affected flower shops. Interim decanting sites will be identified within the Flower Market area to facilitate continued operations for relocated shops, with the goal of maintaining the ambience, customer base, and vibrancy of the market during the redevelopment period.
For relocation arrangements, the team intends to prioritise the construction in Site B, which includes government facilities and open spaces such as Boundary Street Recreation Ground, Boundary Street Sports Centre No.1 and No. 2, Sai Yee Street Children’s Playground and the Boundary Street Nursery, all of which do not require property acquisition. A multi-purpose complex will be constructed using the "single site, multiple use" model. This complex will provide street-level retail spaces under the recommended themes of floristry or gardening, making spaces for flower shops to relocate and expanding the Flower Market.
Drawing from valuable experience gained from Central's Graham Street Market and Kowloon City's Carpenter Road projects, the URA team will conduct in-depth interviews with affected merchants in the Flower Market to gather their insights and preferences regarding interim arrangement and relocation options once property acquisition begins for the Sai Yee Street Project.
Preserving Without Cultivating the Flower Market’s Uniqueness Won’t Support Long-Term Growth
The Flower Market has developed into a vibrant and distinctive business district over the years. However, as urban infrastructure ages and online shopping poses challenges to physical stores, merely maintaining the status quo will not effectively address current issues or foster an ideal environment for the market's long-term sustainable growth.
The Sai Yee Street Project aims to tackle these challenges at their core by modernising outdated urban infrastructure and re-planning land within the Flower Market area. This includes forward-thinking planning and designs that enhance transport and community facilities to meet the district's future development needs. The project also seeks to invigorate the area’s character and promote a thriving flower appreciation culture, stimulating economic and commercial activities in the process.
Achieving these objectives requires the alignment of government policies, active participation from local stakeholders, and staunch public support. Together, these contributions will drive the renewal of the Flower Market, enabling residents, merchants, visitors, and tourists to benefit from the many positive impacts of urban renewal.