Macpherson Stadium, Hong Kong

MacPherson Stadium (Chinese: 麥花臣室內體育館) was an indoor stadium that played an important role to the development of youth recreation in Hong Kong. Located at Yim Po Fong Street, on the edge of Mong Kok, a high population density area, it had a capacity of 1,850.[1]

Macpherson Stadium, Hong Kong
Traditional Chinese麥花臣室內體育館
Simplified Chinese麦花臣室内体育馆
Facade of the former Macpherson Stadium along Yim Po Fong Street in 2007
Macpherson Playground and the site of the former MacPherson Stadium under redevelopment in 2010
A 2007 photo of the foundation stone laid by the Duchess of Kent.

The stadium was within Queen Elizabeth II Youth Centre (伊利沙伯青年館). It was adjacent to the Macpherson Playground (麥花臣遊樂場) which has a football pitch and acts as a gathering place for youth. The stadium was managed by the Hong Kong Playground Association.

It hosted the official 1983 Asian Basketball Championship.

Name

On 4 May 1929, the Hong Kong Government founded the Playing Fields Committee to provide social welfare services to local children, J. L. McPherson being among the founding members. On 4 May 1933, when the Children's Playgrounds Association became a reality, McPherson was named Honorary Secretary.[2] John Livingstone McPherson (1874-1947) had been a missionary assigned to Hong Kong from Canada, working for the YMCA of Hong Kong from 1905 to 1935.[3][4] At his retirement, appreciation was shown for the work he had done in Hong Kong, among which was the founding of the Children's Playground.[5] Macpherson left for Canada in 1935, but lived out the remainder of his life in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England and died there in 1947.

History

The stadium was opened by the Governor Sir Alexander Grantham in 1953, while the foundation stone was laid by the Duchess of Kent.[1] It held its last basketball tournament in October 2008 and was demolished for a residential complex and a new indoor stadium.[1]

Redevelopment
MacPherson Place in 2014

The site was redeveloped into MacPherson Place, a complex comprising the new MacPherson Stadium (麥花臣場館), a youth centre, and two residential towers (1A and 1B), collectively named MacPherson Residence (麥花臣匯). Developed by Kowloon Development and the Hong Kong Playground Association, it comprises 293 apartments.[6] The address of MacPherson Place is 38 Nelson Street. The foundation stone of its predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II Youth Centre, has been preserved within.

References
  1. Chan, Kin-wa (12 October 2008). "Stars from Hong Kong's sporting world bid fond farewell to MacPherson Stadium". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  2. Kwok, Siu-tong. Commemorative Publication celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Playground Association. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Playground Association, 2003
  3. "J. L. McPherson, Hong Kong YMCA: General Secretary 1905-1935". Sue (Fulham) McPherson 2006. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  4. McPherson, Sue (Fulham) (2006). "J.L. McPherson: Hong Kong YMCA General Secretary, 1905-1935" (PDF). Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch. 46: 39–58. ISSN 1991-7295.
  5. Monument to Mr. J. L. McPherson, Children's Recreation, 1925. South China Morning Post, 12 March 1935
  6. Leung, Paggie (10 April 2013). "Hong Kong home sellers begin to drop prices to lure buyers in depressed market". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Retrieved 12 November 2014.

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