There are some 500 old and valuable trees (OVTs) with distinctive characteristics throughout Hong Kong, and all can be easily found in the urban and rural areas. Some of these trees are particularly large in size or have outstanding forms, while some have botanical and ecological value. Others have a long history and have witnessed Hong Kong’s development over the years. They have become part of the community and our cultural heritage. Some OVTs even contribute to our valuable landscape......

Spaces underneath flyovers are generally thought of as dark and gloomy locations where people would not like to linger. However, with a little imagination, right timing and location as well as public support, spaces underneath flyovers can be turned into creative and vibrant areas for the community. The public space under the flyover near the Kwun Tong waterfront is one such example......

You may have seen your friends’ photos on Facebook of their recent visits to PMQ, formerly known as the Police Married Quarters on Hollywood Road. Also, the opening of the YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel a few months ago may have evoked our collective memories. If we ask anyone on the street whether we should conserve our historic buildings, I believe that the answer will be “Yes”......

Summer holidays have begun! You may have plans to travel abroad with your family. But there are also a lot of activities for you and your kids to enjoy in Hong Kong. Many of the activities are highly educational, such as visiting the 14 historic buildings that have won UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation to learn about our cultural heritage. The 14 buildings, which include a temple, churches, study halls, schools, a hotel and even a coffin home, are either declared monuments or graded/proposed graded historic buildings......

Last month, I represented Hong Kong at the 10th Ministers’ Forum on Infrastructure Development in the Asia-Pacific Region in Singapore. At the forum, ministers and senior officials from member countries and places across the Asia-Pacific region held discussions and shared views and experiences on the strategies and policies of infrastructure development. The theme of this year’s forum was “Infrastructure for Sustainable Development: Creating Liveable Communities”......