Officers miss Wan Chai Station as removal gets underway
Officers said good-bye to the 78-year-old Wan Chai Police Station on October 11 as they started moving to the premises in Arsenal House vacated by Central Division following its amalgamation with Waterfront Division. The removal, which is an emotionally charged occasion for many officers, is expected to complete by the end of this month.
Before 1976, the Victoria Harbour was right in front of the station's main entrance, but nowadays, the station is facing towering commercial buildings erected on the land reclaimed from the harbour.
Wan Chai Police Station is a symmetrical U-shape four-storey high building in Neo-Classical style with possibly some Art Deco influence.
Lots of memories
Many officers are feeling sorry about the prospect of leaving the station. Station Sergeant (SSGT) Kwok Kam-ming from the Administration and Support Sub-unit of Wan Chai Division told OffBeat that the layout of the station makes officers feel closer to each other. "The Report Room, Briefing Room and Armoury are so close that we often come across each other. When there is more communication, relationship naturally becomes better. Being an old-style building, the station has no escalator or lift, but after working there for years, I've become fond of climbing the stairs," he said.
After working in the station for nine years, Sergeant (SGT) Yim Man-biu has more affection for the station. He recalled: "When I first came here, there was a staff dormitory. I had never lived in the dormitory, but when I started or finished work I often came across my colleagues and their families. We had chats and felt close to each other."
Though Arsenal House boosts state-of-the-art facilities, many officers appreciate Wan Chi Police Station's uniqueness a great deal. Said Police Constable (PC) Mak Ka-po: "I like the veranda at the Old Wing best. There are beautiful sculptures on the columns. Standing on the veranda, one can recall the sight of the Victoria Harbour before the harbour reclamation."
"I also often heard someone playing a Chinese musical string instrument on the veranda," SGT Yim recalled.
On the other hand, SSGT Kwok particularly likes the station's Turret, which was designed to enable officers, in defending the station, to monitor the situation outside and issue warnings.
SGT Yim pointed out that there is also a platform on top of the station for raising flags. In the event of a major incident, it can be used to monitor the situation on the ground. A good example is using it to monitor the protests staged by Korean peasants during World Trade Organisation Conference in 2005.
What impresses PC Tse Chun-fan most is the red carpet on the third floor of the Old Wing. "Senior officers' offices are located on the third floor. Stepping onto this floor, one can see a red carpet. The carpet was a symbol of rank. There is no such thing in new stations," he said.
"The station has another major feature - a small road between the Old and New Wings. I believe few stations have such feature. Walking to and fro on the road offers a special feeling,"PC Tse added.
"Dai Tei" is a favourite meeting point for officers. "Dai Tei" is nothing more than the compound of the car park in the New Wing, a place officers going to the changing rooms or café would never miss. It is also the place where officers gather and chat after work or during breaks. Like other features of the station, "Dai Tei" occupies a special place in the hearts of many officers.
Though reluctant to leave their old station, officers are looking forward to having a congenial environment in their new station. One thing is for sure, they will continue offering the same quality services as they have done in the old station.
New Report Room
The WCHDIV Report Room at No. 123 Gloucester Road will cease operations on November 19 at seven in the morning and the new Report Room on First Floor, Arsenal House Low Block, No. 1 Arsenal Street, Wan Chai, will at the same time start providing a round-the-clock service. The telephone number of the Report Room remains unchanged at 2519-0076.
The
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Old Wing