Urban Renewal Authority 2018-19 Annual Report

53 OPERATING REVIEW Place-making Initiatives Since 2017/18, URA has been exploring the application of place-making concepts to its project portfolio. As a pilot, and to showcase the potential of place-making, three projects in the Central and Western District, namely The Center (H6), Peel Street/Graham Street (H18) and the Central Market Revitalisation Project, have been pulled together and developed under the concept of place-making, named “CONET”. The purpose is to develop a “net” of these community spaces through diverse events such as exhibitions, performance and other cultural activities for the enjoyment of the local community. At H6, the venue at the ground floor, which is designated for G/IC uses, has been revamped for community use since October 2017 and re-named as “H6 CONET”. It includes The Urban Renewal Exploration Centre, which is designed to enhance public awareness of the urban renewal work of URA. “H6 CONET”, which also serves as an urban shortcut for the district, has gradually increased in popularity to become a hang-out space and exhibition cum performance hub, which local people, office workers and tourists can enjoy. In 2018 alone, 58 events, including exhibitions, workshops and performances, were organised by the community at the community exhibition space (Community CONET) of “H6 CONET”. The number of visitors to “H6 CONET” has doubled since its opening in 2017, with over 7,000 visitors on a regular weekday now. In 2018/19, various initiatives were developed to take the place-making concept forward in order to better recognise and preserve local heritage and characteristics of a wider area through beautification of adjoining streets, setting up of tripartite collaboration for street art (including URA- hawkers-artists and URA-external wall owners-artists) and place-making partnership with neighbouring domestic building owners on building rehabilitation aesthetic direction. In coming years, the “CONET” concept of place- making will be further explored to connect H6, H18 and the Central Market Revitalisation Project to further celebrate the local characteristics and heritage richness. Community Making Initiatives Urban renewal is not only about redevelopment, rehabilitation, preservation and revitalisation of a place, but is also the re-building of a community and re-establishment of social network among the community members for a more harmonious society. A new community making concept is being explored in Staunton Street/Wing Lee Street Project (H19) as stated in page 44. Through engagement of community stakeholders, core values that define the community will be identified and community-making initiatives will be piloted in H19 project with an aim to expand to other URA projects. Place-making concept is further injected to “H6 CONET” through the street beautification initiative to highlight local characteristics.