Starting Friday, the scope of the Rua da Felicidade pedestrianisation project has been reduced as only a section of the main street has still been designated as a pedestrian precinct, reopening Travessa do Mastro and Travessa do Aterro Novo to vehicular traffic.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) announced the adjustments to the Rua da Felicidade pedestrianisation project on Thursday, stating that enhancements to the temporary pedestrian precinct would be made starting the next day, including the opening up of Travessa do Aterro Novo (新填巷), the section of Rua da Felicidade (“福隆新街” – also known as “Street of Bliss”) leading to Rua da Alfândega (紅窗門街) and Travessa do Mastro (爐石塘巷) as well as the setting-up of an area for loading and unloading goods and for picking up and dropping off passengers in Rua dos Mercadores (營地大街). The adjustment also includes the shortening of the pedestrian precinct’s operating hours daily from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., instead of from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. the next day.
Thursday’s statement insisted that since its trial implementation in September last year, the pedestrianisation project had attracted a large number of residents and tourists, achieving “certain” results, adding that the adjustment came after “close” communication with various sectors of the community and a review of the implementation of the temporary pedestrianisation project, with a view to providing better conditions and a base for the future development of the pedestrian precinct mid- and long-term.
The project is undertaken by Wynn Resorts, with the aim of injecting cultural and commercial activities into and setting up arts installations with casual dining in the precinct to drive foot traffic to the restaurants and shops there.
However, some business operators, assisted by lawmaker-cum-current affairs commentator Ron Lam U Tou, conveyed to the media in mid-September their dissatisfaction with the pedestrian precinct, saying that their incomes had been greatly affected by the project. An A3 sheet with the words “Demand the government to honour its promise immediately” and a page of a news report on allowing some of the streets to be reopened to vehicular traffic ahead of others were then posted on the façades of some shops and eateries in the pedestrian precinct.
The IC statement underlined that the government will keep an eye on possible adjustments to the pedestrianisation project while maintaining communication and coordination with residents, business operators and the neighbourhood association there, adding that “the arrangement of the temporary pedestrian precinct will be flexibly adjusted according to holidays, some weekends or special events in the future, in order to meet the needs of the organisation of festive activities”.
The bureau said on Thursday that it would carry out façade restoration on 10 buildings on Rua da Felicidade, as well as install signboards along the pedestrianised street at Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (新馬路), i.e., from Largo do Senado (議事亭前地) to the section of the still pedestrianised Rua da Felicidade.
This photo taken yesterday shows a car entering Rua da Felicidade en route to Rua da Alfândega. – Photo: Yuki Lei
