Go Park Sai Sha has opened boasting a dizzying array of sports. Carolynne Dear took the MTR north to find out what the mega park has to offer
The one million square foot sports park has a lot to offer
What a difference a couple of years makes. Last time I drove along Sai Sha Road in Hong Kong's New Territories, it was all steep mountainsides and tumbling jungle on one side and hidden villages and the sparkling waters of Three Fathoms Cove on the other. In one tiny village there was a French restaurant, One ThirtyOne, and a small driving range, but essentially this was undeveloped Hong Kong, a rural backwater far from the high-rise and concrete.
But time and tide wait for no man and although the steep mountains and the French restaurant remain, the bulldozers have moved in and now a small residential town towers over the tiny village. And amongst the shiny new tower blocks is Go Park Sai Sha, a mega sports park that knocks your sports socks off.
Developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties and designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the 1.3 million sq ft space boasts an enormous smorgasbord of sport and entertainment. The park has been sympathetically designed with shady areas, imaginative landscaping and plenty of seating and tables for spectators or those wanting to take a break. Decades-old trees have been left in place and new foliage introduced, and with the stunning mountains of Plover Cove Country Park as a backdrop, you feel very much that you’ve escaped the city. Go Park Sai Sha slickly fills a gap in the Hong Kong sporting scene between the utilitarian Leisure & Cultural Services government sports venues and the eye-wateringly expensive private clubs.
Pitches for miles at Go Park Sports
The list of facilities is endless and I almost reached my 10,000 daily step target on the recent media tour. The space is divided into three sections, Go Park Stadium with a commercial area and indoor stadium, Go Park Sports which is a one million square foot outdoor sports park, and eventually there will be a Go Park Aqua.
The hub of the park is located outside the indoor stadium, a paved area with a raft of dining outlets and shops and with plenty of outdoor seating.
Inside the multi-purpose stadium is a temperature-controlled lap pool, a fencing school and gym, as well as a yoga space which will soon be offering classes. Outside the stadium is a climbing wall, pet park, skate park, bike parking and no fewer than three kids’ adventure playgrounds, one of which is dedicated to littlies.
At Go Park Sports I toured the competition standard tennis courts, padel courts, pickle ball courts, Hong Kong’s only dedicated lacrosse field, a full-size football and rugby pitch, basketball courts and a 1.5km running and cycling track that’s weaves its way around the entire complex. At the far side of the park is a golf centre with changing rooms, putting green and a driving range which was still having its finishing touches added during my visit.
With three adventure play areas there's lots of fun for kids
When it launches, Go Park Aqua will take advantage of the park’s waterside location with kayaking and paddle boarding, but details of this are yet to be revealed. However, ‘excursion events’ including mangrove kayaking, SUP discovery adventures and local walking and cycling tours are bookable now via the website.
Although the park officially launches on January 22, it's currently in its soft opening phase and can be booked via the Go Park Sports app. From the opening date through to March, Go Park Sports is offering free sports trial classes on a first-come, first-served basis; again, reservations should be made through the app.
On-site parking is available and there are frequent buses and minibuses linking the park with Ma On Shan, University and Wu Kai Sha MTR stations.
As the mother of four sports-obsessed children, I'm certain Go Park Sai Sha will be a welcome and well-used addition to Hong Kong and is sure to be a hit during school holidays.
Go Park Sai Shai, 9 Hoi Ying Road, Sai Sha, New Territories.
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