Happy Valley Racecourse
| Happy Valley Racecourse 跑馬 地 馬 場 |
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 Happy Valley Racecourse (evening, 2016) |
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Happy Valley Racecourse, 2 Sports Road, Happy Valley, HK Island, Hong Kong , China 
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| Client | Hong Kong's colonial government | |
| Construction year | 1845 | |
| Coordinates | 22 ° 16 '19.8 " N , 114 ° 10' 51.8" E | |
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The Happy Valley Racecourse ( Chinese 跑馬 地 馬 場 / 跑马 地 马 场 , Pinyin Pǎomǎdì Mǎchǎng , Jyutping Paau 1 maa 5 dei 6 * 2 Maa 5 coeng 4 ) is one of two horse racing facilities in Hong Kong . The racecourse is located in the Happy Valley district of the same name , in the Eastern District on Hong Kong Island . The sports complex is circled by Wong Nai Chung Road and Morrison Hill Road . The venue is designed for spectators up to 55,000 people.
history
In order to be able to offer horse races to the British residents , the colonial government at the time decided to build a racecourse. The area was previously marshland, but at the same time it was also the only flat plain that was suitable for building a racecourse on Hong Kong Island . To make room for the racetrack, the surrounding villages were banned from growing rice. Happy Valley Racecourse was built in 1845; the first race took place in December 1846. Over the years that followed, horse racing became increasingly popular with Chinese residents as well.
On the afternoon of February 26, 1918, a temporarily erected grandstand collapsed. Hundreds of people were in the stands at the time of the disaster when the bamboo structure gave way. When it collapsed, the fire pits of the food stalls set up there set fire to the bamboo used for construction. The fire spread rapidly, so that by the time the fire was under control, 614 deaths had been counted.
The facility was expanded over the years, the last major expansion was in 1995.
Infrastructure
The Racecourse Happy Valley Racecourse is one of two racetracks in Hong Kong , by the Hong Kong Jockey Club is operated horse racing, the second is the Sha Tin Racecourse . The races usually take place regularly on Wednesday evenings, and more rarely on weekends. The events are not only accessible to club members but also to visitors of legal age. The venue is designed for a number of visitors of approx. 55,000 people.
In the center of the facility there are other sports and leisure facilities, including several football, rugby and field hockey pitches.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Archive and Museum
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Archive, opened in October 1996, and the Hong Kong Racing Museum are located on the second floor of the Happy Valley stand . The museum comprises four galleries, a cinema and offers various options for buying souvenirs on over 6000 square meters.
The galleries include the following exhibitions:
- The Origin of Our Horses: The gallery shows the earlier migration route of horses from northern China to Hong Kong
- Shaping Sha Tin: The exhibition is dedicated to the construction of the Sha Tin Racecourse
- Understanding Horses: The exhibition of the skeleton of the three-time winning horse Silver Lining
- Thematic exhibitions: The history of the Jockey Club, selected charities and community projects funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust supported
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Horse racing at Happy Valley lives up to hype The Star - Toronto Star Newspaper. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
- ↑ The Happy Valley: A History and Tour of the Hong Kong Cemetery, Ken Nicolson, Hong Kong University Press, 2010 ISBN 988-802-810-3 .
- ^ Voices from the Past: Hong Kong, 1842–1918, Solomon Bard, Hong Kong University Press, 2002 ISBN 962-209-574-7 .
- ↑ Happy Valley Racecourse 跑馬 地 馬 場 happyvalleyracecourse.com - the official website of Happy Valley Racecourse. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
- ↑ Happy Valley racecourse in Hong Kong globaltimes.cn - The Global Times English Edition. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
- ↑ "Happy Valley Recreation Ground" ( Memento of the original from May 21, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. lcsd.gov.hk - Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
- ↑ Facilities hkjc.com - The Hong Kong Jockey Club. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
