June 2023 marked the official opening of Quarryside, a new community space in Quarry Bay. Supported by the Hong Kong Development Bureau’s “Funding Scheme to Support the Use of Vacant Government Sites by Non-government Organisations”, the project has transformed a vacant government site into a space for the wider community.

Operated by St. James’ Settlement, Quarryside is sponsored by the Swire Group Charitable Trust, which provided HKD15 million towards the cost of developing and operating the project, while Swire Properties, as the project’s supporting partner, provided consultancy support for the design, construction and operation of the community space.

The design of Quarryside’s pavilion and open spaces was inspired by Quarry Bay’s industrial past, in particular the Taikoo Sugar Refinery and Taikoo Dockyard. The space features multi-functional and diverse event spaces, including the Dockyard Theatre, a workshop space, a community kitchen and indoor function rooms to cater for various events and workshops, alongside an open lawn and pet-friendly facilities for the public.

Quarryside will host a wide range of creativity-led activities year-round, focusing on health and wellness, placemaking and sustainable living – from exercise classes to community exhibitions to sustainability workshops. To inject fun and positive energy into the community, Quarryside hosted the “Quarryside Summer Fest” in August, a Happy Hong Kong supporting event that offered a weekend of events including free silent discos, live music shows, workshops, and dance classes. Around 4,500 people visited during the three-day event. As the Community Sponsor, Swire Properties provided food and drink offering in partnership with selected F&B outlets in the district. It was also one of the support events under the Government’s “Happy Hong Kong” initiative.