As a child, I lived in Oi Man Estate in Ho Man Tin. What I remember most are the skywell and long corridors, which connected countless families. Every household had its own gate and front door. People tended to leave the door open and the gate closed and put on a homemade curtain. This way, there was good ventilation, and it was easy for adults to see what was going on outside and to call their children home any time.
The corridors and the skywell area were where children played. I remember that I used to do my homework slowly and poorly, and so my mother wouldn’t let me go out and play with other children. All I could do was peek through the curtain and the gate and listen to other children play. Because I really wanted to play, I started doing my homework faster and better, and never again did my mother stop me from going out to play.
Also, the estate’s neighbours watched out for each other and had great relationships. We would say hello and chat when we bumped into each other. Many people would dry their laundry on the corridor railings, without worrying that their clothes would be stolen. All this was normal and unique to public estates in the past, giving rise to many cultural quirks, friendships, and stories.
It is undeniable that the newly completed housing estates have better facilities and conditions. But life in the old housing estates was full of joy and left me with many pleasant childhood memories.
