The land on which the Southorn Playground sits was reclaimed from Victoria Harbour as part of the Praya East Reclamation Scheme during the 1920s.

[4] A formal opening ceremony was held for the then-Wanchai Children's Playground, officiated by Thomas Southorn and Rotary Club president Ts'o Seen Wan, on 11 July 1934.

[3] Following the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong (1941–1945), the government endeavoured to rehabilitate the derelict playgrounds of the territory.

The Southorn Stadium is an indoor recreational complex, owned by the Hong Kong Playground Association, intended as a replacement for the War Memorial Centre.

An unnamed developer offered to pay for half the redevelopment while the District Council sought about HK$100 million from the government to make up the difference.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department was uninterested, stating, "In view of the keen competition for public resources for the development of much needed leisure facilities in other areas with greater urgency, e.g. new towns like Tung Chung and Tin Shui Wai, there is less priority for a redevelopment proposal which aims at adding value to an existing well-used venue.

"[14] Southorn Playground was originally one of the designated protest areas for the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 (MC6), which was held during 13–18 December 2005 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Nowadays, senior citizens play Chinese chess there, while young people regard it as one of their favorite spots for football and basketball.

[15] The annual Adidas Streetball Challenge is held in the playground which attracts flocks of Hong Kong basketball fanatics and young spectators.

It has also one of the most well-known basketball courts in Hong Kong, and street legends story often start in Southorn Playground.

Additionally, the Civil Engineering and Development Department has commissioned a study into increasing the use of underground space in densely built-up areas.